INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Division F Governor
Hissie Johnson, ACG, ALB

F63 Area Governor

Rex Arul, ACS, ALB

From the desk of the Area Governor

A Tip for Toastmasters
Shutouts Historical Presidential Distinguished Area F63
Area Club Performance

F63 Assistant Area Governor

Briana Baynham

The F63 Crown Courant June 2015

LEADING WITH LOVE

F63 Area Newsletter

Summer 2015

THE HISTORY OF TOASTING

Ancient tradition is full of colorful tidbits.

Every day around the world, cultures celebrate, honor and, signify meaningful events with toasts usually involving a
libation, heartfelt words and the clinking of glasses. Whether toasting the Almighty, the head of state, the wedding party or
an award recipient, we toast for health, wealth, happiness, safe passage, healing or any of a number of noble and
sometimes frivolous aspirations.
Yet few people know the history behind this ritual. Its a tradition that began centuries ago. The ancient Hebrews,
Persians and Egyptians were toasters, as were the Saxons, Huns and other tribes, Paul Dickson writes in his book
Toasts: Over 1,500 of the Best Toasts, Sentiments, Blessings and Graces. Article continuedclick here.

From the desk of your Area Governor

Kudos Presidents Distinguished Area Toastmasters! We did it together. We are at the
summit. We are at the pinnacle with our individual contributions of giving a speech, doing a
role, bringing a member, one meeting at a time. When our actions are elevated to a
common, collective-purpose, we shape our destiny to be the best.
Remember, what I had promised at the beginning of this Toastmasters year in July 2014?
The journey will be its own reward. And here we are, at the completion of our 1-year
journey, at the very pinnacle as Presidents Distinguished Area, which is the highest
recognition any Area can hope for. I hope you enjoyed this journey.
I certainly did. I was able to visit your clubs, cheer you, learn from you and above all
celebrate you and your accomplishments. Both my Assistant Area Governor Briana
Baynham and I were in awe of many things you have accomplished. That is why both of us
have put together this final newsletter, which captures many of these achievements. Please
take a look at them to appreciate how much we have accomplished together.
Till date, we continue to be the largest Area out of the 44 Areas in District 44 Georgia with
215 members. Our League of Extraordinary Speakers is the 2nd largest club within 208
clubs of D44 with 58 members. Our Room To Speak was the first club to be chartered for
D44. We also had South Terraces Advocates as the second club to be chartered for Division
F. We had two clubs as Presidents Distinguished: Cox Toastmasters and Wildwood
Toastmasters. We had two clubs as Select Distinguished: League of Extraordinary Speakers
and Room To Speak.
Our Division F was represented at the District 44 Speech Contests by a relatively new
Toastmaster Ms. Catrice McWhorter of League of Extraordinary Speakers and we are
immensely proud of her contributions and the club that helped her reach here amid such a
tough competition. History was made when both Cox and LOES enthusiastically took my
challenge to create history by achieving their highest DCP levels that their clubs have never
achieved hitherto. With 215 members and 7 clubs at one time, managing this Area was very
challenging. But, your zest, enthusiasm, and purposefulness gave us the energies to be
there for you. In the end, we have journeyed together and are at the finish-line. While we
lost one club -- Suntrust Perimeter -- which was shut down due to reasons beyond our
control, we had planned for such a scenario and managed to add 55 members more than
what we went into this year. In short, we have added 1/3rd more members to our Area.
Leadership depends on the ability to persuade people to follow willingly and voluntarily. I
hope I was able to impart that to all of you. One of my core focus was to create an identity
that We Are The F63 and I hope we were able to realize that. Our own results vindicate
that. Besides, I had seen that embrace of that identity, whenever I visited your clubs.
I will be demitting office as your last Area Governor of Area F63. I am also honored to serve
you in a different, strategic capacity from a level above as your incoming First Division F
Director. For Area F63, your new incoming Area Director will be Marline Santiago-Cook. She
is a servant-leader, an Armed Forces Veteran, who will be taking over the baton from me. I
request that you continue this winning streak under her stewardship next year too. You can
still reach me always as your Division Director.
I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I want to thank all the members, who
had given speeches, done roles, assisted in PR and membership campaigns, officiated and
participated at the contests, assisted, opined, and critiqued Area activities, attended
conferences, organized Executive Council meetings, and most importantly welcomed guests
and mentored members.
As your outgoing Area Governor, I only have one request to make. Whatever you have
done this year, please aim to do at least one more. Yes, at least one more. If you had
obtained only 1 communication award this year, aim for 2 communication awards next
year. If only 1 leadership award, aim for at least 2 leadership awards next year. If 2, then 3.
If 3, then 4. So on and so forth.
Like President Lincoln, I am sure we all are inspired to be the best in whatever we choose to
do. I hope to meet you all soon. Please celebrate this success. Your success Our success.
Thank you.

Rex Arul, ACS, ALB

Area Governor (F63)
June 2015

A Tip for Toastmasters:

Tips for Toastmasters: We Miss You
Just thinkhow powerful can three words be to a friend that hasnt attended a recent Toastmasters Meeting?
When they are the right three words, like We miss you, they can make all the difference in the world. There
are three critical times that these heartfelt words can help define the success of your club and its members:
Toastmaster of the week When you are filling those roles the week before your meeting, you will normally
find yourself talking to someone who may have missed a meeting or two. Taking that opportunity to say We
miss youI hope you can attend and serve as General Evaluator (for example) can help to remind them that
they are valued members of the club, and that you noticed their absence.
Vice President of Membership Any member that misses three or four meetings in a row should get a call
(not e-mail) from their VP of Membership. By saying We miss you combined with a reminder that we look
forward to helping them achieve their goals can help remind them of why they joined in the first place and
hopefully get them coming again.
Club President Members have a plethora of reasons for why they leave the club. But remember, those
reasons can (and do) change after they leave the club. That kids soccer practice that conflicted with the meeting
could have changed days, people with college class conflicts graduate and other life events change.
Every club president should look at the non-renewals from the last dues period (i.e October non-renewals in
May) and send a note to each member that didnt renew. Find out if their reason for leaving still outweighs the
reasons to come back. Saying We miss you could be the catalyst to get a friend back on track. And if the
conflict is still there, dont be afraid to offer alternatives. There could be an open club that meets a block away
the next night.
If you ask, youll hear that many people join Toastmasters strictly for self-improvement reasons. Dont
underestimate the personal connection you have made to your fellow members, and the connection they have
made to you and your club. Remind them that you are glad to see them, and when you dont see them remember
to say We miss you
P.S. This post is also on my District 22 Marketing Blog, along with other tips for Toastmasters Leaders.
Leadership/Supervision Tips

Leadership, linkedin, Marketing, Talk to the Human, Toastmasters

The F63 Family Photos

Division F Leadership Reception, Assistant F63 Area

Governor, Briana Baynham, F63 Area Governor
and Division F Director Elect, Rex Arul, Wildwood
Toastmasters outgoing President and incoming
Area F63 Director Marline Santiago-Cook.

Division F Leadership Reception, F63 Area

Governor and Division F Director Elect, Rex Arul,
, Assistant F63 Area Governor, Briana Baynham,
Outgoing Division F Governor, Hissie Johnson,
Wildwood Toastmasters outgoing President and
incoming Area F63 Director Marline SantiagoCook.

Area Governor, Rex Arul, Wildwood

Toastmasters VPE, Scott Madden, Wildwood
members Kevin Hsu and Hongfei Li.

Area F63 Governor, Rex Arul, Cox

Toastmasters Mirlene Jean-Simone at Area
F63 and F65 Area Contests.

xt box.]
RTS Charter Ceremony

Cox Toastmasters Members

Cox Toastmasters outgoing

President, Charlene Sanders. Thank
you for your commitment to
leadership.

2014-2015 Division F Governor, Hissie

Johnson.
5

SHOUTOUTS HISTORICAL PRESIDENTIAL DISTINGUISHED AREA F63

TRIPLE CROWNS: This is no ordinary feat. There are 4,900 members approximately in District 44. There are 215 members
in Area F63. Out of the 4,900 D44 members, we have only 92 Triple Crowns. And out of the 215 F63 members, we have 2
Triple Crowns. Will you avow to earning a Triple Crown next year? Your time starts from July 1 . Before April 15 , 2016,
you need to earn 3 or more awards. Here are the Triple Crown recipients of District 44. Do you know that 1 Area
Governor (Dishelesh Jones) and 1 Division Governor (Lina Surianto) had earned 10 awards in a single year? As Area
Governor Rex Arul would say, think, and you are half-way already there.
st

th

1. Bala Alagarsamy of Wildwood Toastmasters earned 3 educational awards this year. (CC, CL, ALB)
2. Rex Arul of Wildwood Toastmasters earned 3 educational awards this year. (CC, CL, ACS) (Rex is earning a 2
Triple Crown in 2 years to motivate his clubs and Area.)

nd

Educational Awards:
Area F63 has earned 33 educational awards in total, this year (out of which 3 will not be counted due to Suntrust
Perimeter being closed). This is a big deal.
1. Cox Toastmasters leads the pack with 11 educational awards.
2. Wildwood Toastmasters is the first runner with 9 educational awards.
3. League of Extraordinary Speakers is the second runner with 5 educational awards.
We are Area F63 want to applaud all the educational award winners for giving speeches and taking on roles, serving
and assisting in campaigns, contests, etc.
Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Award
CC
CC
CC
CC
CC
ACG
ALB
CL
CL
CL
ALB
CC
CC
ACB
ACS
ALB
CL
CL
ALB
CL

Date Earned
12/2/2014
4/9/2015
4/14/2015
4/14/2015
4/17/2015
4/14/2015
7/16/2014
12/2/2014
12/2/2014
2/4/2015
4/14/2015
1/23/2015
3/6/2015
8/14/2014
10/2/2014
8/22/2014
9/11/2014
9/18/2014
3/10/2015
3/29/2015

Name
Ketchum, Karen J.
Mbena, Fred
Ramsey, Rachel R.
Tolbert, Tasha Marie
Ramsey, Rachel R.
Sanders, Charlene L.
Holloran, Janice
Jean-Simon, Mirlene
Ketchum, Karen J.
Sanders, Charlene L.
Jean-Simon, Mirlene
Arul, Rex S.
Alagarsamy, Bala
Santiago-Cook, Marline
Arul, Rex S.
Mugo, Juanita
Santiago-Cook, Marline
Alagarsamy, Bala
Alagarsamy, Bala
Arul, Rex S.

Club
Cox Toastmasters
Cox Toastmasters
Cox Toastmasters
Cox Toastmasters
Cox Toastmasters
Cox Toastmasters
Cox Toastmasters
Cox Toastmasters
Cox Toastmasters
Cox Toastmasters
Cox Toastmasters
Wildwood Toastmasters
Wildwood Toastmasters
Wildwood Toastmasters
Wildwood Toastmasters
Wildwood Toastmasters
Wildwood Toastmasters
Wildwood Toastmasters
Wildwood Toastmasters
Wildwood Toastmasters
6

21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

31
32
33

CC
CC
CC
CL
ALB
CC
CC
ACS
CL
CL
CC
CL
ALS

4/17/2015
4/24/2015
6/12/2015
4/14/2015
6/25/2015
6/18/2015
6/25/2015
6/18/2015
6/29/2015
6/29/2015
9/12/2014
7/11/2014
7/21/2014

Sutton, Velma R.
Taylor, Lemarr Jameel
McWhorter, Catrice M.
Sutton, Velma R.
Sutton, Velma R.
Johnson, Lillian Giselle
Crosby, Sarah Baugher
Johnson, Yolonda M.
Johnson, Lillian Giselle
Blackman, Jeanelle
Landau, Robert
McIntosh, Imani R.
McIntosh, Imani R.

League of Extraordinary Speakers

League of Extraordinary Speakers
League of Extraordinary Speakers
League of Extraordinary Speakers
League of Extraordinary Speakers
Room To Speak Toastmasters
Room To Speak Toastmasters
Room To Speak Toastmasters
Room To Speak Toastmasters
Room To Speak Toastmasters
Suntrust Perimeter
Suntrust Perimeter
Suntrust Perimeter

1. In July 2014, we had 160 members in 5 clubs. At the end of the year (as on June 28th, 2015), we had 215 members
in 6 clubs. That is a 34.38% growth in membership numbers. This is a very big accomplishment.
2. We added 2 clubs and lost 1 club (for reasons beyond our control).
3. 2 of our clubs became the largest in our entire Division F and were within the top 8 clubs in the entire District for
its membership numbers, at certain points in time, this year. Those two clubs with huge membership numbers that
rose to this fame are Room to Speak and League of Extraordinary Speakers.
4. As of June 28th, 2015, League of Extraordinary Speakers is the 2nd largest club in the entire District 44 Georgia.
With 58 members, it is only next in rank to Goodwill Speaks and 360Speaks, each of which has 59 members.
5. Cox Toastmasters created history by becoming "President's Distinguished" for the first time in its 11th year of
existence.
6. League of Extraordinary Speakers created history by becoming "Select Distinguished" for the first time in its 2nd
year of existence.
8

7. Room to Speak created history by becoming "Select Distinguished" on its opening year of chartering.
8. Room to Speak created history by becoming the first club to be chartered for District 44 for the year 2014-2015.
9. League of Extraordinary Speakers created history by being the home-club of the District 44's International Speech
Contestant from Division F. Ms. Catrice McWhorter from Area F63 represented Division F at the District 44 Contests.
This is historical for our entire Area F63.
10. League of Extraordinary Speakers and Room To Speak created history by raking the first educational awards in
their entire club-history.
11. Area F63 is the largest area in District 44 with an enviable membership record for many months throughout
2014-2015. We currently have 215 members and there is no Area with 200 or more members except F63.
12. Awards: Both Cox Toastmasters Newsletter and Area F63 Newsletter won awards for the best Newsletters at the
Spring 2015 conference.

Kudos Catrice!
Catrice McWhorter
Division Fs International Speech Contestant at District 44 Fall Conference
First time Area F63 Contestant has reached to this level.
Catrice belongs to League of Extraordinary Speakers Club.

Area Club Performance

Cox Toastmasters Club

Speakers Extraordinaire

Moved to 3 DCP goals in June

Moved to 9 DCP goals in June

Needs progress on educational goals.

Presidents Distinguished Status

League of Extraordinary Speakers

Moved to 7 DCP goals in June

Select Distinguished Status

Club officers need to training

South Terraces Advocates

Moved to 4 DCP goals in June

Needs progress on educational goals.

SunTrust Perimeter

Room to Speak Toastmasters Club

Moved to 7 DCP goals in June

Select Distinguished Status
Club officers need training
Wildwood Toastmasters

Moved to 9 DCP goals in June

Presidents Distinguished Status

Suspended

Congratulations to all the clubs who are following their goals

and staying on target. Please continue to be vibrant in the new
Toastmasters year 2015-2016 that starts on July 1st, 2015.
Each club has access to reports for tracking performance and
obtaining reports by accessing the Toastmasters International
Dashboard. Please utilize these reports along with your club
success plan accessible at:
http://dashboards.toastmasters.org/Division.aspx?id=44

President, Wildwood Toastmasters

Sample Text
Managing Editor
: Briana Baynham
10
Co-Editor & Reviewer: Rex Arul