Are You Prepared for District Leader Training?

District Leader Training will be held August 13-14 in Orlando, Florida, at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek resort prior to the 2012 Toastmasters International Convention. Please complete the District Leader Training pre-work that was emailed to you on July 12. Plan to arrive for training no later than Sunday, August 12, so you are ready to begin promptly at 8 a.m. on Monday morning.

District Treasurer Training

To help incoming district treasurers learn their role, webinars, e-learning and Managing District Finances (Item 1307) are available on the District Finance Corner webpage. If you have questions, please contact districtfinancialquestions@toastmasters.org.

Area Governors: Support Your Clubs Through Visits

Each district must establish and maintain positive, supportive relationships with their clubs. Area governors play a critical role in creating this relationship through club visits, which are required twice a year. To meet one of the qualifying requirements of the District Recognition Program, please submit an Area Governor's Club Visit Report (Item 1471) for at least 75 percent of the clubs in your area. Please begin visiting clubs, and use Serving Clubs Through Visits: A Guide for Area Governors (Item 219) to help you prepare for an effective visit.

Mid-year Training Dates and Locations Confirmed

Toastmasters International provides essential training to help you succeed as a district leader. In January, seven mid-year training sessions will be held for all regions. The dates and locations have been confirmed. Details regarding venues and travel information will follow soon.

Honor Your Sponsoring Organizations

Take the opportunity to help your corporate clubs honor their sponsoring organizations with Toastmasters corporate recognition awards. For details about these awards, read the Guide to Corporate Visits (Item 128). To ensure timely delivery, please allow at least four weeks for processing and shipping.

Stock Up on Conference Supplies

District governors: Now is the time to order materials for your first conference. Name badges, welcome ribbons and certificate holders are available on the Toastmasters Online Store. View this flier for more information. Customizable products, including banners and tote bags, are also available for purchase. If you plan to create your own conference materials, please submit them early to brand@toastmasters.org for brand and trademark approval.

Assign Your Club Proxy 

Toastmasters clubs hold the most important voting power in the organization. In May, proxies for the Annual Business Meeting at the International Convention were emailed to all 2011-2012 club presidents and secretaries. New club officers: Please make sure your club has decided who will carry your club's vote at the meeting. District governors: Please encourage club leaders to designate their proxies.

Public Relations Training Webinar

Toastmasters International will hold a live webinar for public relations officers and vice presidents public relations on September 18, 19 and 20. The informative session will provide helpful tips on how to create and communicate the latest news about Toastmasters to your audience. More information will follow.

Accredited Speaker Candidate Presentations at Convention

The Toastmasters International Accredited Speaker Program is an elite, multi-level test of candidates' professional-caliber speaking skills. To date, only 63 Toastmasters have earned the Accredited Speaker designation. See this year's two candidates present at the final level of the Accredited Speaker Program on Friday, August 17. Results will be announced Saturday, August 18, during the World Championship of Public Speaking. For more details, see the 2012 Convention Schedule of Events.

International Speech Contest Semifinalists

Do you know who is representing your district at the International Speech Contest Semifinals at the convention? Click here to see the names of all 86 semifinalists.

Enjoy the Convention Wherever You Are

Many popular convention events will be available online via live streaming video. Watch the Board Briefing for free on August 15 at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Experience the World Championship of Public Speaking on August 18 at 8 a.m. EDT to find out which of the nine contenders will be the 2012 World Champion (check website for pricing). You can also watch the Opening Ceremonies and the International Speech Contest Semifinals for a fee. Visit www.toastmasters.org/convention for details.

The Latest Buzz About Convention

Visit Toastmasters' social media pages for convention updates and general Toastmasters news. Follow @Toastmasters on Twitter for quick updates, and search #TIConv12 for convention-related tweets.

Updated Brand Manual

Have you seen the Toastmasters Brand Manual lately? New updates are featured throughout, and, in response to member requests, the manual now has a white background for easy printing. Please see the newly added, free alternatives to Toastmasters fonts (pages 43-47). New audience messaging is also included to help when speaking with potential members (pages 12-26). Consider using logo lockups when creating Toastmasters materials. They are now available on the website for your convenience. Please email brand@toastmasters.org if you have questions.

2013-2014 Region Advisor Application Process Now Open

Are you interested in becoming a region advisor? Or is there someone you'd like to encourage to apply for this volunteer position? Applications are now being accepted for the 2013-2014 program year.

It's Time for the Smedley Contest

Help your clubs prepare for this year's round of the original membership-building contest named in honor of Toastmasters' founder, Ralph C. Smedley. The Smedley Award competition started August 1 and ends September 30. For more information and contest rules, visit www.toastmasters.org/membershipcontests.

Across the Map

Two Toastmasters districts re-formed on July 1! Welcome District 48 in Southwest Florida and District 89 in China. They split from districts 47 and 85, respectively.

Toastmasters Is Bigger and Better!

The results are in, and our membership has grown! With more than 280,000 members in over 13,500 clubs in 116 countries, Toastmasters International is helping more people than ever to become more confident speakers and leaders.

We're Here to Help

Can't find the answer you need on Toastmasters Internationals' Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) webpage? The World Headquarters staff is here to assist you. The Email Contacts webpage will point you to the right team to answer your question.

The Toastmaster Digital Edition

Bookmark www.toastmasters.org/magazine to flip through the digital edition. You can customize your view and share articles with friends. You can read past issues or log in to see the current edition. If you prefer to read your magazine online and do not wish to receive the magazine by mail, simply email a request to magazine@toastmasters.org.