- Club Contests: I asked all clubs to complete their International Speech and Table Topics contests between January and March, so they would be ready for the subsequent Area contests. For those clubs with known dates already, I listed their schedules to encourage collaboration. I also invited all clubs to share their contest plans, so they could be included in the next newsletter.
- Area Contests: I noted that the combined Area contests were scheduled for March 9 with details pending.
- Division Contest: I noted that the Division contest was scheduled for April 13 with details pending.
- TLI Registration: I encouraged members and officers to attend the upcoming TLI sessions and provided dates and online registration information. Further, I recognized all clubs for meeting and exceeding club officer attendance goals. Lastly, I encouraged them to have at least four officers trained in this round of TLIs, so they could earn a DCP goal for their club.
- TLI Volunteers: I noted that members were welcome to volunteer for a variety of positions at the TLIs. I welcomed interested parties to contact me for help getting in touch with the Division Director overseeing each particular event.
- Club Coaching Opportunity: I noted a nearby club that was searching for coaches and asked that interested parties contact me.
- Area Director Recommendations: I asked club leaders to recommend members who are interested in or would make good nominees for Area Director positions next year. I welcomed any interested parties to contact me to learn more about the role. In addition, I noted that next year would be the last opportunity for those pursuing the traditional DTM program to earn District-level credit as an Area Director.
- Formal Club Visits: Lastly, I reminded everyone that the time has come for formal club visits once again. I invited the clubs to let me know of any special dates that they would like me to visit. Otherwise, in the absence of special requests, I offered to find a convenient time within the next few months. I ended by thanking my clubs for being so welcoming on prior visits. I noted the effort that they have put into developing their clubs this year and expressed my excitement at being able to see their latest progress in person.
The January Area Newsletter
December is fairly uneventful for Toastmasters, even as an Area Director. Thus, with just over half the year complete, just under half of the work has been done for the term of the Area Director. I started off the new calendar year with these highlighted items in my January newsletter: