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WOW GOES TO WELLINGTON
In a world first, the WOW (Wairarapa on Weekends) Toastmasters Club 9964 decided to meet in Wellington, on a working self-propelled floating steam crane, the Hikitia.
The meeting venue was actually the crew cabin, just below the waterline, and we could hear the sea slapping and sloshing against the side of the ship, as we rocked and swayed with the tide. We sat amongst the bolts and bulkheads, smell of oil and engines, lifejackets and fire extinguishers, ships clocks and portholes. On the walls were stories, newspaper clippings and historic photos of the Hikitia in action.
Our theme for the meeting was ocean, nautical, maritime and our Table Topics master came up with some wonderful topics for the speakers, which resulted in some hilarious stories about pottering in rock pools as a child, rescuing a fisherman from rocks, being seasick on the Interislander Ferry, and yachting in Wellington Harbour. Speakers also talked about their love of jetskiing, catching and cooking fresh blue cod, and fossicking on a stony beach at Haast.
One evaluator said that the speaker "had really nailed her colours to the mast today" while another threatened to make the evaluator "walk the plank" for giving such a poor introduction by forgetting to outline the speech objectives.
Following the meeting, the club members were given a tour of the ship, and lined up on the bridge for a photo with our club banner.
You can find out more about the Hikitia on its own website http://hikitia.com/ or on wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikitia.
WELLINGTON COMMUNITY NET
29 January 2010: The Wellington City Council (WCC) has changed its strategy regarding a free website hosting service for Wellington, and has decided not to fund a continuation of the Wellington Community Net service from 30 June this year.
Without funding from the council, Wellington ICT is sad to announce that we are unable to continue operating WCN from 30 June 2010.
For current WCN members, this means finding a new provider to host their websites by 30 June. Also, at this point WCN is no longer accepting new members.
The transition process is being driven by the Council. To assist community groups with the transition they will provide an online module that will help you identify your web presence needs and guide you through your options. This will be available in March.
The Council has also earmarked $50,000 a year from its grants pool to ensure community groups continue to have a web presence. Priority activities from this fund include training for groups to meet their web needs.
Wellington ICT is committed to its community ICT work and will continue with the e-rider service, the "engage your community" conferences and to provide advice and training on ICT.
This announcement affects the following Toastmasters Clubs who have their sites hosted on WCN.
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Capital Chatterers
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Capital
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Coastmasters
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The Gourmet
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Hutt City
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Island Bay
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Johnvonsille
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Karori
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Kapi-Mana
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Mt Victoria
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Newlands
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Ngaio
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Ohariu
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Te Aro
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Turbine
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Wainuiomata
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Upper Hutt
The affected clubs should contact the District PRO Wayne Webley for help, on email pro@toastmasters.org.nz.
Happy Anniversary!
October 22 2009 was an auspicious date for Toastmasters around the world. It marks the day that a small group of people, led by Dr. Ralph C. Smedley, held the first official Toastmasters meeting in the basement of a YMCA in Santa Ana, California, USA.
While the original intent of the group was to teach after-dinner speeches to young men, as we all know, Toastmasters has evolved to become a worldwide leader in communication and leadership development. This evolution was no accident; Dr. Smedley firmly believed that the improvement of a person's ability to communicate his or her ideas was a means of improving life in all its phases, personal as well as professional. It's a philosophy that resonates as clearly today as it did back in 1924.
Since its founding, Toastmasters International has empowered more than 4 million people to achieve their full potential and realize their dreams. Our organization's long-term success and growth is a tribute to Dr. Smedley's vision. He understood that communication isn't optional and leadership isn't always natural, but both can be learned through doing.
As we celebrate our 85th anniversary, the organization stands at a historic high point. Our membership is at an all-time high of 252,000 and growing, our programs are more expansive and our leaders have developed innovative strategies to keep up with advances and shifting cultural dynamics of the global age.
The next 85 years hold even greater promise as we continue to adapt and evolve in an ever-changing world. Let us work together to build our organization by building our members -- with confidence, leadership and service.
Thank you for all you do to support and serve Toastmasters.
Sincerely,
Gary Schmidt
International President
Toastmasters International
Your District Webmaster recently had a short overseas holiday. From the photos below, you should be able to work out where she went?
Walking the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Riding camels at Port Macquarie.
View of 3 Sisters at dusk.
Whale watching at Port Macquarie.
Dust storm of the century at Port Macquarie.
Results for 2008-09 Toastmasters Year from the Toastmasters International website:
Distinguished Club Programme
- 33 Distinguished Clubs
- 30 Select Distinguished Clubs
- 54 Presidents Distinguished Clubs
Distinguished Area Programme
- 25 Distinguished Areas
- 12 Select Distinguished Areas
- 6 Presidents Distinguished Areas
Distinguished Division Programme
- 1 Select Distinguished Divisions (B)
- 5 Presidents Distinguished Divisions (A, C, E, F, G)
New Clubs 2008-09
13 new clubs were set up in New Zealand:
- Ace Toastmasters, Christchurch
- Canterbury Women's Club Inc. Toastmasters, Christchurch
- Hornby, Christchurch
- Postmasters, Wellington
- Advanced Wellington, Wellington
- City Early Start, Tauranga
- Academic, North Shore
- Vector, Auckland
- IPENZ Toastmasters, Auckland
- RDC Raconteurs Toastmasters, Orewa
- Wanaka Toastmasters, Wanaka
- TableTalk Toastmasters, Dunedin
- Oyster Orators, Invercargill
Distinguished District
Toastmasters New Zealand achieved Distinguished District status with the following results:
- 508 Competent Communicator Awards
- 276 Advanced Communicator Awards
- 9781 Membership payments
- 242 Active Clubs
Toastmasters Otago has been running since 16 September 2008.
Ray Leckie and Leanne Ellis at the microphone
During this period we have covered a range of topics, using material from the Competent Communicator Manual, the Competent Leadership programme, and the Toastmasters magazine. We have had several guest speakers; ranging from new members, Club Presidents, the C1 Area Governor, Rob Hendry (one of the Founders of NZ Toastmasters) and Anna Campbell (the winner of the international contest 2005/2006 year). We have also encouraged, and had members from various clubs being co-host, to gain radio experience and add that extra challenge for them.
Our aim is to promote Toastmasters and Toastmasters Clubs around our region, and to publicise the Toastmasters name in a non threatening way.
Live radio is an excellent way to reach a large number of listeners, including prospective members for our clubs.
Hosted by Ray Leckie and Leanne Ellis
Listen every second Tuesday, from 12.30 to 1.00 pm.
Email toastmastersotago@hotmail.com for more information.
 Recently the Ngongotaha Lions Club held their second annual "Brewers and Lions Festival" as a fundraiser for the local hospice. The event is a combination of a brewing competition and a speaking competition.
The "liars" part is about telling an untrue story and convincing the judges and audience it is a true story, or a true story and convincing them it is not. Points are also awarded for humour and entertainment value.
The organizers wanted to raise the standard of the contest this year so they encouraged members of the local Rotorua toastmasters clubs to enter. An experienced local toastmaster, Jeff Timmins of Lake City Breakfast Toastmasters Club, was also appointed to the judging panel.
The Chief Judge was one of New Zealand's top comedians, Te Radar.
Third prize of $100 was taken out by Jamie Gordon from Lake City Breakfast Toastmasters Club with her "Superwoman" story she won the Rotorua inter club Tall Tales Competition last year.
First prize of $300 was taken out by Peter Harington from Lake City Breakfast, Arawa and Geyser Gourmet Toastmasters clubs. Peter fooled the audience with a convincing and amusing tale of how as a blind man he flew a plane home after the pilot became unconscious, and made it sound plausible!!. Peter’s humour will be remembered to many toastmasters from when he competed in the District Humourous Speech Contest in Dunedin last year with his speech "Blind Men make Great Lovers".
Peter said, "I have competed for lots of trophies before, but competing for cash was a whole new experience." It just goes to show the opportunities that open up when Toastmasters take on new challenges.
On Friday 20th February 2009, about 40 people (Toastmasters and their families) from all over Taranaki met at a New Plymouth restaurant to celebrate Arun Chaudhari being awarded Toastmaster Of The Year Award for District 72. It was a memorable night, where Toastmasters from Areas B1 and B2 shared camaraderie and had a relaxed and enjoyable evening.
The event was organised by Nga Manu Reo Toastmasters and there were prizes for Table Topics presenters – wouldn't you expect that when Toastmasters meet! Denis McLeod was the Table Topics Master. Darren Hulton (President of Nga Manu Reo) presented Arun and his family with gifts, acknowledging their contribution to Toastmasters. Many Toastmasters from different took the opportunity to toast Arun, while his daughter Nikita roasted him! Andrea Leadbetter and TGM Design put together a most professional looking programme.
The dinner was delicious and the event evoked a lot of interest from people sitting at other tables in the restaurant! No form 400s were filled out, although invitations to club meetings were handed out!
Nga Manu Reo Toastmasters: From L to R
Denis McLeod, Leanne Morrow, Darren Hulton, Jeanine Mathews, Arun Chaudhari, Tua Luke, Ruth Proffit, Andrea Leadbetter, Smitha Nathen, Stewart Kidd, Colin Jackson and Richard Turnhout.
Yay! The TM of the Year award is in Taranaki.
Happy faces of some Taranaki TMs and their families.
South African magazine has article about Toastmasters
Ama Kiwi is a magazine that goes out to the South African community in Auckland. The majority of readers appear to be on Auckland's North Shore, and circulation is slowly spreading into other areas.
A recent issue had an article about Toastmasters which you can download and read.
Distinguished Toastmaster Trish Gray from Upper Hutt has launched her new book "Role Reversal", her true story of travels around the Middle East, with her children as the tour guides. A great Summer read.
View full details on this one page poster, and to purchase a copy, contact Trish on (04) 971 4941 or email gray.zone@paradise.net.nz
Workshop Speakers from the May 2008 Convention have provided the following resources for attendees and club members:
Heroes and Champions - a list of people you can invite to your meetings as guest speakers (by Colin Perfect DTM R.I.P.) (2 page pdf). Download the powerpoint slide show used in the workshop - you can use it in your club!
Spice Up your Speech - a presentation by Rob Julian (powerpoint file)
How to use the Spice Up your Speech resource:
Here is a shortened version which can be downloaded as a PowerPoint presentation, of simply run off on transparencies. At a pinch you could just write up the headings on Flip chart Paper or a whiteboard and go over each of the figures of speech with the club.
THEN – give everyone five minutes to make up a speech starting with 'I knew I was in trouble when -------' and using each of the figures of speech. It does not have to be serious, or even make sense. "I knew I was in trouble when the blue and red lights flashed in by rear view mirror like demented fireflies. I gunned the motor which howled in furious rage as I sped away. I would show those guys how a real man drove, I would show them what a souped up motor could do, I would show them how a man behaved who couldn't afford a traffic fine" --- and so on.
It was quite amazing, as a representative of each Division got up at the workshop, how their speeches were indeed ‘Spiced up’. And humorous. For all of them, the audience howled, shreiked, and roared with laughter. Like demented, delirious, degenerates.
24 January 2008: An advertisement and a news article appeared recently in the Educational Section of the Christchurch Press.
Dianne Moore, VP Public Relations for Division E, organised an electronic billboard sign on Stewart Dawson's Corner in Wellington for the week prior to the November 2007 Convention. This corner is the equivalent of Time Square, so it had huge visibility to the thousands of people who walk or travel through this major intersection.
One Media Limited from Christchurch donated the use of the billboard for Toastmasters during a gap in paid advertising.
View the Billboard Advertisement (650KB Windows Media File - .wmv format)
When a Toastmasters club pulls together they can do anything. This year Lake City Breakfast Club from Rotorua decided to enter in the Rotorua Creations N' Colour Award 2007 to promote the club and have a bit of fun. The event was a feast of feats of creations, light, colour and sound that packed out the new Rotorua Energy Events Centre.
Lake City Breakfast is a lively creative club which numbers several professional artists amongst its membership. It is also a very successful club earning Presidents Distinguished for the last 7 consecutive years.
The tight five from left Carol Banister, Jan Miller CC (Club President),
the wine glass modeled by Erin Bates, Jill Briar (holding award),
Ron Hall CC and Annette Bates ACB.
The creative efforts were led by the group known in the club as the "tight five pictured" above. Their creation was built on a theme of toasting, and was a wearable champagne glass, complete with bubbles. An impressive voice over during the cat walk exhibition had member Sam Lees proposing a toast to the event and Toastmasters.
The whole club turned out with a block booking in the grandstand, and even in the crowd of over a thousand, LCB Toastmasters made their presence known in support of their club’s entry.
It was a great night out which was made even better when the entry was awarded the second prize in the corporate category. Well done Lake City Breakfast Club - Toastmasters can do anything!!
 The WOW Toastmasters Club of Wairarapa unveiled their new flag at their annual business meeting at Gladstone Vineyard on 13 May 2007.
The flag has the word Toastmasters printed vertically in blue lettering on a white background. It is on an extendible pole with the base designed to fit around a car tyre or be anchored to the ground. The flag comes with a bag for easy carry and storage.
The club intends to use the flag as a meeting location marker for visitors and club members at outdoor venues, and to identify the meeting room at the club's indoor venue at Cobblestones Museum in Greytown. The flag will be visible from quite a distance and will flutter gently in the Wairarapa breeze!
Approval from Toastmasters International was sought to use the word Toastmasters on the flag, which was made by Flagmakers in Wellington. (Visit the Flagmakers website and follow the Flexipole link to view more information.)
For more information, please contact VP Public Relations Dale Hartle DTM email wow@toastmasters.org.nz.
Also visit the WOW club website for meeting reports.
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