District 106

Newsletter

March 2025

Upcoming District Events

From the Desk of the District Director

Toastmasters: Your Four-Leaf Clover for Success

Have you ever found a four-leaf clover? Did it bring you good luck?

Joining Toastmasters is like finding a four-leaf clover—you discover the best version of yourself, one you never thought possible. But how does that happen? Through the Toastmasters Promise (Toastmasters Promise).

When you dedicate yourself to growth, you unlock potential you never imagined. Toastmasters is a gift you give yourself—one that elevates your confidence, refines your communication skills, and prepares you for success. Your future self will thank you.

Never underestimate the power of a weekly Toastmasters meeting. The skills you develop will make public speaking second nature, whether you're presenting at work, delivering a toast at a wedding, or leading a discussion. Every speech, role, and leadership opportunity contribute to your transformation.

Stay Lucky with Toastmasters:

• Toastmaster clubs need at least eight members to remain eligible for speech contests and education awards.
• March 31 is the deadline for membership renewal.
• Complete three Pathways levels by giving speeches to earn a Triple Crown—some members earn more than one each year!
• Clubs that earn five or more education awards achieve Distinguished Club status.

Success isn’t about luck—it’s about preparation. Toastmasters gives you the skills to shine when it matters most. The best version of yourself is waiting—go find it!

Katy Hursh, DTM

District Director, District 106

Email: tm.katy.hursh@gmail.com

From the Desk of the Program Quality Director

Hello Fellow Toastmasters,

Can you believe we are in March, which means we don’t have much time in our Toastmasters year. Let’s finish strong.

We are in speech contest season, please help out your clubs, area and divisions by volunteering some time to help them in any way they need. If we all do a small part, it makes the huge task of running a speech contest so much better.

If you would like me to come to your club and do presentation on Pathways, please reach out. I am more than happy to do it.

Have you registered for the Spring Conference? If you haven’t, you should. This is a great opportunity to support Toastmasters in our District but also come and have some great fellowship with like-minded people. We have a great program and want as many people to experience it as possible. There is still time to get your passport and join us in Thunder Bay. Don’t miss this great opportunity.

Keep up the great work and thank you for being a Toastmaster in District 106.

Matthew Villella, DTM

Program Quality Director, District 106

Email: tm.matthew.villella@gmail.com

From the Desk of the Club Growth Director

Stay Engaged and Help Grow Our Toastmasters Family!

Dear District 106 Toastmasters,

As we step into March, I want to take a moment to remind you of an important deadline: Membership renewals are due by March 31, 2025!

Renewing your membership on time ensures you continue to enjoy the benefits of Toastmasters—developing your communication and leadership skills, accessing world-class resources, and being part of our incredible community. Don’t let your membership lapse—renew today and keep your journey going strong!

Help Us Grow—Share a New Club Lead!

Do you know of a company, community, or group that could benefit from the Toastmasters experience? We are always looking for opportunities to start new clubs and bring the power of Toastmasters to more people. If you have a lead for a potential new club, I want to hear from you!

Here’s the exciting part: When your lead results in a successfully chartered club, you’ll receive a special surprise gift from me as a token of appreciation! Let’s work together to expand our district and empower more individuals to find their voice.

If you have any questions about renewals or club leads, feel free to reach out. Thank you for your dedication to Toastmasters District 106—we couldn’t do this without you!

Looking forward to seeing all of you continue your journey and welcoming new clubs into our district.

Yours in service,

Ashok Sunkavalli

Club Growth Director, District 106

Email: tm.ashoksunkavalli@gmail.com

Phone: 319-431-2415 (call or text me!)

From the Desk of the Public Relations Manager

Support Our Silent Auction – Your Donations Matter!

As your District Public Relations Manager, I am reaching out to all Toastmasters members and clubs to contribute to our Silent Auction! This is a fantastic opportunity to support our district while adding excitement and value to our event.

We welcome donations of all kinds, including:

•  Gift Baskets – Themed collections that delight and inspire!
•  Memorabilia – Unique keepsakes, collectibles, or signed items.
•  Tech Accessories – Gadgets, headphones, smart tools, and more.
•  Handcrafted Items – Showcase your talents with handmade gifts!

Yours in service,

Leo Smith, DTM

District 106 Public Relations Manager

Email: leo.w.smith@gmail.com

Phone: 651-600-0531

From the Desk of the New Club Chair

New clubs and opportunities to earn your DTM

Fellow Toastmasters,

Three months left to go in this Toastmaster year 2024-2025, and we are getting close to chartering some new cubs. One of the District goals, of course, is to grow the District. We have several new community clubs in the works!  

1)There is the Foodie club coming to you soon under the leadership of Keith Hardy. This is an interesting club in that it deals only with food topics, cooking demos as speeches, restaurant reviews and such. If you would like to attend a demo meeting of the club and perhaps even become a charter member get in touch with Keith Hardy @ keithandre63@gmail.com or Jon Perry @ tmjp5308@gmail.com

2) There is the Terrace Bay club on the North Shore of Lake Superior that is getting ready to charter soon. Lots of excitement about this northernmost club. This is a club that is in the great outdoors so you can expect outdoors related topics to set the agenda. If you want to attend a demo meeting and even become a member get in touch with Ashok Sunkavalli @ tm.ashoksunkavalli@gmail.com, Jon Perry @ tmjp5308@gmail.com or myself.

3) There is also an entrepreneurial club in the Cities still getting organized. If you are business-minded this would be an enjoyable club for you and for making contacts. Again, to attend a demo meeting get in touch with Edward Chavan @ edwardchavan@gmail.com, Ashok Sunkavalli @ tm.ashoksunkavalli@gmail.com, Jon Perry @ tmjp5308@gmail.com.

Finally, these clubs in formation need sponsors and mentors. Serving as either is an important accomplishment in earning your DTM. Finding opportunities to serve as a sponsor and mentor are not easy to come by and can be an impediment to earning your DTM. The District is offering you the opportunity! All you need to do is get on the list and be available. To get on this coveted list, get in touch with me at yprevost123@gmail.com Looking forward to hearing from you.

Yves Prévost, DTM PDD

New Club Chair 2024-2025

Email: yprevost123@gmail.com

Featured Guest Column

Attention Club Officers! Time to select your club’s Toastmaster of the Year

It's March! Time to renew dues and to participate in Speech Contests as contestants, contest officials and supporters. In addition, it's time to start thinking about Toastmaster of the Year (TMOY). This process starts at the club level and information should be shared with club officers to ensure they are aware about the selection process and the timeline.

Every Toastmasters club selects one of their members to be their TMOY for the 2024/25 Toastmasters year. Each club can vote for one or select a member – however they want to decide.

The choice for TMOY selection should be someone who:

1. Goes above and beyond to support and market the club.
2. Attends meetings regularly.
3. Reaches out to greet and welcome guests.
4. Mentors a new member.
5. Helps understand and promote Pathways.
6. Competes or helps in speech contests.
7. May serve in a role within the District.
8. Leads by example.
9. Volunteers when roles need to be filled in meetings.

Toastmasters International website has a TMOY form for Outstanding Toastmaster guidelines which you can follow under Outstanding Toastmaster Guidelines and below are the steps in general:

Clubs choose a member for their TMOY:

1. Fill out the form to submit to your Area Director for the TMOY by June 1.
2. The Area Director chooses a TMOY for the Area and submits the information to the Division Director by June 15.
3. The Division Director chooses a Division TMOY and submits it to the District Director by June 25.
4. District Director and TMOY Chair selects District 106 TMOY.

As a reminder, these are the submission dates for the 2024/25 TMOY:

• June 1: Club selects its TMOY and Club President (or another Club officer) forward the selection to their Area Director.
• June 15: Area Director selects Area TMOY and forwards to the Division Director and TMOY Chair.
• June 25: Area Director notifies the Area TMOY recipient.
• June 25: Division Directors forward nominations to the District Director and the TMOY Chair.
• Division and District TMOY awards are announced at the Summer 2025 Toastmasters Leadership (TLI).

For more information, click here.

Kind regards,

David Goldsworthy, DTM

Email: loggold@tbaytel.net

Follow us on the D106 Website, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok for exciting updates, inspiration, and more.

District 106 Social channel presence by the Numbers:

Facebook: 490 | X (Formerly Twitter): 214 | LinkedIn: 230 | Instagram: 311 | YouTube: 169 TikTok: 51