THE SUNSHINER DISTRICT 47'S OFFICIAL NEWS DESK
LOVE CRAB? CRAB N RICE RECIPE I S S U E
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TOASTMASTERS BOOK CLUB
DIVISION E HIGHLIGHT
S E P T E M B E R
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TABLE OF
CONTENTS
If you have an important point to make, don’t try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time – a tremendous whack. -Winston Churchill Page 3 Toastmasters Plans for The Future- Patty Stevenson Page 4 Pathways: What’s Possible - Jessica Frankel Toastmasters is Akin to Meditation- Shveta Kumar
Page 5 Recipe For a World Champion- Luiz Bravim Glossophobia -Marlene Smith Page 6 Shut Up & Laugh: Evaluation and Humorous Speech Competitions- Abby Martinez An Artsy Piece by an Artsy Toastmaster - ZsaZsa Wallace Page 7 Crab n' Rice (Recipe) - Chevette Black Toastmasters Trivia! - Derek Garcia Rolle District 47: Events, Holidays, Celebration Page 8 Toastmasters Book Club -Roosevelt Jean- Francois Tuesday Tips- Bridgette Strapp Page 9 Toastmasters Ruined My Life- Dudley Turnquest Page 10 & Page 11 Division E for Extraordinary (Division Highlight)
Page 12 Distinguished Toastmaster Report- Cindy Beckles & Hieu Huynh Page 13 Club Anniversaries! Area Evaluation and Humorous Speech Competitions- Shakira Taylor
Patty Stevenson Every five years, Toastmasters International develops a strategic plan to guide the organization for the next five years. Strategic Plan 2020 was discussed at the Board of Directors Briefing during the 2020 Toastmasters International Convention, and the following week, Interim Plan 2020 was unveiled. Recognizing the impact COVID-19 had on the implementation of the five-year plan and the inability to realize the 2015 Strategic Plan itself—“to be the first-choice provider of dynamic, high-value, experiential communication and leadership skills development”—the Strategic Planning Committee developed Interim Plan 2020. Interim Plan 2020 maintains the strategic goals and initiatives of the 2015 Strategic Plan by maintaining two of the three pillars, Club Excellence and Member Achievement, and splitting the third pillar—Awareness, Engagement and Participation—into a new third pillar, Awareness and Engagement, and a fourth pillar, Organizational Effectiveness. A new initiative of the Club Excellence pillar is encouraging Area Directors to visit each of their clubs a minimum of four times per year, suggesting two more visits than the required two visits per year. The Member Achievement Pillar continues the focus on mentoring and looks to find new ways to recognize member achievements. In terms of Awareness and Engagement, there are two initiatives of note in Interim Plan 2020: “to create strategic alliances to grow and strengthen the Toastmasters brand” and “enhance the Club Success Plan with a template for a membership recruitment plan.” Included in the Goals and Initiatives of the Organizational Effectiveness Pillar is the implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) to allow for improved member service. ERP software assists an organization in collecting, storing, managing, and interpreting data. It will also provide for club and district automation in order to meet the goal of creating additional value for members, leaders, and stakeholders through standardization. The initiatives also address improving Pathways and providing training to club and district leaders. Matt Kinsey, newly elected 2020-2021 First Vice President and 2019-2020 Strategic Planning Committee member commented on the Interim Plan, “When we approached the interim plan; we asked one significant question. What are the actions we can take over the next 12-18 months to stabilize and strengthen the organization in the face of our current uncertainties? The intent of the 2020 Interim Plan is to focus on those items that are feasible and critical over the next 12-18 months. It is about immediate action. There are many other long-term and beneficial initiatives that are not included [in the plan] because they lack immediate impact. The most exciting thing is that many of these items have been discussed over the past few years and will be completed, such as enhanced Club and District officer training, member self-payment, and global advertising. The plan will be revisited periodically and adjusted as the environment changes.” The planning committee, consisting of 2019-2021 Board members, was chaired by Immediate Past International President Lark Doley, International President Deepak Mennon, President-Elect Richard Peck, First Vice-President Margaret Page, Second Vice-President Matt Kinsey, and CEO Daniel Rex.
Congratulations to District 47's Matt Kinsey 2020-2021 First Vice President 4 | THE3 SUNSHINER | THE SUNSHINER
The same can be said for public speaking. It was in August of 2018 that I started a new path for my life. I started my first year of law school. It was a fresh start, a new beginning, and a new opportunity to hide my deep, I have a deep, dark secret that I’ve dark secret. My relationship with tried to keep from the world since I public speaking was not always on a was in elementary school. I knew direct path. that through pure observation, one could easily catch on. I never talked I learned about Toastmasters through about it with anyone. This secret has my favorite law school professor about thirty minutes after I learned what the plagued my emotional well-being Socratic method was. I was going to and academic career for two decades. The truth is, I was petrified be called on randomly for the next of public speaking. When I say I used three years of law school in front of a room with fifty students. I decided in to be petrified of public speaking, that moment that I would learn how to I’m talking about my physical and get over my fear of public speaking bodily reactions to the thought of fast. having to speak in front of any If there was something I needed in law audience. I did not want to fix my school, it was convenience. Pathways relationship with public speaking; I provided the opportunity for me to wanted to learn new ways to work on becoming a better public continue hiding it. As I got older, I speaker at the click of a button. As learned that I couldn’t hide any someone who brings her computer longer. Instead of keeping my secret, I decided that it was time for everywhere with her, Pathways has been a blessing. Whether it is between me to overcome what I’d been classes or client meetings, I can log on hiding. to Pathways to see which level I am on There are many paths a person can and how I should prepare my next take throughout his or her lifetime. speech.
Today, I am the current President of NSU’s Toastmasters club, and I now actually enjoy public speaking. If anyone had told me two years ago that I would be the current President of NSU’s Toastmasters club or that I would enjoy public speaking, I wouldn’t have believed it. If anyone had told me two years ago that Toastmasters and Pathways were going to have a life-changing impact on my public speaking, I wouldn’t have believed that either. Two years ago, I was hopeless when it came to improving my public speaking skills. Toastmasters and Pathways have given me the hope and confidence I needed. Nowadays, I am the first person to raise my hand in class, and I am the first person who offers to give a speech in Toastmasters meetings when there is an opening. The secret that I tried to hide for so long turned out to be my best success story. Learning how to speak publicly has become my best asset. I owe all of my thanks to Pathways, Toastmasters International, and NSU’s Toastmasters club!
TOASTMASTERS IS AKIN TO MEDITATION BY TM SHEVTA KUMAR
I was going through a couple of personal issues last year that were messing with my head. To ground myself and slow down my overthinking brain, I started exploring meditation, along with the power of positive affirmation. That was also around when I joined my local Toastmasters Club. And within a couple of meetings, I could relate spirituality and Toastmasters as two sides of the same coin. What is meditation? It’s awareness and mindfulness of being in the present, concentrating on one thing (breath, picture, third eye, mantra) so much so that the mind is quiet and not distracted by various thoughts. What are affirmations? They are thoughts and mantras that one believes in. Most people have negative beliefs about themselves; that’s why repeating positive affirmations is important to changing the wiring of the brain. I find spending almost two hours every Monday in a Toastmasters meeting meditative. It doesn’t mean I’m zoned out; on the contrary, I get so involved in the process and the meeting—listening, voting, commenting, thinking of constructive feedback and general learning—that I forget about everything else like home, kids, work, and my tenacious, messy thoughts. I love evaluations and constructive feedback because they help one improve. In the positive environment of Toastmasters; one feels able to make mistakes and goof up without being judged. It works like positive affirmation because even though there is always a scope of improvement, we get to know what we did right and what worked in our favor. Additionally, claps and applause seal the deal!
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RECIPE FOR A WORLD CHAMPION Luiz Bravim
Glossophobia, what does it mean?
Of all the challenges one might consider for an empty weekend, How is it related to the Toastmaster none are more daunting than winning a world championship of theme? public speaking. It’s not that the fear of speaking in public is so pervasive among Toastmasters, but rather that there are so many Glossophobia is a wacky, weird word, who’ve overcome it and reached a level of competitive Is it a noun, adjective, or maybe a verb? excellence. Tens of thousands from 145 countries seek adventure, friendship, and self-actualization with the one global speech Glossophobia is that great, magnificent fear contest for adults.
Of public speaking, to those far and near.
Mike Carr, a 53-year-old financial analyst from Austin, Texas, beat them to it. His 7-minute speech The Librarian and Mrs. Montgomery, conducted virtually this past August due to the pandemic, was watched by a virtual audience of 23,000 and countless more who caught it on social media afterwards. I was one of the spectators watching Carr and seven of his competitors live. My club, Gelfand Toastmasters, held a regular meeting in which members and guests tuned in on Saturday morning with eager anticipation to learn from the best among all of us. ADAPTATION Carr started the speech with something audiences adore: the joy of surprise. Most contestants began their speech centered, so everyone has a full view with the least amount of effort. Carr began his speech from the bottom left corner of 23,000 screens. Carr knew exactly what he was doing starting from an awkward angle. He was giving his audience, including the anonymous judge panel selected by Toastmasters International, a novelty. This novelty immediately separated him from his competitors and made the speech more memorable. Furthermore, it served to transform his plain background into Mrs. Montgomery’s 6th grade classroom. Toastmasters are trained to be descriptive using words. Mike Carr used his body before a single word was uttered. IN MEDIA RES Children’s stories often begin, “Once upon a time...” to let young readers know a story is about to begin. Adults, veterans of a lifetime of stories, don’t need cliché in order to understand a story is to commence. In fact, they don’t need the beginning at all. Going back over 2,000 years to Homer’s epic The Odyssey, writers have practiced in media res, starting their tale in the middle of a scene without context. This often follows a nonlinear narrative, though sometimes readers never learn what happened at the start, or discover only through brief interludes later on. Instead of Carr starting with background information quickly forgotten, he took us to an action sequence between a Sheriff and Bad English, whom we learn are characters from an educational video circa the late 1960s. The great advantage of in media res is that there is no lag. The speech is going from the first moment. Don’t let the audience catch their breath! Give them seven minutes to remember.
Communication by words start as a child, During the years of being fearlessly wild. Speaking publicly a necessity in school, Some frozen in fear or babbling like a fool. Glossophobia became the mind’s easy way, Tongue-tied, too frightened a word to say Toastmasters International was then born To help public speakers receive no scorn Pathway projects convey to the brains, How to confidently play the wordsmith games. Toastmasters practice for audiences to hear, Spectacular storytelling, spoken so clear. Embracing the core values of respect and service, Excellence and integrity, without being nervous. Smile, Fellow Toastmasters, and gladly tell Glossophobia, ‘Be gone, goodbye, and farewell!’
MESSAGE No amount of oratorical skill will win a world championship without a message. Mike’s was simple. “The victory is in the try.” As hard as 6th grade Mike tried to fix the broken projector, he was unsuccessful. He feared disappointing his parents, an evil librarian, and Mrs. Montgomery. So strong was his dread he even considered an escape to Norway! Having a clear, universal message with appeal beyond any one nation is vital. This international contest was watched by Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, and many with no particular religion. Yet, all of us have been afraid. All have made mistakes. All feared the disappointment of our parents and teachers. Mike Carr used techniques and technology to bring home one simple message. It worked.
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“Shut Up and Laugh!” Toastmaster District 47 Evaluation and Humorous Speech Contests BY ABBY MARTINEZ “Shut Up and Laugh,” was the theme for Visionaries Toastmasters Club's Evaluation & Humorous Club contest, in South Florida and the Bahamas. Yearly, over 30,000 Toastmasters compete in TMI contests, and once again, COVID-19 had Shakira Taylor, DTM Program Quality Director for District 47, redirecting contests online. Toastmasters gathered to craft new rules. Lois Margolin, DTM, guided fellow trainers: “You can do this! Takes a little bit of perspiration. Takes a little bit of telling yourself, ‘I can get through this!’” Challenges and Aha! Moments “There are a lot of moving pieces and being virtual adds another layer. We have to practice not losing people in break out rooms,” remarked Lilly Lei, VPE Grove Gables Toastmasters. Some things stay the same. “We still have to keep the contestants calm, especially when they want to back out last minute,” said Clemencia Smith, VPE Visionaries Toastmasters. She continued: “It was rewarding to see contestants who rarely speak compete and win.” Some only happen online. “I was about to end my speech when my device fell down! I was so upset and embarrassed, but relieved I was fully dressed,” laughed Billy Allen, VPE Club East Central Archdeaconry. Despite the challenges, all VPEs interviewed said they would do it again. The exhilaration and joy of meeting new people and witnessing the transformation of contestants and functionaries was well worth the frenzied preparations. “I was impressed how members came together in a pandemic showing what a tight-knit family we are, whether we see each other in person or online. I don’t think that’ll ever change,” remarked Michelle LeWay, DTM, who partnered with Kendra Munroe, DTM, as a contest chair.
An Artsy Piece by an Artsy Toastmaster - by TM ZsaZsa Wallace, Member of Luminaries Toastmasters Club #1510789.
"Essentially, this piece was created for a Luminaries #1510789 event. Although I was very new to the program, I decided that a sun design was the best way to go. This piece was made by using a doodling technique. For the sun, I used strong orange, yellow, and red hues to communicate the intensely infectious spirit of my club. For the clouds, I used soft blue hues to symbolize the compassionate & soul-blessing effect that my club had on me and so many others, and the clouds' movement through the sky connotes Luminaries's movement toward greater goals & heights. For the love of the Sunshine Capital of The Luminaries's 1510789 Toastmaster Club, I present this piece."
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LIFESTYLE LOBBY TM Chevette Black, Food & Nutrition Educator & Owner of Vette'z Delightful Treat Bahamian Crab & Rice is a classic dish. In the Bahamas, the island of Andros is known for crabs and "catching crabs" is an event. I remember being on the island of San Salvador, taking the crocasak bag and a flashlight and going with my mom and grandmother to catch crabs. I watched as my mother and grandmother would put their feet on the crabs to hold them down and put them in the bags. Then they would place the crabs in a pen and feed them with water and bread for weeks to "fatten them up" before cooking. Similarly, the Toastmasters program is a classic. It stands for the same principles; it is committed to helping members improve both their leadership and speaking capabilities whilst giving back to newer members. I recall being a new member in the program and having area and division directors "feed me" the benefits of the program. I remember when I was caught in the net of excitement to join this fabulous program and then share its benefits with others. Just like this classic dish, the process is long but the end result is worth all the hard work.. Learning the program and its benefits and coming outside of our shell may seem to be overwhelming at first, but as we adjust, we are able to taste the sweet victory.
Ingredients: 6 land crabs with biters 4 cups of long grain rice 8 cups water 4 ounces vegetable oil 4 slices bacon, diced 2 large onions, sliced 1 medium bell pepper, diced 2 stalks celery 2 pounds salt beef (previously cooked, see tips) 6 ounces Champion Tomato Paste 2 teaspoons thyme leaves Black pepper to taste Hot peppers to taste
Instructions: 1. To prepare crabs, remove the legs and discard, remove the biters. Wash and scrub the bodies and biters thoroughly with a brush. Pry open the bodies and scrape the fat from the backs; place the bodies in a small dish. Discard the backs and break the bodies in halves. 2. Heat the vegetable oil in a pot; sauté the bacon for a few minutes. Add the onion, thyme, bell pepper and celery; continue to sauté, adding the crab fat. Simmer for approximately 5 minutes stirring in the tomato paste. Add crab bodies. Continue to simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally, adding 2 tablespoons of salt beef water at 5 minute intervals. 3. Add the water, seasonings, and peppers. Stir in rice. Bring rice to a boil and check flavor. 4. Continue to cook on low heat for approximately 25 minutes until rice is tender. Vette’s Island Tips Scald the crab fat with hot water. Salt is not needed because the water from the salt beef is added to the pot. Taste salt beef water to ensure it is not too salty. Salt beef must first be washed in hot water and then cooked in a pot of hot water until tender.
• CELEBRATE TOASTMASTERS MONTH! • Member Recognition Ceremony - Bahamas 2019-2020 Hall of Fame Awards: October 3rd
It’s TRIVIA TIME Toastmasters! Here’s how it works: 1) Using your sleuthing and researching skills only, find the answers to this Sunshiner Edition’s trivia questions. 2) Once finished, send an email sunshiner@toastmasersd47.org with the answers!
to
3) Be the first submission to correctly answer both trivia questions and win a prize for your club from the 2020-2021 District 47 Public Relations Team!
• Virtual Area Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contests: October 1st - 30th • Election of 6 month Club Officers for TM year 2021-2022 - Submit to TI: November 2020 • Virtual Division Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contests: November 1st – December 5th Hall of Fame: November 21st
Easy, right? On your marks! Get ready! GO! A) WHAT YEAR WAS THE TRIO A QUINTET? B) HOW MANY COUPLES SERVED AS DISTRICT DIRECTOR/GOVERNOR OF D47?
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1) What inspired this amazing book club?
The idea was originated by Division B Director, Distinguished Toastmaster Lois Margolin. She wanted to engage other Distinguished Toastmasters in her division with many interesting and educational activities. One of her suggestions was the Book Club. Distinguished Toastmaster Mary-Helen Day from the Early Bird Toastmasters and Broward Bilingual clubs decided to cohost this program with me (Distinguished Toastmaster Roosevelt Jean-Francois) from Club VOICE in Pompano Beach, Florida. This idea went beyond our division to reach the whole of District 47 in South Florida and the Bahamas. This event is an exciting opportunity amid the global pandemic to do something together while we’re socially distant. Many of us have been book club members before. We enjoy the discussion of ideas and the opportunity to make new friendships within the district and among all those interested in engaging in stimulating thoughts.
2) In your full and detailed opinion, how did the first meeting of this book club go? Was it a success? It was indeed a great success. We had great attendance on Zoom, comprising twenty people from our clubs in Florida and the Bahamas as well as some nonToastmasters guests. We discussed Dale Carnegie’s classic book, "How To Win Friends and Influence People." Our attendees had a good time commenting on great life tips and nuggets to become better communicators and better leaders.
3) What's the future of this book club series? Plans for the future include books that are interesting and relevant to all Toastmasters. We will have a new person leading the discussion each time and helping in choosing future books. We have decided to select two or three books in advance to give our members ample time to order the book and read it, the better to help them participate actively in our conversations. For this September, we have been reading Shonda Rhimes’s New York Times bestseller’s book, “Year of Yes: How to Dance it Out, stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person.” For the month of October, we will read “Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones,” written by James Clear. Those books are available at most bookstores and online as well as in public libraries in our district.
The book club will continue to meet on the last Saturday of the month from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. If you want more information or any suggestions, you can contact Mary-Helen Day, DTM, at mhday1120@gmail.com, or Roosevelt Jean-Francois, DTM, at rjean-francois@toastmastersd47.org.. Here's the link to watch the first meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=LKgh4j_7GkE&t=27s
Members of Healing Communicators Toastmasters Club #7178 of Division F, Area 61
“Some good work ethics to consider at the workplace include: • Be reliable – always meet deadlines. • Be dedicated – focus on the task ahead. • Be disciplined – show respect when working with others. • Be productive – do more than the minimum requirement. • Be cooperative – be read to assist others when needed. • Have integrity – do the right thing at all times. • Be responsible – be accountable for your actions. • Be professional – carry yourself in appropriate attire and behavior.”
Bridgette Strapp, DTM 8 | THE SUNSHINER 6 | THE SUNSHINER
TOASTMASTERS RUINED MY LIFE After being in the program for some time now, I realized life would never be the same for me. I cannot listen to government officials speak without counting their “ah’s” and “uhm’s.” I cannot listen to the keynote speaker speak without taking evaluation notes. I always have to remind myself to stay seated after he or she is done before I say, “Your speech was wonderful, but I have some nuggets for you to improve on.” If someone is introduced as an expert on a radio show and that person begins to stammer, I tense up. When people sound nervous delivering a public speech, I feel compelled to shout, “Keep going, you got this!” My regular life of listening to people just speak is over. If you have yet to experience this, you are probably new to the beautiful journey that is Toastmasters. It’s a worthwhile endeavor, and you’ll improve your speaking and leadership skills in ways you could never imagine—but going back to those days of just sitting and listening to anyone speak? Those days are long gone for me, and I’m thankful to the program for my newly critical ear, even if it means I’m now always listening with a pen to write tips for the speaker to improve for his or her next speech.
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Collected by Ernesto G. Williams, DTM 1) What are your feelings as the Division Director this year? Who is on your Division Team? Although we have all been touched by the global pandemic, directly or indirectly, Division E remains optimistic. We have seen our clubs embrace online meetings, our club members enhance their online skills, and new leaders emerge to support their clubs and fellow members. A great example of this trend has been our EXTRAordinary Area Directors, starting with Lori Bailey, DTM, from Area 50; Geno Jaramillo, DTM, from Area 51; Rich Crusan from Area 52; Eddy Landron from Area 53; Sebastian Pincetti from Area 54; and Sandi Huffman-Hansen, DTM, from Area 55. We have a terrific team of speakers and leaders who lead by example every day. 2) What does the E in Division E stand for this year? Division E has moved from excellent to EXTRAordinary! During this year, the leadership of Division E will go beyond the ORDINARY to render EXTRAordinary service, support, and guidance to the entire division. We aim high, and we plan to take everyone in Division E with us!! 3) What goals are your Division hoping to have achieved by June 30, 2021? Since we are aiming for EXTRAordinary, we are working toward making what’s good EXTRAordinary too! One of the areas we are focusing on is Pathways. We are working toward a 90% Pathways adoption rate by the end of 2020. With the support of our Pathways Team, made up of Lilli Lei, Lukas Calafell, and Jose Mercado-Otero, we are on track to get our clubs trained in the use of Pathways and our members enrolled. We are also working with our clubs to provide members the best possible experience by standardizing meetings and identifying resources that would be helpful, such as meeting role descriptions, online meeting tools, and reviewing the DCP, just to name a few. As a Division we are working toward ending the year as a Distinguished Division by encouraging our members and clubs to shine, participate, and remain engaged, because we’re better and stronger together. 4) What events, programs, or initiatives should District 47 look out for from your Division? We are living in extraordinary times. Therefore, our main goal from Day 1 in office has been to lay the groundwork for having online events, contests, and programs that are enjoyable for our members. In August and September our clubs worked on completing their virtual Humorous Speech and Evaluation contests club contests in an online setting. To help our members prepare, we held two training sessions and shared resources such as sample scripts, online contest guidelines, helpful links with contest materials, and more to help them thrive! Our Area contests kicked off on September 26th with Area 54. Now in October our lineup includes Area 52 on October 3rd, Area 55 on October 10th, Area 53 on October 17th, Area 50 on October 24th, wrapping up with Area 51 on October 26th. Our Area winners will move on to our Division E contest on November 7th. Other initiatives we are working on are Youth Leadership Programs, including one for the Girl Scouts Doral Troop 552, headed by Geno Jaramillo, holding demo meetings for up-and-coming clubs, hosting Speech Craft sessions, and other initiatives. We will continue to work diligently to address and identify pain points so that our clubs and members can continue to achieve their public speaking and leadership goals. As Division EXTRAordinary, we want to continue putting the EXTRA on everything that we do. 5) What is your Why? When I started with Toastmasters in late 2017 I was just as afraid as many to give my icebreaker speech. Within a short time, I had not only given my first speech but taken on my first officer role as VP of PR for my home club, Doral Toastmasters. With that mindset of “why not” and saying yes to the opportunities that came my way, I eventually became VPE of my club and eventually President before becoming Area 51 Director. I joined my second club, Dade County Toasters, and became Division E Director. Every step of the way makes me a more confident speaker and leader, but also leaves me with lessons, greater gratitude, more compassion, and appreciation for how this wonderful community—that has become like a family—enriches my life every day and every year. Just as I learned from many others, I want to give back and support those who may also be afraid to give their first speech, feel unprepared for their tenth, or aren’t sure they’ll have the time for an officer role or district role and tell them that it’s possible. What is my why? Well, why not? When I look back at where I started my Toastmasters journey and compare it with where I am now, I can see how everything I learned helped me push through limiting beliefs, find my voice as an individual, as a leader, and as a member of this thriving community. And just as Toastmasters has made a difference for me, it can bring change and growth for others. That’s the message I share with everyone interested in or just getting started with Toastmasters. 10 | THE SUNSHINER
Area 50
Area 51
Distinguished Toastmaster Lori F. Bailey has been a toastmaster since March 2017 and is a charter member of 305 Speaks in Miami where she currently serves as Vice President of Public Relations. She is also a member of the Miami Lakes Toastmasters where she serves as club coach. Lori is most proud of her assignment as club coach of the Miami Lakes Toastmasters where, in three months as coach, she was able to successfully bring the club to Select Distinguished Status by June 30. She has been a guest speaker at a District 47 conference and looks forward to finding success in her new role as Area 50 Director, where she is in charge of four clubs: 305 Speaks, Miami-Wynwood Toastmasters, Out of the Box Toastmasters, and MIA Tarmac Speakers.
Geno started his Toastmasters journey March 1, 2014 at South Dade Toastmasters Club. By June of that year he was “voluntold” to be the President after bringing in eight new members. After his one-year term he was asked to be the Area 52 Director. In his first 39 months, he prepared, rehearsed and delivered over forty speeches to earn his first DTM. Soon after attending his third Toastmasters International (TI) convention, he changed the acronym DTM to mean Devoted To Mentoring. Currently, he is the Doral Toastmasters President and the Area 51 Director in charge of six clubs: Doral, World Fuel, Voice of Champions (CCL), Speak Tank (Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta), Florida Blue, and Toastmasters en Español. His goal is to reach the President's Distinguished Area designation by starting a new club at NBC Universal (Telemundo) or FIU Engineering Center.
Area 52 Rich began his Toastmasters Journey in September 2016 as a test speaker for SHAPE International Toastmasters Club’s Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contest at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Belgium. In 2012, he returned to the United States and joined South Dade Toastmasters. He served as the President, Vice President of Membership, and Vice President of Public Relations and was recognized as the Outstanding Toastmaster of the Year in 2014. Currently, he serves as Area 52 Director assisting six amazing clubs: Blue Lagoon, Dade County Toasters, Electrifying Voices, Midday Talkers, FIU Business, and The Landing. His goal is to assist A52’s clubs in achieving all their goals.
Area 53 My name is Edward Landron. I joined Toastmasters in 2018. Currently, I’m the Area 53 Director and responsible for the following clubs: Brickell, Miami Dade, Miami Beach, and a fourth club that’s starting this month. My goals are to support these clubs and introduce innovative ideas. I want to encourage leaders to communicate and visit one another to share, learn, and implement new ways of getting the most out of their club meetings. With the world becoming more connected than ever before, I believe that Toastmasters is a valuable asset that will help members to R.I.S.E. to their potential.
Area 54
Area 55
Sebastian Pincetti started his journey at Toastmasters four years ago to improve his communication skills, since English is his second language. Right away, he understood that Toastmasters is not only public speaking but also leadership. First, he became VP of Membership, where in one year, he recruited thirty-five new members, and the following year he became VPE, where he achieved nine goals in four months. Sebastian understood that the more he gave, the more he received; that motivated him to become Area Director (AD). He is currently AD of Area 54, where he is in charge of the following clubs: Coral Gables, Grove Gables, Miami Advanced, Miracle Miles, South Dade, and West Kendall. His goal is to motivate the leadership teams and be the first resort for any questions they may have or requirements they need help fulfilling. He plans to have at least four Distinguish President clubs along with at least one club to obtain the Golden Gavel Club award.
Sandi Huffman-Hansen joined Toastmasters in 2014 to prepare for a return to the world of work after raising her two children. Sandi has served various clubs as Vice President of Membership, Vice President of Education, and Club Coach. Sandi is now Area Director of Area 55, which includes Key West Toastmasters, Florida Keys Toastmasters, Cutler Bay Toastmasters, Homestead Toastmasters, and Progressive Toastmasters of Palmetto Bay. Her goal is to help these clubs offer a standardized Toastmasters experience to members while also encouraging innovation and problem-solving.
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2019-2020 Distinguished Toastmaster Report By Cynthia Beckles, DTM & Hieu Huynh, DTM
Congratulations to our 2019-2020 Distinguished Toastmasters! These 83 Toastmasters have successfully achieved their Distinguished Toastmaster Awards – the highest ranking award that an individual Toastmaster can earn in this program – and have hence caused District 47 to be ranked as 7th in the World! You will all be honored and celebrated during the 2020 Hall of Fame Events for earning this award through June 30th, 2020:
Albury, Glenisha Bailey, Antoinette Barnett, Wycliffe Barto, Paula Beneby, Ikysha Beneby, Tristan (2nd DTM) Bern, Andrew Bethel, DaNevia Bonaby, Verna Borenstein, David Bruno, Sarah Calcaterra, Gaia Campbell, Lorraine Clement, Cedric Cook, Catherine Dalie, Joan Davin, Kenny Dean, P. Anthony Diaz, Brandon Dorsette, Deandra (2nd DTM) Dyke, Kathy Echeverry, Alejan Elie, Anthony (2nd DTM) Espeut, Cece Eubank, Cassandra Foster, Stephanie Frazier, Kathy Garcia, Ana Geibel, Malaqui George, Elizabeth Glinton, Angelique (2nd DTM) Goodman-Davis, Sharmaine Hamzetash, Parisa Jackson, Garth (2nd DTM) Jackson, Sandra Johnson, Andrea (3rd DTM) Johnson, Valerie Jones, Kathryn Kasser, Barbara Keen, Dorrette Kessler Quinones, Ann Labriola, John
Lichtman, Randy Mannan, Shelly Martin, Oris May, Phyllis (3rd DTM) McDougle, Jennifer McIntosh, Jamere Morales, Dilcia Navarrete, Joseph Nguyen, Nam Obier, Nina Palmer, Peter Pinder, Rita Pinder, Shanika Plata, Claudia Polynice, Price Reine, Tina Marie Rocha-Donley, Jennifer Rolle, Antoine Samples, Brooke Savarick, Matt Schneyer, John (2nd DTM) Segarra, Johnny Shah, Dhwani Simeon, Anna Banks Simko, Liliana Simko, Victor Smith, Johnell Jay Stein, Carolyn Stevenson, Patricia Strapp, Bridgette Stubbs, Jana Suco, Hector Susskind, Willasue (2nd DTM) Sweeting, Joseph Talu-Balci, Zeynep Uppu, Sudhakar Usher, Nadia Warren, Marryann Watson-Ellis, Brenda J. Williams, Ernesto G. Willner, Erich Wilson, Belinda 12 | THE SUNSHINER
Toastmaster Clubs! District 47 celebrates all of our amazing clubs who have celebrated the dates of their founding between September 4th, 2020 and October 3rd, 2020!! YAY to our Annual Anniversary Club: Toastmasters of Tamarac Club #7594558 of Division B, Area 20 turned 1 year old on September 26th! YAY to our Biennial Anniversary Clubs: High Impact Speakers Toastmasters Club #7113482 of Division D, Area 41 turned 2 years old on September 5th! Police Dynamic Enforcers Toastmasters Club #7031743 of Division F, Area 63 turned 2 years old on October 2nd! YAY to our Sexennial Anniversary Club: The Luminaries At The Boca Chambers Toastmasters Club #4273254 of Division C, Area 32 turned 6 years old on October 2nd! YAY to our Novennial Anniversary Club: Scientifically Speaking Toastmasters Club #1778344 of Division D, Area 41 turned 9 years old on September 29th! YAY to our Undecennial Anniversary Club: Saturday Fearless Toastmasters Club #1390883 of Division A, Area 12 turned 11 years old on September 29th! YAY to our Duodecennial Anniversary Clubs: NCII Toastmasters Club #1216633 of Division C, Area 31 turned 12 years old on September 5th! Hobe Sound Toasters Club #1206922 of Division D, Area 41 turned 12 years old on September 17th! YAY to our Crystal Anniversary Clubs: Club Destiny #839960 of Division I, Area 90 turned 15 years old on September 29th! Office Depot Toastmasters Club #9086 of Division C, Area 31 turned 18 years old on September 10th! YAY to our Porcelain Anniversary Club: Ernest T. Strachan Club Advanced TM #7108 of Division I, Area 92 turned 20 years old on October 1st! YAY to our Silver Jubilee Anniversary Club: Port St. Lucie Speakers Toastmasters Club #8437 of Division D, Area 40 turned 29 years old on October 1st! YAY to our Golden Jubilee Anniversary Clubs: Davie Toastmasters Club #2508 of Division A, Area 11 turned 55 years old on October 1st! Pompano Beach Toastmasters Club #3003 of Division B, Area 25 turned 59 years old on October 1st!
13 | THE SUNSHINER
2020-2021 District 47 Area Humorous & Evaluation Speech Contest Dates
Collected by Shakira Taylor, DTM
The Sunshiner Team Newsletter
Editions are published every 3rd day of the incoming month Newswcast Tidbits News Casts are published every 13th day of the incoming month DTM Ernesto G. Williams – Editor-In-Chief DTM Glenisha Albury – Design Editor TM Ryan S. Kelly II – Copy Editor TM Abby Martinez – Writer TM Luiz Bravim – Writer TM Shveta Kumar – Columnist TM Dudley O. A. Turnquest – Columnist TM Taimak Saunders – Production Editor TM L. Robert Knowles – Video Editor DTM Elbert C. Thompson – News Anchor DTM Antionette Fox – News Cast Writer Send all submissions, thoughts and suggestions to sunshiner@toastmastersd47.org