October 2024 Leader Letter

Train Your Newly-Chartered Club Leaders — It is beneficial to train all club officers, regardless of when their club is organized. New clubs that organize between July 1 and August 31 achieve credit towards their Distinguished Club Program goals for the first training session when four club officers are trained by an authorized District representative. Clubs that organize between September 1 and February 28/29 will receive club officer training credit for session one and two when at least four club officers attend the second session held November 1–February 28/29.

Go Big with Memorabilia — So many limited-edition centennial options. What will your centennial celebration box hold? Buy in bulk with your District for better shipping costs.

Streaming Now: 100 Years of Confident Voices — Watch this new documentary with your club to be inspired by the organization’s 100-year journey.

Share Your Centennial Snaps — Make October unforgettable, Toastmasters! Share photos and videos of you, your club, District, and friends celebrating Toastmasters' 100th anniversary. Join the fun by using and following the #Toastmasters and #Toastmasters100Years hashtags. We can’t wait to see all the amazing celebrations this month!

Round One of Club Officer Training is due October 31 — The last day to enter club officer training through District Central is October 31. If corrections (removals) of training are needed, email the club name and club officer position(s) that need to be removed to districts@toastmasters.org for processing.

District Directors: District Elections — The District Leadership Committee (DLC) Chair must be appointed no later than November 1. Reference Protocol 9.0 for additional details. It is crucial that the appointment of the DLC Chair and its members are appointed by specified dates to ensure the validity of their work.

Area Directors: Conduct an Effective Club Visit — Support your clubs and understand their needs through quality club visits. Serving Clubs through Visits: A Guide for Area Directors can guide you for a successful visit. Submit your Area Director Club Visit reports through District Central no later than November 30 for credit toward the Distinguished Area Program. While it is only required to conduct visits twice a year, clubs may benefit from additional visits and support; we recommend visiting your clubs at least four times per year. Remember to use the Club Building Curriculum in Base Camp as a resource.

Happy Anniversary, Toastmasters! — Celebrate the organization’s 100th anniversary this month with helpful resources.

Keep Your District on Track to Distinguished — Check the status of your District’s progress in the District Recognition Program by reviewing the dashboard, located on the Distinguished Performance Reports page.

Add Shine to Your LinkedIn with a Centennial Cover Photo — Show your Toastmasters spirit to your connections with this fresh update.

Getting Better With Age — Toastmasters turns 100 this month, but does that mean it’s slowing down with age? Toastmaster Toolbox author Bill Brown, DTM, lays out four ways the organization still provides opportunities for growth.

The Enduring Structure of Club Meetings — While much has changed with the club experience over the last century, a remarkable amount has stayed the same.

Celebrate the Centennial in Style! — Whether you want to delve into Toastmasters’ history, gather with other members, or stir up excitement at your meetings, use this list of ideas for how your club can celebrate Toastmasters’ centennial year.

Continue the Toastmasters Legacy — International President Radhi Spear, DTM, reflects on the impact that Toastmasters has had on her life and the lives of others. She gives four suggestions for how you can help honor the founder, Dr. Ralph C. Smedley, this anniversary month.

Mid-year Training — Throughout the month of January, Toastmasters International will conduct in person Mid-year Training for 2024⁠–2025 District Directors, Program Quality Directors, and Club Growth Directors. District leaders will continue to develop core leadership skills, share best practices and lessons learned, and network with others from around the globe. Dates, locations, region groupings, have been sent directly to District leaders via email. More information about registration, travel, and accommodations will be sent via email in the coming months.

The New Base Camp Is Almost Here! — The system where you access the Pathways learning experience is being updated to a new platform that will better support members. To prepare for this transition, Base Camp will be unavailable from October 9, through October 25, 2024. Learn more about how club officers in your District can prepare.

Third-Party Accounts No Longer Available — Platforms such as Google Workspace, Canva, and Monday require a host verification step to create a non-profit account. The process for this verification has not worked well for our 14,000+ club size and has led to confusion within the third-party companies. Therefore, we are no longer able to offer this service. You may still create paid accounts within the third-party platforms using your own club or District information. The Brand Portal also has several helpful resources available for your club materials.

Club Officer Training, Round Two, Coming Soon! — The second round of club officer training begins November 1. District Central will begin accepting entries for club officer training after November 15.

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes — Did you know that the meeting minutes for the Board of Directors are available on the Toastmasters International website? Explore the dropdowns on the Meeting Minutes page to read about recent discussions and decisions. Check back throughout the year; the page is updated regularly.