Recruitment

New recruits are the lifeblood of any organisation and Toastmasters is no exception. Currently we have: (see table)

However, this amazing amount of members worldwide needs to be put into perspective when you consider that the average age of Toastmasters members is 45.8 years (Toastmasters International website). With an aging population comes an aging club and continued recruitment is vital.

The Einbumpin Festival was a great success with many new recruits for our Sandgate Toastmasters club. This is a once a year event where everyone pitches in and spruiks the benefits of the Toastmasters experience. However there are things that you as the intrepid Toastmaster can do to encourage new member participation.

Ideas for integrating a new member into Sandgate Toastmasters could Include:

Introducing them to other club members at each meeting

Encouraging them to become involved in club service projects

Inviting them to attend meetings of events such as contests

Inviting them to neighboring clubs for a guest judging (Observing) so they can learn about Toastmaster requirements

Asking them and their spouses to social activities, dinners, or other special events

Encouraging them and their spouses to attend the district conference or conventions

Recruitment is important not only for a clubs continuation but also to add new and interesting individuals to the Toastmaster mix. Sandgate is a solid club, however natural attrition

Ralph C. Smedley: The Father of ToastmastersBorn: February 22, 1878,Died: September 11, 1965

Ralph C. Smedley was born in Waverly, Illinois, a city twenty miles southwest of Springfield in the United States of America. After finishing high school he enrolled at the Illinois Wesleyan University at Bloomington, Illinois. In 1903 after his graduation in 1903, he started working at the local YMCA.

After starting three clubs prior, Ralph started what was to be the first official Toastmasters club on the October 22nd, 1924 at the YMCA at Santa Ana, California. Smedley was secretary until after the war ended when he became educational Director. He remained in this position for the rest of his life and was also a permanent member of the board of directors.

Mr Smedley has an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of Illinois Wesleyan University in 1950 and a school was also named after him. The founder and continued inspiration of the Toastmasters International eventually died on the September 11, 1965.

Geographic Region Member Count

Rough Percentage

North America 190,827 70.6%United States 159,149 59.6%South America 423 0.2%Africa 3,599 1.3%Asia 44,962 16.6%Europe 13,137 4.9%Australia (includes Oceania)

17,433 6.4%

Total 270,381 100%

Global Perspective: Data from Toastmasters International website

Mentioning MentoringMentoring within the Sandgate Toastmasters club not only benefits the mentor and mentoree, but also has substantial benefits for the club. They can include but are not limited to retention and development of talented members, the development of potential leaders internally with good organizational knowledge, and also the utilisation and advancement of staff within the organisation.

Other additional benefits include the increased productivity from staff who feel motivated as well as supported and includes the enhanced relations amongst staff. These are just some of the benefits of having a mentor in any context and their importance should never be underestimated.

Every new member that comes through the doors of the Toastmasters club is allocated a mentor. This is an

important role, as all new members need to feel welcomed within the different but exciting routine of being a Toastmaster. Outsiders may be a tad confused about the purpose of some of the more unusual parts of a Toastmasters meeting and this is where a mentor can always step in and explain the importance (and purpose) of these particular parts.

Mentoring has an important part to play in the development of a Toastmaster speaking and leadership skills. Every new member needs a mentor and volunteers are encouraged to apply. Remember when you are a mentor to a new member, you are ensuring the success and continued survival of our Sandgate Toastmasters club. As such volunteers are always encouraged to apply to become a new members mentor.

Contesting the CalmIts

speech contest time again and some of our intrepid Sandgate Toastmasters are competing to be eligible for the area contest. Any speech can be nerve-wracking, however a contest can increase the likelihood of jitters. Therefore here is an exercise that anyone could undertake to help calm themselves before a big speech.

Relaxation Breathing PracticeBe aware of your current breathing pattern and learn how to change your breathing rate from fast, shallow chest breathing to slow, abdominal breathing.

1. Focus on your breath while you place one hand on your chest, the other over your navel. Imagine there is a balloon in your abdomen. As you take a slow, deep breath, focus on inflating the balloon in your abdomen. You will notice that your abdomen will rise much more than your chest. As you exhale, just let your abdomen fall naturally.

2. The goal is to learn how to breathe at 6 breaths a minute, about 3 or 4 seconds inhaling and 6 or 7 seconds exhaling. Once you have the slow, deep breathing accomplished, don’t worry about counting and imagine breathing out any tension in the body or thoughts that get in the way of comfort and relaxation.

3. If it helps, you can imagine a spot located on your abdomen, just below your navel. Breathe into and through that spot, filling your abdomen with air, allowing it to expand. Imagine the air filling you inside from your abdomen, and then let it out, like deflating a balloon. With every long, slow breath out, you should feel more relaxed.

Check out next month’s addition of the Sandgate Toastmasters Newsletter for more relaxation techniques that you could utilise before a big speech (not just contest speeches).

Whatever your grade or position, if you know how and when to speak, and when to remain silent, your chances of real success are proportionately increased. — Ralph C. Smedley, American founder of Toastmasters International (1878-1965)

Eye on Ernie

Ernie Barnet is one of our newer members to join Toastmasters Sandgate club. The poem above was written by himself and his late wife as an excellent satire on the perils of continuing to age. However don’t let a number fool you (80years) Ernie is an important member within the Sandgate Toastmasters club.

Ernie has raced through the manual and has already completed three competencies during his membership. Members may have noticed that Ernie exemplifies as an excellent Toastmaster member by being active within meetings and volunteering for various roles.

Most important however, is the confidence and increased fluency that Ernie is achieving and would be an inspiration to any new member. Furthermore, not only is Ernie motivating, he also has some exciting interests.

Ernie is a scout member and has been since he was quite young. He also belongs to the local men’s shed and loves to work with wood. Awesome Ernie is fast becoming an integral part of our Sandgate Toastmasters club.

Toasty Tips: The ToastThe traditional Toastmasters Toast is often thought to be one of the most important aspects of a Toastmasters session. Its origins are shrouded in mystery with many different

explanations of its origins. However

the The International Handbook on Alcohol and Culture says toasting "is probably a secular vestige of ancient sacrificial libations in which a sacred liquid was offered to the gods:

blood or wine in exchange for a wish, a prayer summarized in the words 'long life!' or 'to your health!'Ernie at the Einbumpin Festival in his Scout Ensemble

To have old age is such a boreWhen you drop things on the floorAnd you cannot pick them upHelp oh help us we do implore.

To wood working groups, one and allWho play with wood and have a ballWe offer you this invitationFor you to produce a great creation.

This challenge is for you to create,A clever gadget to be our best mate.This invention will rescue many a dropped thingFrom a pen or pencil to a needle or pin.

To conquer this problem is a wonderful thingTo accept this challenge what joy it will bringSo come on chippies one and allCombine you brains and answer our call.

Just think of the money you'll takeAnd the profit you'll makeYou can have a lot more funDoing what you've always done.

We thank you, my friends, well in advanceThat maybe...perhaps...or maybe perchanceYour wood werky friends can design or createA gadget that will become our very best mate.

Ernie & Dianne Barnet

In The Toastmaster tradition the humble toast has many important tasks within the night. The toast opens the gathering, settles the members and lays out the tone of the

meeting for the rest of the evening. With such importance it would be wise to make certain that you know how to get it right (no pressure).

As such here is a guide on how to present a “proper” toast:

1. After being introduced by the evening’s master of ceremonies (Toastmaster) stand up and wait a moment for everyone in the room to give you their full attention.

2. When all eyes are on you read the Toastmasters mission statement.3. Now the fun part, begin by saying “I would like to propose a toast…”4. As you are giving your toast, make sure to make eye contact with as many members of the club as you can.5. To conclude the toast, raise your glass to eye level and state “In conclusion….6. Have all of the members raise their glasses.

Tips Pick a topic for the toast that is relevant to current

affairs, perhaps even the theme for the evening. Speak slowly and clearly and keep what you say

brief and heartfelt.

The speech should be four or five sentences, lasting less than a minute.

Make sure that your tone and content are appropriate for your audience.

This is an opportunity for some humor, but be careful as everybody may not understand the joke.

Most Importantly: Practice beforehand

Toastmasters: OriginsToastmasters today may be an international organisation with over 280,000 members worldwide, however as all large things it began with more humble beginnings. Originally created as a series of small short lived speaking clubs by Ralph C. Smedley.

Firstly in Bloomington Illinois in 1903, where the general secretary George Sutton suggested the name of Toasmasters. Secondly in Rock Island, Illinois when he moved there in 1910. Thirdly in San Jose, California 1919. Unfortunately all three clubs perished soon after Ralph moved away.

Luckily the first permanent club was founded in Santa Ana. The first meeting was held at the YMCA building on October 22, 1924. After which the idea spread around California and eventually became the international organization that it is today.

Home of the First Toastmasters club, The YMCA in Santa Ana, Cal.