DISTRICT55 www.tmd55.org

TOASTMASTER TO TOASTMASTER

OCTOBER 2020

HOW DO YOU DO...SOCIAL?

CHIEF NEWS GUY

Without context, many of you might know what the abbreviation FB stands for. However, does IG, LI, TT, or YT resonate? If I tell you to “think” social media, does that help? Even if you don’t use many social media platforms, you still have a pretty good idea of what those letters mean. If you passed with flying colors, I encourage you to add more abbreviation trivia to your memory banks. A list of 132 social media acronyms was published this past March, and I realized I used well over 100 of these terms.

If you weren’t using social media regularly before March 2020, chances are, you’re more involved these past six months than you may ever have been. Outside of staying in touch with your family and friends, have you found yourself watching even more cat videos on YouTube (YT)? My latest YouTube binge is watching videos of people magnet fishing. Did you finally break down and join Instagram (IG) because your child or grandchild told you that’s how they communicate? I was posting pictures of my dog Sally wearing designer socks last year.

Did you know that District 55 has our own YouTube channel? We currently have over 115 subscribers, and I’m hopeful that you’ll click on the link and subscribe after you read this. The amount of content we have is impressive. Were you also aware we have a LinkedIn District 55 Group page as well as a private District 55 Facebook page?

So, how are you using social media in your Toastmaster Club? Do you have an external-facing and internal-facing site, like Facebook? Are you using Meetup, Free Toast Host, or any other methods to communicate and reach a new audience? By the time you’ve finished this month’s publication, I believe you will have a stronger grasp of how social media can help you prospect for new members and liven up how meetings are held.

If you’ll excuse me, I have to post something on FB, IG, and LI. Then, I’ll record a video for YT and probably post it on TT and SC.

FB = Facebook | IG = Instagram | LI = LinkedIn | SC = SnapChat

TT = Tiktok | YT = YouTube

Harlan Blumenthal, DL5, EH4Chief News Guynewsletter@tmd55.org

DD UPDATE

District Director,Melody Moore, DTM

When I was in 3rd grade, my family and I moved across town. I had to make

new friends in the neighborhood and at school. My sister and I hung out in

our front yard, hoping there were other kids in the area. At school, the teacher

assigned me a buddy to show me around. It took a little time, a little luck, and

a little help to make new friends.

A generation later, the summer before my son started his sophomore year of high school; he changed

schools. In a new city, not knowing anyone, he went straight to Facebook and searched for other kids his age

from the new school. He looked for specific information in his search, like students who previously enrolled

in his course of study and who were also members of the marching band. Within a week, he had a new peer

group based on his academic interests and extracurricular activities.

Today, most of us have at least one

social media account, and many

of us have found communities of

friends and acquaintances that we

interact with online. This year I’ve

been grateful to keep up with my

favorite hockey team and the choir

I sing with, even though neither

hockey nor choir has had any in-

person activities since March. Our

District 55 Toastmasters groups on

Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube

have given us all the ability to

communicate about upcoming events and celebrate exciting news.

One of the things that stayed with me from watching my son use social media to find new friends was that

he quickly targeted a very narrow, specific demographic for his search. As we continue to look for new

ways to grow our Toastmasters club in the online environment, social media holds many opportunities to

focus narrowly or broadly. Whether a club is looking to reach grandmas-who-love-improv, Civil War buffs, or

people who work in the finance sector, today’s social media provides the option to focus in any number of

ways. New potential club members are only a click away.

We live in amazing times, where technology allows us to connect with people all over the world instantly.

We can expand our professional networks, chat with far-away loved ones, and find new friends with similar

interests. As a 3rd grader, I was nervous about finding new friends, but these days, I don’t have to hang out in

the front yard and hope for other kids in the neighborhood. Amazing days, for sure.

PQD UPDATE

Program Quality Director,Kathy Moore, DTM

VIRTUAL TLI SUCCESS!It has been an exciting time in Program Quality! We finished the first round of TLIs with 73.5% of our active Clubs trained and 42 Super 7 Award Winners!

We also wrapped up the Contest Season with a World Champion, Mike Carr. Mike has already graciously present-ed a “Speaking Tips from the 2020 World Champion” ses-sion for more than 50 attendees worldwide. If you missed the presentation you can view it here.

By the time this article goes to press, we will have hosted 15 Continuing Education classes. My favorite so far has been “Creating Exciting Programming for Your Club Meetings.” In this class, you will learn all kinds of cool things you can do in a meeting, from Online Toastmasters Jeopardy to the Wheel of Names and using the Zoom Annotation tool. My dear friend, PDG Margaret Cathey, said she learned more in one hour than in 21 years of TLIs. WOW! Be sure to check out the video.

Of Special Note: Pathways training is available to Base Camp Managers on the last Tuesday of every month. All VPEs, Presidents and Secretaries are encouraged to attend.

Register from the Continuing Education Page or watch the recordings that will be available in the Re-source Library.

New Members: Please sign up to attend Pathways 101 or watch the video Eva Tweedy created and made available on the Pathways YouTube Channel

Finally: On November 2nd, stay tuned for “Contest Training.” Our goal is to provide you with the train-ing you can use to help yourself and your Club more successful.

In District 55, we continually reinvest in our membership and development. We recently conducted a Toastmasters Demonstration Meetings. Area Directors have been forming their bond and relationships with our clubs and rewarded for the work they do. Twenty-five clubs received the Early Bird award for submitting 75% of their membership base renewals. We have been using social media to get the word out about this exceptional organization. We have a new addition also!!!!!!

It’s not too late reinvest in our Toastmasters Development.

10 Reasons to Reinvest

Your club will be in good standing Members will keep access to Pathways.

Networking Continue personal development

Stick to the routine of Development Continue to hone interviewing skills

Find new opportunities in and out of Toastmasters Get Adult time from the kids

Sharing Quarantine stories and Therapy Visit and participate in any part of the world

Nine Area Directors achieved 100% of their area visits before September 1, 2020

Area F 24 Director Nancy Graves, DL1 Area G 31 Director Hettie Allsup, DL1

Area H 42 Director Maureen Martinez, VC3 Area H 44 Director Louise Peters, PM1

Area H 46 Director Tracy McBlain, PM2 Area I 55 Director Dan Matz, DTM

Area K 71 Director Catherine O’Toole, LD3 Area L 84 Director Nicole Johns, DTM

Area L 85 Director Vidhya Mandavilli, DL1

Please Welcome Our Newest Club

Division K WRY TOAST! This is our Whole Foods Club! I know they will be a healthy addition to our Toastmasters Family. (See what I did there...healthy!)

Rethink, Rebound, and Rebuild

Club Growth Director,Livya Mitchell, DTM

CGD UPDATE

By Stanley See, Mentoring Chair

MENTORSHIP

If you are unable to answer ‘YES’ to all three of these questions, stick around.

• Are you a mentor• Do you have someone mentoring you• Is having a mentor helpful

Member mentoring programs have shown to increase club viability and overall success. With that goal in mind, District 55 is launching a mentoring panel. Join us on October 6th at 7 pm to learn about mentoring programs from Clubs who are doing it well. You will learn:

• How to set up a mentoring program in your Club,• How to become a mentor yourself, or• How to find a personal mentor

In Toastmasters, there are multiple opportunities for someone to serve as a mentor. A mentor is assigned to all new clubs for at least the first six months to help the club get off to a great start to becoming distinguished. The most successful Clubs have mentors assigned to new members during the orientation process. Some members even mentor fellow Toastmasters, outside their district, to help them with their career goals.

Having and becoming a mentor can open up a whole new world of opportunity to you. We hope you join us for this special presentation on October 6th.

Stanley See, Mentoring ChairSstm_2006@yahoo.com512 955 1973

TOASTMASTERS YOUTH PROGRAMSHave you ever wished Toastmasters was offered to you during middle school or even high school? Although not as widely publicized as the adult programs, Toastmasters has three pro-grams to empower youth to become effective communicators and leaders! The first program is the Youth Leadership Program (YLP). This is a workshop geared towards those under the age of 18. Like the Speechcraft program for adults, experienced Toastmas-

ters present eight sessions to participants at a school or organization, each running one or two hours long. By participating in a YLP, young people learn the “basics” of delivering prepared and impromptu speeches; giving constructive feedback; controlling their voice and ges-tures, and more. These programs are a wonderful way

to provide youth the foundational speaking and leadership skills that will help develop con-fidence. Also, organizing a YLP can be used as a High-Performance Leadership project or to fulfill Pathways DTM requirements. For groups interested in a longer-term option, Gavel Clubs are clubs that bring the Toastmasters experience to individuals ineligible to join Toastmasters, such as students younger than 18. Gavel club meetings run like regular Toastmasters club meetings; they have elected club officers. Their members, which D55 calls “gaveliers,” work from the leg-acy Toastmasters educational program materials (Competent Commu-nicator and Competent Leader manuals). Sponsorship of Gavel Clubs is made possible by organizations such as a school, 4-H club, church, or a Toastmasters club. Gavel Clubs provide young people with invaluable communication and leadership skills to use in their schools and communities. Many gaveliers also compete suc-cessfully for school and college scholarships!

The third program is the Toastmasters youth communication module, Interpersonal Communication. This flexible module is designed to be presented by adults who mentor teens in their community, such as youth program administrators, teachers, guidance counselors, religious leaders, etc. It helps teenagers build strong communication and listening skills while also enabling them to understand their communication style. Its manuals contain short assignments and content to supplement group activities. Team leaders can use all lessons or just parts of each, depend-ing on the group's needs. Organizing and running youth programs requires commitment, time,

and persistence, but it’s enriching. Speak with anyone who’s done it. They’ll tell you what a fulfilling experience it is to use your communication and leadership skills to spark a nervous child’s transformation into a confident, poised, and well-spoken young adult. If this opportunity appeals to you, please read on for how you can help! If you are interested in helping young people gain confidence in their leadership and speaking skills, please contact Desmond Calloway or John Hale via d55cgd@tmd55.org. Please include your name, contact info, and Toastmasters experience. Help us as we develop our youth into future leaders!

Some have found it easy, while others have found it challenging. For many

Toastmasters clubs, the shift from live, in-person meetings to Zoom meetings

has presented new challenges. I have personally visited several clubs during

this pandemic via Zoom, and I have seen where some were successful, and

some struggled. Master Speakers of Austin was a well-oiled machine via

Zoom. They had it down to a science, and the flow of the meeting was never

disrupted. What they do to make it work so well is to hold a rehearsal the day before, so everyone

knows their role and timing. The other clubs that were struggling have adapted and improved along the

way.

As we begin to move into our new normal, we will once again be asked to adapt. Some people will not

be comfortable meeting in large groups and will prefer to stay connected via Zoom. Therefore, I would

recommend hybrid meetings. According to Betty Puckett, this can be a great thing! “I am in another club

that I missed a lot of meetings because of the distance and just not being able to get there. On Zoom

or hybrid, I can make the meetings regardless of what I have going on. Hybrid works for me because I

can attend more club meetings than I could in person before Zoom.” Those who know Betty know she

likes to go to as many meetings as possible, only seeing one downside. “I love people, and I love being

with people and hearing their stories and getting to know them in a personal way. That is missing when

we only have Zoom.” The connection is sometimes lost, but you can get the best of both worlds with a

hybrid meeting.

Top Notch Trainers has been conducting hybrid meetings since before the pandemic, and they find

them to work well if done correctly. According to Pebby Garner, “To maintain the flow of the meeting

while still engaging the members attending on Zoom or other virtual meeting platforms requires a

team. You need to have someone monitoring the virtual space to break in when a question is raised

or if someone wants to speak. If a speaker is attending by virtual means, then you also need to have

some way of projecting that speaker. You also need to have some way of having the in-person audience

visible to the virtual participants. As always, you need to be aware of your audience, whether they are

attending in person or virtually. What works for in-person may not translate to virtual well, and what

works in the virtual world may not work in the live audience. There is a fine line to balance. With practice,

everyone can become a master at virtual and in-person meetings.”

As I say, “Practice makes peace.” Meaning you do not have to worry about being perfect, but you can be

prepared enough to have peace if you practice ahead of time, which translates to calm confidence. So,

start preparing and practicing for hybrid meetings now. It will be the new normal.

Mia GiAngelos , PM4 is current Pres ident of Lead to Succeed - A Toastmasters C lub for Women

THE NEW NORMAL By Mia GiAngelos

COVID-19 has had some adverse effects on our world as we know it. Being a life coach, I must look at what positive changes we can take away from any situation. In order to grow, we need to be able to adapt. Every single person in the world has had to adapt to the changes implemented due to this pandemic.

Public Relations made easy through social media

Lisa Trougatt, EC5Vice President Education, Arthur Storer

District 55 Social Media Strategist Lilly Smith and I sat down with Lisa Traugott to discuss public rela-tions and, specifically, how to create a strategy using social media as a means to brighten up a club meeting, attract new members and have fun.

“Promoting your clubs is important, but being able to promote your members is essential. The basic point of a PR strategy is to [gain] visibility, which gives you credibility. Make sure you’re leveraging the social media platforms others use regularly.”

Lisa says developing a PR strategy starts with understanding who you want to target as a new mem-ber. Last year she and her officers developed a way to target new members. “If your club was a person, what would they look like, what would their interests be, demographics and so on.” She finds that generation plays an essential role in which type of social media you use. While most Boomers use Facebook, Gen-Z and Millennials use YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, and other newer platforms.

However, Lisa is adamant that introducing social media means your club must be willing to be proactive all the time. “With social media, you have to nourish it; engage with people constantly. If you use Ins-tagram, you have to take more than one picture per week. You’ll need to stay active all the time. The same goes for Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, and others.” She urges each club to figure out its strengths and weaknesses regarding attracting new members and engaging existing ones.

“If each club took the time to understand their social media strategy and applied it accordingly, they would reach their targeted audience more effectively? Last year, Lisa put this into practice at her home club. She helped develop a PR strategy to find out who they wanted to target for new mem-bers. They use Meetup as their primary means for attracting new members. She stated that at least one guest per week finds their meetings this way. Another successful method for promoting the club was through themed meetings and social activities. “In the new norm, it’s been a challenge, so social media is even more important than it was in the past. Consider doing cross-promotions with another club, have a holiday-themed party and invite guests, and even join someone else’s club meeting to gain experience and help promote your home club.”

Finally, Lisa believes PR is not specific to a club. “Anyone who wants to learn how to go and market themselves or their business can take away from this and put it into action. A fun, safe environment where they can experiment and brainstorm to find ways to help get the word out.”

To watch Lisa’s Sept. 23 “Creating a PR Strategy for Your Club” CE video, click here.

“In order to attract and gain new members, you have to be willing to stretch yourself and learn a new social media platform.” - Lisa Traugott

By Lilly Smith, Social Media Strategist

FAKE NEWS

Every morning I receive an email from a particular family member. The subject matter varies, but the articles attached invariably are blatant fake news. Sometimes these articles are written in a convinc-ingly real format, only to have the phrase “Opinion piece” written in tiny letters at the bottom. Other items cite “facts” unsupported by any reputable news outlet. I’m not sure what disturbs me more, receiving these emails or the fact that my family doesn’t seem to know what credible stories are.

According to the article The Science of Fake News by David M. J. Lazer, published in Science Maga-zine March of 2018, fake news is “fabricated information that mimics news media content in form but not in organizational process or intent. The term “Fake News” is becoming more and more popular, but the concept is nothing new. The difference today is the rate at which we are consuming media and where we are getting our news. Social media is no longer just a place for users to post pictures of family pets or take quizzes to know what kind of sandwich they are. It connects people world-wide and provides a platform where everyone can voice their thoughts and opinions. Social media has become more integrated with everyday life, and where 62% of US adults get their news. Because social media provides people the freedom to post whatever they want. It is also one of the easiest ways to spread mis-information, making it a potentially dangerous way to consume media. Large tech companies talk about the different routes being considered in combating the spread of fake news. Still, the best way to protect yourself from misleading infor-mation is to become educated on how to spot a fishy article. Pfieffer University released a guide that pro-vides users with tips on how to weed out suspicious items and check the validity of a news source. Another way to stay alert is to familiarize yourself with who some of the Fake News offenders are. In 2018, FactCheck.org published a Misinformation Directory, which lists websites that publish con-tent shown to be false or misleading, making it easier than ever to find out if a website is a good source. There are many ways to stay up-to-date on detecting fake news, but these two sources are a great way to get start-ed. Social media is a powerful tool that can pull people together in times of crisis or push each other apart based on differing views. Knowing how to spot intentionally divisive information before sending an email to, say, a family member will play a huge part in preventing yourself from becoming part of the Fake News problem.

This past August, Elite Toastmasters from Temple, Texas, hosted fellow club member and Rotary member Delsina West. She is Elite’s club coach and currently serves as Secretary. From their discussion, Elite members learned how to take their leadership skills and apply them outside of their club environment to impact a community.

ROTARY | TOASTMASTERS ALLIANCEBy Shirley Mobley

A week after the Elite meeting, Delsina returned to speak to her Killeen Rotary Club. She explained about a collaboration, providing Toastmasters the opportunity to apply public-speaking and communication skills, make new connections, and possibly give back to their communities through a vast array of service projects. In return, Rotary members would have more opportunities for personal and professional growth to improve their leadership and communication skills.

Toastmasters has used its educational expertise to create co-branded structured leadership development courses for Rotary members. Launched in May 2020, you can find more information on the Rotary website. This structured program is based on the current Pathways content, relying on self-assessment, independent study, applied projects, peer-to-peer feedback, and reflection.

Attendees were eager to learn about the Toastmaster-Rotary Alliance and how this union could be mutually beneficial to their clubs and their community. To find out more about the Toastmaster-Rotary Alliance, click here.

Consider how your club could benefit from a partnership with a local Rotary Club. For us, Elite Toastmasters and Killeen Rotary are now considering collaboration on offering the Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program to students from one of the Killeen Rotary High Schools the Rotary helps support.

To watch Delsina’s discussion with Elite Toastmasters, click here.

Shirley Mobley, DTMPast Area L81 Director

Current VPPR and TreasurerElite Toastmasters

WHAT ’S HAPPEN ING IN OUR D ISTR IC T

EARLY BIRD WINNERS

Austin Pride ToastmastersBeyond BasicsBroadway Toastmasters ClubCapital Ridge OratorsDripping Springs ToastmastersEquipping Voices ToastmastersFrost ToastmastersFuture Speakers on the Horizon (FSH)G.U.T.S. Club -lackland AFBGeorgetown Toastmasters ClubHeart 2 Heart ToastmastersHill Country ToastmastersIBM ClubLakeline ToastmastersLaunch Pad ToastmastersMaster Speakers of AustinNew Braunfels Toastmasters ClubRiver TalkersSunday SpeakersTexas Tongue Twisters ClubTMHP ToastmastersTop Notch Trainers (TNT)USAA LeadersZandalari TribeZenoss Toastmasters

Renew 75% of July 1 base, minimum of 8 mem-bers. Award is a prize pack containing $50 in Toastmasters merchandise.

WHAT ’S HAPPEN ING IN OUR D ISTR IC T

Charter Years Area Club Name

10/18/19 1 I 53 Speakin’ Ain’ T Easy, Austin10/30/19 1 H 46 SAPL, San Antonio10/31/19 1 J 65 Center of Gravity, Austin10/24/16 4 F 23 City of San Antonio, San Antonio10/25/16 4 J 62 UPS, Austin10/23/13 7 K 72 Toast with Confidence, Austin10/31/13 7 G 36 Global Elites, San Antonio10/26/10 10 I 53 iToast , Austin10/23/08 12 I 55 Dripping Springs, Dripping Springs10/15/04 16 G 33 Toastmasters of the Universe, San Antonio10/1/87 33 G 34 USAA Bank , San Antonio10/1/68 52 L 81 Lonestar, Killeen10/1/58 62 H 45 Randolph AFB, Zoom

MILESTONES

1

62

10

WHAT ’S HAPPEN ING IN OUR D ISTR IC T

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW DTMS

Div is ion A rea Date Member C lub Name

F 22 8/10/20 Jodie K ing G .U.T.S . C lub

Don’t forget to check out our updated Promotions Page.Please check back from time to time for the latest and greatest information.

CALENDAR SNAPSHOT

Click here for online calendar

T hu r s d a y , O c t o b e r 1•D55PublicationDistribution

Tue s d a y , O c t o b e r 6• 7:00pm CreatingaMemberMentoring

Program• 8:30pm DCPforbeginnerswithJason

WoldS a tu rd a y , O c t o b e r 10• 9:00am DECMeetingTue s d a y , O c t o b e r 13• 7:00pm Practice/Coachingon

EvaluationandImpromptuSpeakingTechniques

• 8:30pm TM101:Speech-writingMadeEasy

Tue s d a y , O c t o b e r 2 0• 7:00pm SocialMedia:TheBasics:Part

IwithLillySmith• 8:30pm SocialMediaBasics:ParkII

withLillySmith

S und a y , No v emb e r 1•D55MonthlyPublicationDistribution

Tue s d a y , No v emb e r 10•7:00pm Brandingyoursocialmedia

withToastmasters-RickCollins,PRM•8:30pm TM101-SpeechPreparation

andDeliveryBasicsTue s d a y , No v emb e r 1 7•7:00pm PowerPointthatworks-Carlos

Velazquez• 8:30pm SocialMedia:Howtomake

yourcontentworkforyou

OCTOBER 2020 NOVEMBER 2020

TOASTMASTER TO TOASTMASTER DISTRICT 55 MONTHLY PUBLICATION

Public Relations Manager, Rick Collins, DTMSocial Media Strategist, Lilly Smith

Social Media Coordinator, Christine Moore, CCWebmaster, Vishal Aslot, DTM

Publishing Team: Harlan Blumenthal, DL5, EH4

Lorenzo Peve, VC4, MS3Allen Avilla, CC, ALB

Nicole Akers, PM1Mia GiAngelos, PM4

contact: newsletter@tmd55.org

2020-2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

District Director, Melody Moore, DTMProgram Quality Director, Kathy Moore, DTM

Club Growth Director, Livya Mitchell, DTM

contact: d55dd@tmd55.org

WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

Toastmaster to Toastmaster, official publication of District 55Toastmasters in Austin Texas, USA, is published monthly since July 2020, to promote goals and ideas of District 55 Toastmasters.

Responsibility of Toastmaster to Toastmaster is not assumed for the opinions expressed by any of its authors.

DISTRICT MISSIONWe build new clubs and support all clubs in achieving excellence.