CHRIS' CORNER

Volume 3, Issue 2

December 24, 2007

Greetings for the Holiday Season.

Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy, New Year and anything else you may be celebrating.  If you don’t celebrate any of these, I suggest you tag along to some of the festivities or at least take some time to relax and reflect.

This is my second Chris’ Corner this Toastmasters Year.  I had been publishing monthly, but did not need to since Paula produced a Newsletter this fall.  I will be publishing at least two more masterpieces before July 1.  I will also be hosting a Chris’ Corner Conference Call at 8:01 PM, Sunday January 13, 2008. Maybe someone will call into this one.

This issue of Chris’ Corner will feature a lame attempt to cover:

• End Year / Half Year Thoughts
• Toastmaster International News
• A Plug for Officer’s Training (Over one hundred have signed up for December’s Session
• A plug for the Spring Contests
• State of the District (the other stuff) & a Look Ahead

• End Year / Half Year Thoughts:  First and foremost - Thank YOU for taking care of our members.  As of this writing, we are number one in the entire region for membership percentage – I guess the focus on the MEMBER and not the number is having some effect.  Our clubs are doing well too – we only lost one during the fall renewals.  As for the other stuff, well…let’s talk about that.  Clubs are next on the list of importance – after all, members need a place to meet!  We will probably only lose one club in the fall renewal cycle.  This is great and we have two new clubs this year.  We are expecting a flurry of activity in January, hopefully a half dozen more clubs by May.  Our educational goals are slow – but that’s the good news, they are usually abysmal (that would make a good word of the day) this time of the year.  Only one out of every 50 members has gotten a cc this year, one in 150 for advanced awards.  I would wager that many people have not turned in their paper work. Please let’s keep current. Also remember that you can always do another cc – even if you are working on advanced awards.

• Toastmaster International News:  Big stuff happening.  TI is getting ready to make changes at the International and District Level.  I can only say a little about it now, as all the proposals are still being worked on.  Here is what you can count on.  There will be proposals this summer at the convention.  The one that affects us the most is the new district structure.  It will likely be proposed that there be a District Governor elect.  The DG elect would take a year to gather a team and then take office.  There would be no election for DG per se.  The Lieutenants will likely be appointed and confirmed by the District Council.  I think Division and Area Governors and Club Officers will be unchanged.  At the international level, the whole world, instead of just North America will be divided into regions. Probably one International Direct for each. IDs would truly be just board members.  For District Leaders Training, each region would probably get about 3 trainers.  You will get all this when finalized, for review and comment. Probably by March.
  There should also be some information on taxes – clubs have gotten communication from the IRS.  TI promises to provide guidance. If not, see you all in jail.

• A Plug for Officer’s Training:  About one hundred thirty came to the December Session at PECO.  Thanks, that’s the most I can remember. Also our appreciation goes out to Ronni and the PECO staff for organizing and hosting, and all the presenters for their hard work.  Please look at the District Calendar on our website tmdistrict38.org.  All Divisions have training dates.  The information will all be posted. Remember, we are trying to get at least 4 officers from each club trained.

• A plug for the Spring Contests:  The spring contest cycle is Speech Evaluation and International Speech.  I encourage every club to have a contest. The club contests should be completed by February 29.  The winners will go to the Area Contests, and those winners to Division, then District.  Also, the District International Speech winner will go to the Region VII contest and of course, after winning that, to Calgary in August.  Area and Division Governors, please have all your dates for contests ready for posting by the January 5th executive meeting.  Planning for the fall cycle is always rushed, but now that we know our clubs and what we are doing, we should be able to plan our contests well in advance.  It helps contestants decide what clubs and area to compete in.  Hint:  Area Contests should be scheduled from March 1- 31 (Not March 22nd, Holy Saturday, or March 29, exec mtg).  Division’s should be April 1 - 22 (3 Saturdays in April please no contest on the 26th as it is one week before the District Conference).

• State of the District (other stuff) & a Look Ahead:  I am not sure what is left to say.  One thing I noticed is that even though we are getting a heck of a lot of new members, we have lost a bunch, too.  My goal was for us to lose 1/4 of our members.  Say what?!! Yes, that’s correct; we usually lose about 1/3.  Well we are already there! I think we lost about 1/4 in fall renewals.  We can still make my dream a reality if each club will get their roster (from the fall semi-annual report) and invite lapsed members back. You would be surprised how many will come back just for the asking. So please get your membership committee together and make a phone call to those 5 or so members that did not rejoin last fall.  It’s the Member, not the Number – so call a former member and show that you care.  You can’t help someone achieve there goals unless you get them to a club meeting.  Also, try asking non-returning members why they chose to leave.  Sometimes we get good insight from past members, which allow us to make positive changes in our clubs. 
  
  Spring Conference information will be coming soon.  It will be the first weekend in May at the Inn at Chester Springs.  We had a great conference in the fall, and this one should be at least as good.  Please plan to attend and bring a new member.

Best Wishes to you all for the New Year.  As always, please feel free to give me, Ronni or Lauren a call with your comments, questions, suggestions, or concerns.  If they are words of praise, call me, for complaints, well, see Ronni or Lauren ;-)

NEXT CHRIS’ CLINIC, January 13, 8:01pm – Subject:  Mentoring
712-432-1620 (New number) code 354724#

chris.rio@verizon.net
609-390-2326 (h)
609-485-6421(w)
609-425-5472 (c)