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As May blossoms, so is the energy across our district! We just wrapped up an incredible annual conference that proved once again that this community is defined by heart, humor, and a shared drive to keep growing.
That kind of culture doesn’t just happen by accident. A huge shout-out goes to Debbie Hunt, our phenomenal Conference Chair, and her dedicated team. Their vision and hard work created a weekend that did more than just honor our roots - it set the perfect tone for where we’re headed next.
Our keynote, Luisa Montalvo, gave us exactly the kind of fuel we need for the road ahead. Her message was simple but hit home: no matter what life throws at you, jump in, go for it, and trust that your voice matters. It’s that exact spirit that is helping us shift "Distinguished" from a box we check on a spreadsheet to a mindset we live every day - one built on service, support, and shared wins.
The inspiration didn't stop there. We saw firsthand what’s possible when we find our spark during our District contests. Our champions took us on a wild ride: Steve Bader snagged the Humorous Speech title by "exposing" how Toastmasters ruins lives, while Xavier Tarr moved us deeply with a powerful message that sealed the District's International Speech winner.
Between the "aha!" moments in our educational sessions and the fun we had networking - including that life-sized Josh Allen who managed to steal the show - the momentum is officially ours to carry.
Let’s take that conference energy to our clubs and teams. Our real strength lives in our voices and our commitment to lifting each other up. Like I mentioned in my opening remarks: Distinguished isn’t a number, it’s a mindset.
Let’s use the last 60 days of this Toastmasters year to progress our clubs and make that mindset of success our compass.
-Gillian Sheldon, DTM
District 65, 2025-26 District Director
-Scott Schaefer
District 65, 2025-26 Program Quality Director
-Jeannette Kreher Heberling, DTM
District 65, 2025-26 Club Growth Director
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