April 2024 Leader Letter

A Dazzling Invite — Join this year’s Golden Gavel Honoree Lisa Sun and Keynote Speaker Shawn Ellis for the most dazzling communication event on the planet, made even more special by a 100th anniversary celebration. Visit the Toastmasters Through the Years Exhibit, take part in an Eras of Exercise Smedley Fund activity, attend a President’s celebration with a 1920s theme, and so much more. Register now.

Get Your Convention Spirit On! — Invite fellow Toastmasters to be as excited for the milestone convention as you are with these jazzy and fun promotional assets. Display 2024 Convention Zoom Backgrounds in online meetings, post 2024 Convention Social Media Graphics on social channels, add the 2024 Convention Email Signature to emails, and share the 2024 Convention Presentation Slides with members before meetings begin, at District conferences, or other upcoming events. Pass on the inspiration to gather this August in Southern California, where it all began!

2024 International Convention Sponsorships — Now that Toastmasters International is taking applications for this year’s convention sponsors, consider asking your company or your club’s corporate sponsor to take advantage of the opportunity to network with global leaders during this 100th anniversary year! Share the convention sponsors webpage to get them started.

Tune In! How One Person Beat Burnout Through Daily Routines — In this episode of The Toastmasters Podcast, health and performance coach Olya Amelina, a Toastmaster in Germany, provides techniques to help you find a balance for achieving your goals while avoiding burnout.

Submit New Club Forms Early — More clubs charter in May and June than at any other time, so beat the rush and send your new club documents early for timely processing. If you have questions, review the How to Build a Toastmasters Club manual or email newclubs@toastmasters.org.

Dues Still Accepted Online — Although the April renewals due date has passed, you and your club members can still submit dues payments online to keep your club and members in good standing. Log in to Club Central to submit dues or conduct other club business online. You may also contact Club and Member Support by emailing renewals@toastmasters.org.

Centennial Snaps — Want to get in on a fun way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Toastmasters International all year long? Each month, Toastmasters will have a different ‘100 photos’ social media theme. Celebrate the month of April by showcasing your District conference! Share photos of you and your fellow members attending a District conference, the District conference venue, and all the excitement that surrounds the conference. Post on social media using #toastmasters or #Toastmasters100Years and tagging Toastmasters.

Got a Minute? — Recording meeting minutes is an essential part of every meeting! To learn more about best practices for recording and maintaining meeting minutes, please review the Club Leadership Handbook. There are also templates and examples available for Club Executive meetings.

Good Record-Keeping — The Club Secretary is responsible for maintaining club records and managing club files, including Membership Applications, club rosters, club charter documents, bank statements, and more. Some files are required to be kept on-hand by the club for a specific amount of time, or even indefinitely. For more information about the length of time these documents need to be retained by a club, please see the Club Secretary section of the Club Leadership Handbook.

Club Officer Roles, Clarified — Check out the club officer documents, featuring descriptions of each officer role, including a list of key responsibilities and transferable skills. Use the Role Summary documents to help inspire members to fill officer roles during election season.

How to Beat Club Officer Burnout — You’re in the final stretch! The end of the program year is just ahead. Glean some ideas to reignite your enthusiasm as well as help others to finish your year strong.

Lead Like a Master Gardner — Successful teams require the same conditions as healthy plants to thrive. Leaders who intentionally cultivate a healthy team culture will see the fruits of their labor in the long term. Dig into 12 tips to help you start growing.

Take Your Toastmasters Skills to Work! — What you learn in the club setting can translate to your work presentations; you just need to adapt to a different type of audience. Discover helpful tricks to ease the transition and leverage your club skills in the workplace.

The Toastmaster Magazine Through the Years — This month, in 1933, the Toastmaster magazine made its debut. Here’s a look back at the life of the 91-year-old publication.

Replay Board Briefing — If you missed the Board Briefing on March 28, don’t fret; you can now watch the recording to hear important announcements from the Board of Directors.

Seeking Credentialed Parliamentarians — Would you like to be a part of a future Annual Business Meeting? Future International Presidents will be looking for knowledgeable credentialed parliamentarians to serve the organization. If you are interested, please email interpresident@toastmasters.org with your name and qualifications no later than May 1.

2024 International Speech Contest Semifinals — This year, following the region quarterfinals, two contestants from each region will be randomly assigned to one of four International Speech Contest Semifinals, which will be held during the Toastmasters International Convention in August. The regions for each semifinal have been determined, so be on the lookout for updates regarding who will represent your region!

Submitting a Wire Transfer — It is important to send an email with the wire receipt to the appropriate email box to ensure the funds are promptly applied. Adding a club number or other identifier also helps to have the wire applied to your club account correctly. If a wire is sent for membership dues and fees, email the payment remittance from the issuing bank along with the list of members and completed membership applications to Club and Member Support at renewals@toastmasters.org for processing.

Club Recognition Reminder — Does your club meet the Qualifying Membership Requirement needed to earn recognition within the Distinguished Club Program? Review your club's specific Distinguished Club Program Dashboard and notice that the number of members your club must have to earn credit is listed in the "Required" box in the upper-right. Even if your club has five or more goals, it must have the required "To-Date" membership to earn its Distinguished Club Program award.

Standby for Talk Up Toastmasters Awards — Contest submissions for Talk Up Toastmasters have ended. Please be advised that all notifications regarding clubs that have earned the award will not be posted until late April due to month-end closing. For more information about the month-end closing dates and their impact on reporting, please refer to the Month-End Closing Dates page.

Annual Renewal Dues — The ability to pay the October 2024 renewals became available on April 1, if the member’s April 2024 dues had already been paid. Keep in mind dues are nonrefundable. If you have questions, feel free to contact Club and Member Support via email renewals@toastmasters.org or via phone at +1 720-439-5050, from 8 a.m.–5p.m. Mountain Time, Monday—Friday.