TOASTMASTERS DISTRICT 119
Manhattan South of 34th St., Brooklyn, Queens & Long Island
——— THRIVING TOGETHER - RENEWAL HALL OF FAME ———
Congratulations to the GREAT & TIMELY Clubs for Renewing 8 by March 8!
Let’s keep the momentum going! Stay engaged, stay motivated, and aim to renew to match your base number before the April 1, 2025 deadline! 🚀✨
——— SPRING CONFERENCE APRIL 2025 ———
"Chasing the Stars, Sharing the Light"
——— DISTRICT EVENTS ———
Join us for the upcoming education training sessions for FREE.
Ignite Your Next Level of Leadership
What does an Area Director really do? By Cecil Joseph and Nicole Pitt-Foster
Thursday 27th March 2025 @7pm-8pm EST Virtually on Zoom.
Join this session on “What does an Area Director Really Do?”
Come and discover everything you need to know about the Area Director role with insights from two powerhouse leaders! Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to hear from the best!
——— CONTEST INFORMATION ———
Contest Training Video:
How to Run a Great Contest
To support you to conduct successful contests, please check out the Contest Tool Box, where you can find:
——— DISTRICT LEADERSHIP REPORT ———
Congratulations to all the candidates for 2025-2026! Please check the detailed DLC Report & candidate bios
The District Council Meeting will be held on Thursday, April 24, at 6:30 PM on Zoom. The Zoom registration link is available.
Club Presidents & VPEs, please register before the deadline April 22 at 8:00pm. See you in April!
CELEBRATING OUR MEMBERS AND CLUBS
#BecauseOfToastmasters Social Media Campaign
Has your life, career, or confidence changed Because of Toastmasters?
We are looking for great stories to share across our social media platform this year.
Share your story here.
New Clubs Announcement/ Club Of The Month
Congratulations to Lightly Toasted for being named Toastmasters Club of the month for March! Lightly Toasted, District 119’s “punniest” club, will celebrate it’s 10th anniversary as a club in April. The club was formed for employees of Travelers Insurance and weathered the pandemic despite slipping membership and lacking attendance. Under the leadership of President Meghan Williams, the club has worked “really hard” this year, she says to attract new members, entice lapsed past members to come back and fully train club officers.
The club has also supported members with accomplishing educational goals, including maxing out the District 119 De-Feet Level 1 incentive by getting four members to complete their Level 1 in Pathways for the first time to receive Toastmasters-branded socks. Lightly Toasted is only the second corporate club to achieve this distinction this year.
With 16 members already renewed, the club has positioned itself to finish the year as a Select Distinguished club, its best-ever year. “I am very proud of the progress we have made.” Meghan says.
Meeting Times: 1st and 3rd Wednesday, 11:00AM
MEMBER EDUCATION
Toastmasters Member Orientation + Pathways Onboarding
Supporting clubs and members is one of our District mission. To support new members in our District, We will be offering monthly new member orientation and this is Open To All District 119 Members. It is an opportunity to understand
- The benefits of Toastmasters
- Different meeting roles, and
- Toastmasters education program – Pathways
——— DTM SPOTLIGHT ———
Congratulations to Nina Babcock of Toast of NY
Nina Babcock of Toast of NY earned her Distinguished Toastmaster award despite moving around the country for work and being a busy homeschooling mother of three now living in Kentucky. Many others would have quit, but Nina stayed the course for 5 years it took her to earn the award. She shares her lessons with District 119 here:
Which two pathways did you complete for your DTM? Motivational Strategies and Engaging Humor.
The DTM requires a year of District service. Which District role did you hold? I was the first 12 & 15 Area Director for District 119 in 2020-2021.
Can you tell us about your DTM project? It was a passion project 5 years in the making! I chartered a Toastmasters club at my alma mater, The United States Military Academy. The club is called West Point Toastmasters. It’s an open, hybrid club and we meet the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month.
What other DTM requirements did you complete? I mentored and sponsored the club I started. And I coordinated two Youth Leadership Programs (YLPs).
Why was it important to you to complete your DTM? As soon as I learned about the DTM award, I knew I was going to earn it. I didn’t realize how long it would take me, but I quickly discovered that I enjoyed Toastmasters and would be a member regardless, so there wasn’t any stress about getting the award, it was just a matter of time and effort.
What advice would you give to someone working towards their DTM? It was about doing what you like to do and having fun. I was told “Do nothing for free” and that’s great advice: Always get credit for what you do in Toastmasters.
——— DISTRICT INCENTIVES ———
District 119 is pushing clubs, leaders and members to achieve and succeed this year – and get rewarded in the process. From socks and pins to reimbursements, we want to see you shoot for the stars!
We are a SELECT DISTINGUISHED DISTRICT!
Thank you to all of our members and leaders!
——— DISTRICT VISION ———
COMMUNITY • FUN • VALUE
Today, we have a marketplace full of options for personal development as well as apps and AI promising outcomes based on algorithms and automation. And yet Toastmasters still stands alone as the most cost-effective and transformational option out there. No other program offers our brand of experiential learning and real-time feedback from a network of peers in a safe and supportive space. The value you get from Toastmasters is unparalleled. The sea change that you can experience in your life from Toastmasters is immeasurable. And the impact that you can have in the world as a result of Toastmasters is boundless.
On behalf of District 119, we hope you find community, fun and value from your experience in Toastmasters. Cheers to your journey and your successes.
In the past two decades as a Toastmaster, I made many great friendships and connections in this community. That is in addition to enhancing my communication and leadership skills. I am honored to be your Club Growth Director this year, and to serve this community to thrive.
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Together, we made this journey of growth and success truly remarkable.
Thank you for your support, dedication, and unwavering commitment to Toastmasters.
Your enthusiasm and passion inspired me, and I treasure this incredible adventure with each and every one of you.
What an extraordinary year we had, filled with achievements and memorable moments.
Thank you, District 119, for this opportunity.
