District 106

Newsletter

January 2026

Serving Parts of Minnesota and Ontario

Upcoming District Events

Click for more information

See the D106 calendar for more events

From the Desk of the District Director

Nine Things You Can Do to Impact Your Club's Success

At the time of this publication, we are now closer to the end of the new Toastmasters year than the start of it. Think of how much you accomplished in the past 6 months, how much more can you accomplish in the next 6? Small steps make big things happen. One educational goal, one visit meeting to a low member club, helping one member succeed. How much of an impact could you have? A little bit of work goes along way, let’s work together to help everybody succeed.

Things you can do in the next 6 months to ensure success:

Organize an open house – There is lots of time left to have an open house, a little celebration and some fun
Host a speech contest – Evaluation and International Contests this year (and they are in person!)
If you are an officer, attend Club Officer Training – Who knows, you might learn something and have some fun.
Run a speechcraft
Mentor another member
Review your club success plan – What needs to happen in order to be successful?
Submit your educational goals; help other members submit them
Invite a member of the District Leadership Team to your club
Use social media to promote your clubs

District 106 welcomed 150 new members in the past 5 months. We, as a team, submitted over 240 educational goals. Just amazing! Let’s keeping working to ensure that as many people can benefit from Toastmasters.

If you need help with your PR, reach out to our PR manager or the TRIO, and we are happy to help you.

If we all do a little part, we can have huge success. Please let me know how we can help you with your Toastmasters journey this year.

Matthew Villella, DTM

District 106 Director

Email: tm.matthew.villella@gmail.com

From the Desk of the Program Quality Director

New Year, New Goals: Kick Off 2026 with Growth, Training, and Exciting Events

Happy New Year! 🎉 As we step into 2026, this is a wonderful time to pause, reflect, and refocus on our Toastmasters journey. We are already halfway through the Toastmasters year, and January offers the perfect opportunity to realign our goals and recommit to growth.

🎯 Review Your Education Goals

I encourage every member to take a few minutes to review your education goals and Pathways progress. Ask yourself: Where am I today, and where do I want to be by June?

Connect with your Vice President Education (VPE) to schedule upcoming speeches, roles, and project completions. A clear plan now will make achieving your goals both manageable and rewarding.

🎓 Club Officer Training – Second Term

To all Club Officers: please make it a priority to complete your second-term Club Officer Training by attending one of the upcoming sessions. We have excellent and relevant topics designed to support you in leading your clubs successfully through the remainder of the year.

>>Click here for Officer Training dates and registration

👏 Congratulations to those officers who have already completed their training—thank you for your commitment to excellence and leadership!

❄️ Winter TLI 2026 – Register Now!

Mark your calendars and join us for Winter TLI 2026 on

📅 Saturday, January 17, 2026

🕘 9:00 AM

This is a fantastic opportunity to sharpen your leadership skills, gain new insights, and connect with fellow Toastmasters across District 106. I strongly encourage all members—officers and non-officers alike—to register and attend.

>>Click here to register

🌟 D106 Spring Conference – Early Bird Tickets

Our much-anticipated District 106 Spring Conference is happening on

📅 Saturday, May 1, 2026

Early bird ticket sales are open—but only until January 15th. 🎟️

💡 Prices increase on January 16th, so don’t wait! Secure your spot early and get ready for an inspiring experience filled with learning, networking, and celebration.

>>Click here for more information and tickets

Let’s make 2026 a year of meaningful progress, strong leadership, and continued growth. Thank you for all that you do to make District 106 vibrant and successful.

Ashok Sunkavalli, DTM

Program Quality Director, District 106

Email: tm.ashoksunkavalli@gmail.com

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

From the Desk of the Club Growth Director

Building New Clubs and Supporting Current Clubs for a Vibrant District 106 Community

Greetings from beautiful Vancouver, Canada, where we had two thrilling days of district training. We’re bringing back new ideas and renewed focus to support all our current members and bring more clubs and new members into our Toastmasters family.

The evidence is in! Our True Crime club kickoff meeting on January 2 was a success with 3 visitors and 11 usual suspects (enthusiastic current Toastmasters). We are sleuthing out a hybrid meeting location within our district boundaries. The next meeting is February 6. Please join us!

We planned a demo meeting for Wright County administrators in December but had to cancel due to winter weather. A new date will be scheduled in January.

The MN Department of Transportation club has more than half of the needed 20 applications to charter. The sponsors are planning for renewed recruitment efforts in January.

We are on the lookout for additional new club leads. Please think about communities, workplaces or organizations that could benefit from the value Toastmasters brings. Reach out to me with your ideas or to even to brainstorm possibilities.

We also now have seven coaches assigned to seven clubs. Plans are underway for additional ways to support our low member clubs.

Looking forward to more growth and exciting future developments in this second half of our Toastmasters year!

Anna Gaichas, DTM

Program Quality Director, District 106

Email: Anna.Gaichas@gmail.com

Phone: 651-206-8310

From the Desk of the Public Relations Manager

Midyear Momentum: Refresh, Recommit, Reignite

We’ve reached the halfway point of the Toastmasters program year—and this is the perfect moment for Vice Presidents of Public Relations to catch a second wind. Just like in a great speech, the middle is where momentum matters most.

Public relations is more than posts and reminders. It’s storytelling. It’s showing your community that your club is a place where confidence grows, leaders are shaped, and people belong. Midyear is an ideal time to recommit to sharing that story with fresh energy and intention.

You don’t need a complete overhaul to create buzz. Small, consistent actions go a long way: a member spotlight, a photo from a recent meeting, a short testimonial, or promotion of a themed meeting. These simple touches spark curiosity, bring in guests, and help clubs thrive.

This is also a great time to lean into officer training. Whether you’re newly inspired or feeling a little stuck, training is a powerful reset—full of practical ideas, proven strategies, and shared wisdom from fellow VP-PRs. One new idea from training can refresh your entire approach for the rest of the year.

Your role matters. You are often the first impression of your club, and your enthusiasm sets the tone. As we move into the second half of the year, let’s refresh our ideas, renew our commitment, and create the buzz that keeps District 106 strong, visible, and growing.

The finish line is ahead—let’s make it a strong one.

Best,

Leo Smith, DTM

District 106 Public Relations Manager

Email: leo.w.smith@gmail.com

Phone: 651-600-0531