I hope each one of you had a happy and healthy holiday and I wish you the very best in 2005! And as a Toastmasters member, you are already on your way to "Creating Your Future" – and a great one it will be as you continue to work your Toastmaster plan for personal success!

About to complete that 8th, 9th or 10th speech in the basic manual? You’re almost a CTM! Keep pushing. Recommitted to your advanced designation? Work hard on getting those last few speeches in the advanced manuals done in the next couple of months – so you can celebrate your victory as an ATM or DTM at the end of the Toastmaster year in June. Just took on a club officer role? Mark your calendar for the Toastmasters Leadership Institute Training coming up at the end of January. Go, enjoy and learn how to serve your club well. You’ll also be fulfilling one of your club’s requirements to be distinguished! Think your company or organization would benefit from starting a new Toastmasters club? Call your Area Governor and get the ball rolling!

As they say in football, “you have to play all four quarters to win the game!” I hope you’ve taken advantage of the holiday “half time” to reaffirm your commitment to your success, your club’s success and the District’s success. Now let’s get back on that field and win. Read on to learn more about what’s going on with your Toastmasters team as we all move toward President’s Distinguished! Happy New Year!

Jodi Santangelo
District Governor

Important Dates!

All Month – Area Governors Visit all Clubs

All Month – Area Governors Install New Club Officers

All Month – Members Matter Most 4 x 4 Membership Contest

January 14 – 16: Region III Mid-Year Training
District Governor, VPs of Education and Marketing head to Austin, TX

January 22: TLI Leadership Lift-Off - Eastern Oklahoma New Club Officers
Trinity United Methodist Church, Tulsa
Registration at 8:00 a.m. Training lasts until Noon.

January 29: TLI Leadership Lift-Off - Western Oklahoma New Club Officers
Rose State College - Tom Steed Building, Midwest City
Registration at 8:00 a.m. Training lasts until Noon.

Download and Send in Your TLI Registration Today!

International Director Back in District 16!

International Director, Lark Doley, DTM, will be in Tulsa once again in January! She is scheduled to present the “Top 10 Public Speaking Tips” at the Leadership Tulsa Luncheon on Friday, January 28. If you would like Lark to visit your business or organization during her trip to Oklahoma to discuss the merits of Toastmasters, please contact Jodi at jsantangelo@cox.net and let her know.

Thank you, Lark, for your ongoing support of Distruct 16!

Members Matter Most – 4 x 4 Contest Extended To End of January

Individual Toastmasters, Clubs, Areas and Divisions all stand to benefit and win great prizes by participating in the 4 x 4 contest. The contest is focused on growing club membership. For details, contact VP Marketing Arlene Shore at shorehd@cox.net 

District 16 is Growing!

Toastmasters is both the most EFFECTIVE and COST-EFFECTIVE program for learning public speaking skills around. The goal of District 16 is to make sure everyone has access to this great program via the creation of new clubs where needed. Your leadership is working hard to 1) keep clubs healthy and growing and 2) start new clubs where there is a need or interest.

Currently, there are 86 (can you believe it!?) clubs across Oklahoma. Seven (7) more are in the process of getting started. The district needs five (5) more clubs created to meet its goals for President’s Distinguished. Do you think your company, organization or neighborhood would benefit from a Toastmasters club? If so, contact your Area Governor today and express your interest. He or she will then work to schedule a demonstration meeting for interested members – and will guide the new club through every step of the way toward becoming chartered. Let’s make sure everyone has the opportunity to be a Toastmaster!

Here They Come – Club International Speech Contests

Your club should be scheduling its spring International Speech Contest right now. Contact your Area Governor as soon as you set the date!

District Directory Going Digital

In an effort to reduce expenses, the district directory will be provided electronically via the oktoastmasters.org website. It will be password protected so that only Toastmasters members will be able to download and print the file. A notice will be sent out by February 1 to current members with the password. Club Presidents may want to print a few copies for members who do not have access to the Internet.

See Spooktacular Fall Conference Pics!

Want to re-live the wonderful District 16 Conference? Re-experience Darren LaCroix's hilarious keynote speech? See International Director Lark Doley in action? Witness second-hand awards, prizes, success? Just click the link below to see how much fun the Toastmasters of District 16 had at the October Conference. And once you do? You'll want to be sure to register as soon as possible for the great spring conference being planned now for May 13th and 14th in Stillwater! Mark your calendar!

Photos from the Spooktacular Fall Conference

Print Newsletter for Distribution at Club Meetings

Club Officers – while you typically disseminate information in this newsletter to your club members verbally, it’s a good idea to print a few copies to distribute at club meetings to members who may not have Internet access or whose e-mail address has not yet been added to the District e-mail database. Just do a “File/Print” – and you can pass around so all members can read about all of the great things happening in District 16!

Not Yet a Toastmaster, But Would Like to Be?

If you're not yet a Toastmaster, but have signed up for this newsletter thinking, "Someday, I think I'd like to join this organization", make today that day. Just call 1-866-428-5674 today to take the first step. You can "Create Your Future" with Toastmasters!