District News

District Webinar Recording — Watch the District leader webinar that took place on December 2 with Erich Viedge, DTM, former District Governor of District 74, to learn how he led his District from 46th to 8th in the world with over 12% growth in a single year—and during a year that membership dues increased! Speaking alongside International President Aletta Rochat, DTM, Viedge shared his proven playbook for shifting team belief and delivering big results.

Prepare for Mid-year Training — District Directors, Program Quality Directors, and Club Growth Directors: Please complete all preparation for Mid-year Training as soon as possible, including booking your hotel and finalizing flight arrangements. Reach out to the Training Team at training@toastmasters.org with any questions or concerns. Additionally, schedule ample time to complete the Pre-work prior to training. The more prepared you are, the more you will benefit from the experience.

Area Directors: Prepare for Second Round Club Visits — Each District must establish and maintain positive, supportive relationships with its clubs. Area Directors play a critical role in creating this relationship through club visits, which are required twice a year. 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. The second round of club visits begins December 1 and can be submitted beginning December 15. To continue participating in the Distinguished Area Program, the Area Director must submit at least 75 percent of the Area Director Club Visit Reports compared to the club base. Please reference the District Recognition Program guide page nine (9) for more information.

Plan for Club Alignment — District Directors: it is time to prepare for club alignment for the 2026-2027 program year. Please direct your Alignment Committee to review the information on the alignment webpage, and then provide them with a current club directory. The directory can be obtained by sending an email to listrequest@toastmasters.org. For alignment questions you may reference Protocol 7.0 or email District Growth and Support districts@toastmasters.org.

Holiday Gift-Giving Idea — Alleviate some holiday stress with an easy gift idea that will leave you feeling good. Contribute to a worthy Toastmasters cause—the Smedley Fund—by making an honorary donation.

Plan for Year-End Supply Orders — With the holidays fast approaching, it's important to place your supply orders by Thursday, December 11. All product orders placed by 11:59:59 p.m. Mountain Time on December 11 will be shipped no later than Monday, December 22. Due to the holiday schedule and year-end inventory reconciliation, all orders received after that date will begin shipping on Friday, January 2, 2026. This includes any orders marked for express delivery. If you have any questions or concerns, please call +1 720-439-5050, from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Mountain Time, Monday through Friday, or email supplyorders@toastmasters.org.

Accredited Speaker Program Update — Is there a professional-level speaker in your club or District who should pursue this prestigious designation? The Accredited Speaker Program is designed for those who combine expert knowledge in a particular subject with mastery of the spoken word. Members who are interested in applying should review the Accredited Speaker Program Handbook and ensure that all application materials are submitted to accreditedspeaker@toastmasters.org between January 1 and January 31, 2026.

Important Tools for Club Growth — The Prospective Member Management page makes it easy to view and track Find a Club contacts, so no one gets missed! Learn how to make the most of this system.

Toastmasters Education Series — Review these presentations and deliver one in your club! To focus on overcoming nerves and stage fright, look to Controlling Your Fear in the Better Speaker Series. Meeting Roles and Responsibilities, found in the Successful Club Series, will help your club manage meeting roles and encourage participation. Finally, the Leadership Excellence Series has valuable advice for settling disagreements in Resolving Conflict.

District Elections Submissions — Do you know someone that would like to take on a leadership opportunity within the District? If so, encourage them to submit a District Leader Nominating Form to the District Leadership Committee Chair. Check with your District Director or District Leadership Committee Chair to confirm the deadline to submit the form. Reference Protocol 9.0 District Campaigns and Elections and the Elections Toolkit for additional details about the process.

DLC Handbook — Do you have questions about the District Leadership Committee? The District Leadership Committee (DLC) Handbook has been developed to provide a better understanding of the DLC process to the District leadership team, DLC Chair, DLC members and candidates. The handbook also shares ways to identify candidates and to build a leadership legacy in the District; take an opportunity to review it today!

Capitalize on Social Capital — Learn the increasing need for organizations like Toastmasters to combat the current epidemic of loneliness. Then use the findings to grow the bonds within your club and bring new members into your fold.

Year-End Table Topics — Use the Table Topics® time to encourage your members to reflect on their past year in Toastmasters, and to get excited for the possibilities of the year ahead!