Happy Birthday Toastmasters International!
 
October 22 marks the day Dr. Ralph C. Smedley held the first official Toastmasters meeting in the basement of a YMCA in Santa Ana, California. 
 
Initially formed to teach after-dinner speeches to young men, Toastmasters has evolved to become a worldwide leader in communication and leadership development. Dr. Smedley firmly believed that the improvement of a person's ability to communicate his or her ideas was a means of improving life in all its phases, personal as well as professional. It's a philosophy that resonates as clearly today as it did back in 1924.
 
Since then, Toastmasters has helped more than 4 million people to achieve their full potential and realize their dreams. The total membership is at an all-time high of 252,000 and growing. The programs are more expansive and our leaders have developed innovative strategies to keep up with advances and shifting cultural dynamics of the global age.
 
Click here to earn more about the history of Toastmasters. Be sure to check out the timeline where you'll learn lots of interesting facts about the organization's milestones.
 
Day 2 Recap of the District 43 Fall Conference
 
Whew! Did any of you come back from the fall conference with a mound of work to do like I did? Let’s give it up for all the district officers and members who attended to represent your Toastmasters club. Volunteering can be a big sacrifice. Let’s especially give it up for those Jackson, Mississippi clubs who worked so hard to put on a great conference. Woo Hoo!

 
 
The Educational Sessions Rocked
The second day of the fall conference was packed with fun and interactive educational sessions. Attendees enjoyed these four educational sessions on Saturday:
  • How to Market Yourself as a Professional Speaker by Carrie Perrien Smith, ACS ALB
  • Pump It Up: Being the Leader Others Want to Follow by Willie Johnson, DTM 
  • Birds of a Feather: Understanding Club Member Behavior! by David Hayes, CC
  • Developing Your Business Voice by Bradley Harris, DTM 
  • Where Do I Go from Here? The Fast Track to DTM by Michael Hall, DTM CSL and Michele Harris, ACG
  • How to Become a World Champion Speaker by Edward E. Hearn
Lunch General Session: Awards, Awards, Awards!
 
Vanessa Harris, DTM also presented Bradley Harris, DTM with the Namon Harris Award, an award named in honor of her late husband.
The lunchtime general session featured an award-fest where Mary McClendon, DTM and immediate past district governor, handed out awards. She also accepted a plaque from International Director Mike Raffety recognizing the efforts of the district for achieving Distinguished District status.
Here are some of the highlights:
  • District Appreciation Plaque            Adren Duncan, DTM
  • Division Governor of the Year          Stan McCrary, ACS CL
  • District Area Governor of the Year   Kathy Hodges, ACB ALS
  • District Club President of the Year  Vincent Perry, CTM CL
  • District Toastmaster of the Year      Eve DeFoe, ACS
The list of awards was enormous. See most of them in the Awards and Recognition Special Edition of the Toast of the South at http://www.district43toastmasters.org/images/ToastoftheSouth.pdf
The highlight of the lunch presentation was when Bishop Ronnie C. Cruddup, Sr. was named the Communication/Leadership Award Recipient. He is a regional bishop for the Mid-South Diocese of the Fellowship of International Churches and the senior pastor of New Horizon Church International in Jackson. An avid community servant for many organizations, he is also co-founder and CEO of the Mississippi Faith-Based Coalition for Community Renewal. 
 
 
Denice Marion (center) won the Humorous Speech Contest. She shown with Mike Raffety, International Director and James Mayhan, District Governor. 
Evening General Session: Dress to Impress
The posh evening general session was “dress to impress.” Our dinner entertainer was Richard Scott from the Capital City Toastmasters in Jackson. He is a full-time information systems professional who moonlights as a comedian and professional speaker.
After dinner, five contestants took the stage for the district’s Humorous Speech Content. They had five-to-seven minutes to make us laugh. The contestants were:
• Frieda Willis       Saline County Club, Area A-3
• Dennis Haning    Hi-Noon Club, Area B-1
• Gerry Peak         MAARket Masters Club, Area C-2
• Denice Marion    Willow Lake Toastmasters Club, Area D-2
• William Sabree   Capital City Toastmasters Club, Area E-1
When it was all said and done, two were left standing: Denice
Marion took home the first place prize and Gerry Peak placed
second.
Ed Hearn, 2006 World Champion of Public Speaking, addressed the attendees at the evening general session. Here he is showing off a poster that he brought back from his visit to a Toastmasters conference in Bangkok.
Ed Hearn, 2006 Toastmasters International World Champion of Public Speaking, delivered the closing keynote speech. He is a full-time pastor and motivational speaker. His speech was titled, “So You’re a Toastmaster. What Difference Does It Make?” His title as World Champion of Public Speaking has earned him invitations to Toastmasters’ events all over the globe. He shared the common traits he’s observed being demonstrated by fellow Toastmasters he’s met on his travels.
  • Toastmasters embrace positive and constructive change in their lives. He challenged us to recognize the endless potential and possibilities we have. He also encouraged us to embrace the capacity we each have to grow through change.
  • Toastmasters aren’t afraid to take on challenges. People who achieve their dreams have a plan in place for execution.
  • Toastmasters have a commitment to excellence. He challenged us to reach beyond the ordinary accomplished by others and seek our own personal excellence.
Wondering Where You Can Find
Pictures from the Event?
 
The photos from the Toastmasters event will be posted to the District 43 website in the near future. We’ll let you know as soon as that happens.

 
 
 Fall conference chair and Division E Governor Angela Bulter of the
 High Noon Club in Jackson, Mississippi received her DTM at the
 conference. She is shown here with her parents.
 Richard Scott from Capital City
 Toastmasters Club provided 
 evening entertainment.

Hot Springs, Arkansas is the Site of the Spring Conference
That's it for the 2009 District 43 Fall Conference. But wait, there's another conference in the planning stages. Look for details soon on the 2010 Spring District 43 Conference in Hot Springs at the beautiful Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa in the heart of historic Hot Springs National Park. And like Toastmasters International, it's been around since 1924! Click here to learn more about the Arlington.
If you've never been to a district conference before, please accept this as my personal invitation to attend. I'll be there to personally welcome you.
My Best,
Carrie Perrien Smith ACS, ALB
District 43 Public Relations Officer
Pinnacle Toastmasters Club #9864, Bentonville, Arkansas USA