District 33 Toastmasters
WestWord
The Official Newsletter for District 33 Toastmasters
July 2023 | Vol. 51, Issue 1
A message from our
District Director:
Greetings, Members of District 33.

Welcome to the new Toastmasters Year! It is exciting when new leaders begin
or continue their growth and serve as
Club or District Officers.

These leaders are here to support you, and we want to see every member get the best experience possible with the Toastmasters program and grow to their full potential.

When a member achieves, their club benefits; when a club reaches its goals, the district benefits.

To strive towards success with the District Mission: We build new clubs and support all clubs in achieving excellence.
Our path to the north star starts with you, the member.
Your growth and success begin when you Speak and Lead from Within.

Sincerely,
Tan Pham, DTM
2023-2024 District 33 Director


Program Quality

Igniting Excellence: A Toastmasters Year Filled with Inspiration and Happiness.
 
 
As we embark on a brand new Toastmasters year, I am enthusiastic and excited as your Program Quality Director. I am honored and privileged to serve alongside such a talented and dedicated group committed to personal growth and communication excellence.

We will set new benchmarks, inspire one another, and empower our members to reach new heights.

This Toastmasters year 2023-2024, let us embrace the power of effective communication and leadership. Achieve our personal & organizational goals, elect club officers and leadership teams, and submit the list to Toastmasters International. Present and record your Pathway speeches, and foster an environment encouraging learning, growth, and camaraderie.

Let us strive to create impactful meetings that leave a lasting impression on our members, equipping them with the skills and confidence to shine within and beyond our Toastmasters community.
With a shared vision and unwavering dedication, we will elevate the quality of our programs, nurture leaders, and transform lives.

Here's to an extraordinary Toastmasters year filled with memorable moments, personal and organizational achievements, and a renewed passion for communication excellence.
This toast is to an amazing journey ahead!

Nico Martin,  IP5, MS5; 
2023-2024 District 33, Program Quality Director
 
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Club Growth
Let's achieve our Goals.
 
It is with great appreciation that I thank you for electing me Club Growth Director. I want to express my gratitude to the Toastmasters members for your dedication and support this upcoming year. Stepping into my new role is both challenging and exciting.

Whether you have been a Toastmaster for a short or long period or are considering joining this organization, there is something for everyone. Our mission is to empower individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders.

The past two years in Toastmasters have certainly presented challenges. The pandemic has reinforced the value of my Toastmasters experiences. Which provided a solid foundation to help me lead through unprecedentedly difficult situations and the ability to communicate, collaborate, and solve complex problems. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." Likewise, you have taken the first step by joining Toastmasters.

Take advantage of all the benefits our clubs in District 33 have to offer. I look forward to the new year and a new opportunity to achieve the district's goals. I plan to start positively because how I start the year will determine how the rest of it goes.

Sincerely,
Darnell Evans, DTM
2023-2024 District 33 Club Growth Director
News Briefs:
Be sure to visit the District 33 website!

Why not keep current on District 33's events? Remember to visit our website. We have many resources including a comprehensive calendar, leader messages, and much more.




Check out our District Leaders messages on our NEW BLOG.
If you would like to contribute a BLOG article, please contact the newsletter TEAM below.

Here are the direct links to the Trio's Blog Messages.

Message from District 33 Director, Tan Pham

Program Quality Director: Igniting Excellence, Nico Martin

Club Growth Director Let’s Achieve Our Goals, Darnell Evans

District 33 for achieving President's Distinguished District!

Learn More:

Toastmasters International recognizes Districts that achieve Distinguished District goals. One of the responsibilities and opportunities of a Toastmasters leader is to participate in recognition programs. The District Recognition Program (DRP) aims to:

  • Boost the quality of clubs and increase member satisfaction
  • Help members achieve personal and professional goals
  • Help Areas, Divisions, and Districts develop and support quality clubs with engaged members
  • Assist Clubs and Districts in achieving Distinguished Club status

The foundation of the DRP is the Distinguished Club Program, which emphasizes member satisfaction, member retention, a quality club experience, the importance of goal-setting, and the value of teamwork and collaboration among leaders.



2022-2023 Leaders and Volunteers:

Thank You for your Service to Toastmasters. We know you have a busy schedule. Time is precious. District 33 appreciated every moment of your time.

We hope you enjoyed and learned from your experience.
Toastmaster International Conference: Nassau Bahamas/Hybrid Aug 16-19
Take part in a Bahamian adventure that is both a meeting of the minds and a sanctuary for the soul. Learn amidst pink sands and tropical breezes. Connect in a place where swimming pigs play. The Bahamas, soon to be brimming with the world's best communicators, is calling you: come to convention—even for the online/live streamed experience—come explore a sea of possibility!
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Summertime is
renewal time

Renew now and Save!

Membership Dues Adjustment Starting with the October 2023 renewal period, semiannual international membership dues will increase to $60.

Any member who renews before
August 1, during the October 2023 renewal period, will be able to do so at the current rate
Renew now at $45.00.
Artificial Intelligence Feature
available for all Toastmasters
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From The Toastmaster International Website:

Future-forward Partnership


In December 2022, Toastmasters International partnered with Yoodli, an AI-powered speech coach, to give members almost instantaneous speech feedback. The Yoodli platform complements the Toastmasters education experience by offering insights into how members can improve the speeches they record on the platform.











Using Yoodli’s analytics, members can see how much eye contact they made while speaking, how many filler words (such as “ah” and “um”) they used if their speaking pace was too fast or too slow, and even if any words could be replaced with more inclusive language. These data points and others empower members to polish their speeches before presenting them to a human audience for feedback.
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Spotlight: Let's set our Goals


Membership:
A Big Toastmasters Goal

To conduct a great Toastmasters meeting, you must have enough members. Toastmasters' goal is to have at least 20 members in each club.

How does a club achieve this goal?

First, after the club is chartered, the club should stay focused on why the club was started. For example, The Halo Halo club should maintain sight that it is joining together two communities: Filipino and non-Filipino.

Also, the club should be fun and exciting. The club leaders should ensure that all members' goals are met. These are just a few tips on being 20 members strong.

Stay tuned for more membership goals.

By Carolyn Moore, IP5 PI5
Independence Day on the Fourth of July) is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence, ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America.


Independence Day

The 4th of July is a day of celebration in America.
Some workers get the day off. It's a fun day, like barbecuing. A day at the park or beach, or just spending time with the family. 

Then there are the fireworks to culminate the Day of Independence. 

By
Annie Hall, DTM
Would you like to improve your
knowledge of Parliamentary Procedure?

District 33,
Welcome's a new club:

Parliamentarian Toastmasters Club.

Exciting news! We have a District-wide advanced club for members who wish to deepen their understanding of Robert’s Rules of Order.

Do you know how to make a motion? You can learn it here! The vision is to allow
members and leaders to learn and practice parliamentary procedures. Why? To support productive meetings, leaving more time for the good stuff - original speeches, creative table-topics, and thoughtful evaluations.

The club has charter members from every division! Thus, we are Zooming.
When? First and Third Wednesdays, 7:30-8:30 pm.

Our initial officer's team includes:

President: David Lohman

Vice-President of Education: Karylle Allick

Vice-President Of Membership: Chris Hempleman

Vice-President of Public Relations: Karaleen Mork

Secretary-Eric Browning

Treasurer-Michelle Reed

Sergeant of Arm- Katy Porter

If interested in visiting this innovative new club, contact either Chris
at chrishempleman@gmail.com or Katy at 760-315-0645.
WORD OF THE DAY
Some common words that begin with "B"

1. Beguile-present participle – beguiling, past tense, and past participle-beguiled- verb transitive.
Meaning- craftiness, cleverness, deceptiveness.
Meaning to fool, deceive, charm, to relieve the tedium o
Sentence example- "The book beguiled his journey."
To take away from by cheating or deceiving (usually followed by of')
"to be beguiled of money."
Synonyms- deceive, entice, mislead, seduce, etc.
Based on Random House Unabridged Dictionary published by Random
House INC, 2023.

2. Beleaguered-Often used as an adjective and a transitive verb.
Verb – (used with an object)
Meaning: to surround or beset, as with troubles,
to surround with military forces.
Sentence example- "It comes obviously from a sense of people's
own histories of being beleaguered and having their dignity removed."
Synonyms- abandoned, blockaded, cloistered, closed, closet, deserted,
and isolated.
The New Lexicon Webster's Dictionary Of The English Language,
And Dictionary.Com, LLC 2023,

3 . Blandishment-noun is often used as a plural, blandish–verb transitive.
Means: something, as an action or speech, that tends to flatter, coax,
Entice etc.
Sentence example: "We succumbed to the blandishments of tropical living."
Synonyms- adulation, allurement, blarney, cajolery, etc.
Dictionary.Com, LLC 2023, New Lexicon Webster's Dictionary.

4. Braggadocio-noun
Meaning- a boaster, (rhetorical) windy boasting
Surprisingly, ' Braggadocio ' is not commonly known as a character such as
Pollyanna, Grinch, or Scrooge.
Sentence example- "He is a loud-mouthed braggart who hid
his cowardice with braggadocio."
Synonyms- bluster, brag, bombast, grandiloquence, magniloquence.
The San Francisco Chronicle of May 17, 2023, cites the web music of J.
Lopez and Minaj used "braggadocio" as classic rap.
Based on Merriam-Webster's Dictionary.

By Nandita Das, DTM


Let's Build the WestWord! Volunteers are needed to help out on the new BLOG.

Would you like us to visit a topic or matter in an upcoming newsletter or Blog? How about a regular section? If there is something you are interested in reading about, chances are you are not the only one!

Drop us a note, Or better yet, Join the Newsletter TEAM!

Editors:
Flora Turner, Roberta Nadler, Annie Hall, Carolyn Moore, Nandita Das,
District 33 Toastmasters | d33tm.org
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