District 6 Spring Conference
Register Today for One of the Best D6 Conferences Yet!
A Reduced Rate Hotel Room until April 19, 2024 by clicking this link to make your hotel reservation: Crowne Plaza at MSP.
- Option 1 ($140 before April 5th): Registration by Midnight on April 5th. Early Bird Registration – Full Event Registration (Table Topics Speech Contest, Toastmasters Got Talent, All Activities on Saturday as well Lunch & Dinner on Saturday and the International Speech Contests)
- Option 2 ($160 after April 5th): Full Event Registration (Table Topics Speech Contest, Toastmasters Got Talent, All Activities on Saturday as well Lunch & Dinner on Saturday and the International Speech Contests)
- Option 3 ($30): Friday Night Activities (Table Topics Speech Contest & Toastmasters Got Talent)
- Option 4 ($130): SATURDAY ONLY – All Activities on Saturday including Lunch & Dinner and the International Speech Contest.
- Option 5 ($30): International Speech Contest Only
- Option 6 ($60): Table Topics & International Speech Contests Only
- Option 7 ($65): Dinner and International Speech Contest Only
- Option 8 ($130): Table Topics Speech Contest, Toastmasters Got Talent, Dinner on Saturday, and International Speech Contest
- Option 9 ($30): Online Viewing of the Table Topics Speech Contest – Restricted Access – Zoom Link will not be able to be shared.
- Option 10 ($30): Online Viewing of the International Speech Contest – Restricted Access – Zoom Link will not be able to be shared.
PRESENTERS
Aletta Rochat, DTM
Toastmasters International 1st Vice President
Aletta Rochat, DTM, of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa, is a professional speaker, trainer, and author. She owns Voicing your Potential, a company she founded in 2010. She is co-founder of Interview Survival Guide, founded in 2020.
Rochat has a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Witwatersrand and a diploma in marketing management from the University of South Africa. She is also a certified world class speaking coach. During her time as a student, Rochat was a part of the Rotary exchange program. As a young professional, she was selected for the Rotary Group Study Exchange program. Xtraordinary Women honored her with the Woman of the Month award in April 2018. Outside of Toastmasters, Rochat serves as a trustee of both the Allegro Trust and The Eden, where she manages funds for both nonprofit organizations.
A Toastmaster since 2008, Rochat is a member of her home club, Cape Town Toastmasters Club in Cape Town. She has held a number of high-profile leadership positions within Toastmasters and has attained the Distinguished Toastmaster designation—the highest level of educational achievement in the organization.
She says, “Speaking and leadership skills are catalysts for opportunity. Toastmasters provides the environment that allows you to build self-belief and confidence, which are essential for career development. An investment of time and energy into our program delivers results in all areas of your life.”
As an officer of the Toastmasters International Board of Directors, Rochat is a “working ambassador” for the organization. She works with the Board to develop, support, and modify the policies and procedures that guide Toastmasters International in fulfilling its mission.
Keynote Presentation: ‘The Difference between Ordinary and Extraordinary’.
The Difference between Ordinary and Extraordinary’ In Toastmasters, leaders have the opportunity to serve others. Some leaders become extraordinary – not because of their title, or their level of efficiency. These leaders touch the lives of others in unique ways. Each one of us has the opportunity to uncover the extraordinary in others. In the process, we unlock it in ourselves.
Education Session: ‘Building Clubs that are Member Magnets’.
This is a practical session where I will share proven ideas that help clubs attract and retain members.
Karla Blomberg is a Founder and the Volunteer President of Wishes & More. She has given an incredible amount of time in the formation of the organization and continues to be intimately involved in organizing wish experiences, planning fundraising events and the day-to-day office operations. She has dedicated over 40 years of volunteer service to children with terminal and life-threatening conditions.
Wishes & More is a Minnesota based 501(c)3 tax deductible children’s charity that connects with families in Minnesota. They provide extraordinary experiences to kids battling a terminal or life-threatening condition and support the entire family.
They fill the gap left by other organizations, specifically, they
- Grant wishes for kids from birth to their nineteenth birthday
- Fulfill ALL types of wishes – without bias against wishes related to hunting, fishing, and outdoor sporting activities
- Award a Scholarship of Hope® providing faith in a child’s future
- Provide a monetary gift to families who lose a child before they could experience a wish through our unique Memorial Program
- Continue to support families by providing family-friendly opportunities donated to us by our supporters. Once a “wish kid” or “wish family”, always a “wish kid” or “wish family”.
Their programs include:
Wish Granting: Their wishes go beyond the ordinary. They do everything in their power to fulfill a wish to the max. Volunteers meet with the “wish kid” to learn about their dreams and assist them in describing their true wish. When it is approved, they reach out to the their network and go to work on making each experience individual and extraordinary!
Daniel DeJoode
Daniel DeJoode is a past Club President, Area Director, and Division Director. He is a biologist and environmental scientist who has worked as consultant for industry and public organizations. He is developing a professional speaking endeavor to work with people to understand the challenges and opportunities of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and ways for professional success with ADHD. He views the concept of “a sense of belonging” critical to accepting those from different cultural backgrounds than one’s own and an important step in fostering a more peaceful society.
Workshop Presentation: Fostering a Sense of Belonging in Toastmasters
A sense of belonging is the feeling of being able to affiliate with others, express one’s true self, and have that identity affirmed and validated within a group. Belonging does not require one to adjust or mask themselves to be part of a community. A sense of belonging is related to higher achievement in school and work. As society grows and includes more people from different backgrounds, fostering belonging can be more challenging, but it can also be transformative for individuals and groups. In this workshop, we will explore the concept of a sense of belonging, whether and how it aligns with the mission of Toastmasters, critically evaluate how Toastmasters fosters and facilitates it for success and satisfaction of members, and how it can play a role in club success. Through breakouts and discussions, we will explore challenges and barriers and how a greater sense of belonging can be developed in clubs.
Attendees will:
- Understand what a sense of belonging is and why it is important
- Understand components of a sense of belonging
- Explore how Toastmasters fosters or hinders a sense of belonging
- Identify ways that Toastmasters clubs can enhance a sense of belonging for all members
Karla Blomberg
Communication & Leadership Award Recipient
Karla Blomberg is a Founder and the Volunteer President of Wishes & More. She has given an incredible amount of time in the formation of the organization and continues to be intimately involved in organizing wish experiences, planning fundraising events and the day-to-day office operations. She has dedicated over 40 years of volunteer service to children with terminal and life-threatening conditions.
Wishes & More is a Minnesota based 501(c)3 tax deductible children’s charity that connects with families in Minnesota. They provide extraordinary experiences to kids battling a terminal or life-threatening condition and support the entire family.
They fill the gap left by other organizations, specifically, they
- Grant wishes for kids from birth to their nineteenth birthday
- Fulfill ALL types of wishes –
without bias against wishes related to hunting, fishing, and outdoor sporting activities - Award a Scholarship of Hope® providing faith in a child’s future
- Provide a monetary gift to families who lose a child before they could experience a wish through our
unique Memorial Program - Continue to support families by providing family-friendly opportunities donated to us by our supporters.
Once a “wish kid” or “wish family”, always a “wish kid” or “wish family”.
Nyamka Reese, PMP, MPM
Nyamka (Nimka) is a Project Management Professional (PMP) certified project manager with a decade of experience. She joined the Gopher Toastmasters in 2022 and currently serves as President. Nyamka is passionate about blending project management principles with Toastmasters success. Nyamka enjoys working in a collaborative, results-driven environment and strives to share her knowledge and experience to help others succeed.
Workshop Presentation: Project Management Strategies for Toastmasters Success
From her experience as both a Project Manager and a Toastmasters Club
President, Nyamka has seen firsthand how project management tools can
significantly benefit our members and club’s efficiency and member engagement,
especially considering the busy lives we all lead.
She will begin by giving a basic overview of Project Management principles and how these can be applied to enhance our Toastmasters journey, focusing on public speaking and leadership development.
The presentation will consist of two parts. One, she will offer tips and resources that any Toastmasters member can use to achieve their goal through Toastmasters. Second, she will offer resources a club can use to better serve its members and ensure timely completion of projects.
Designed to be simple and action-oriented, this session is suitable for anyone, regardless of their knowledge level in project management. It will also include interactive activities to engage the audience, ensuring everyone leaves with actionable steps and practical tips they can apply immediately in their Toastmasters experience.
Attendees will:
- Gain insights into blending project management principles with
- Toastmasters
- Explore how the concept of continuous improvement in project management
can be applied to personal growth and club development in Toastmasters.
– Lessons Learned Repository – members share their experiences and lessons learned
– How various communication channels can be used
- Discover useful tools and resources for Toastmasters success as a member
and a club and how to apply them. This includes strategies of using: - Receive a handout with practical tips and resources that attendees can take home.
– Kanban Board
– Various time management tools
– Various free software and platforms out there that clubs can use to implement their projects.
Elias “Double-A” Andrews
“Double-A” is a distinguished Army veteran and an accomplished leader in aviation management and education. Known for his dynamic motivational speaking and dedication to servant leadership, he brings a wealth of experience and a passion for inspiring others. Get ready to be engaged and inspired by his unique insights and transformative stories.
Workshop Presentation: Engage! Engage! and Engage! – The Power of Interactive Storytelling
In our session, ‘Engage! Engage! and Engage! – The Power of Interactive Storytelling’, we’ll be diving into an immersive storytelling experience, applying the interactive techniques. During our time together, we will be centering our narrative around Sarah, a character navigating her digital transformation and redefining her role in life. The aim is to illustrate how interactive storytelling can powerfully engage audiences, transforming a simple narrative into a dynamic and participatory experience.
Throughout the class, you, the audience, will play a crucial role. Your choices will directly shape Sarah’s journey, showcasing the impact of audience interaction in storytelling. We’ll experiment with various methods – from audience voting on key decisions in Sarah’s life to inviting you to contribute to the story’s development. This participatory approach not only deepens the engagement but also provides a vivid demonstration of how stories can evolve based on audience input.
This class will be a practical workshop where you’ll experience firsthand the power of interactive storytelling. Whether it’s making pivotal decisions for Sarah or weaving your own threads into her story, you’ll see how each choice brings a unique dimension to the narrative. It’s an opportunity to practice and understand the principles of ‘Engage! Engage! and Engage!’ in action.
So come ready to be part of Sarah’s world, to influence her digital transition, and to learn how interactive storytelling can be a potent tool in your own communication arsenal. Whether you’re a speaker, educator,
professional, or simply someone who loves the art of storytelling, this session is designed to enhance your skills in engaging and captivating your audience.
Attendees will Gain :
- Understanding Interactive
- Storytelling in Practice
- Skills in Audience Management
- Insights into Ethical Storytelling
- Enhanced Communication Skills
Anne Barab, DTM, AS
Anne Barab’s wisdom leadership messages are universal, timeless and gluten-free. She’s traveled the world as a professional speaker for 26 years.
Anne’s been a Toastmaster for 26 years. She’s a DTM and an Accredited Speaker. She has presented at district conferences on 3 continents. She’s also spoken 5 times at the Toastmasters International Convention. You’re in for a treat!
She has been married
for 53 years to the same engineer, three tax-paying adult children and 8 super
cute grand kids. She was voted the Best-Smelling Mom by her son’s first grade class.
Workshop Presentation: Find the Funny in Your Speeches
“If you make them laugh, they will like you.” Zig Ziglar
Want to add humor to your speeches? Humor isn’t a happy accident. It’s part science, part art and a whole lot of practice. In this presentation you will learn how to apply five key rules and tools of the humor trade.
Attendees will Gain:
- An Understanding of What is Humor
- Corporate Humor vs. Stand Up Comedy
- Rules & Tools
- Delivery Techniques
Agenda
Do You Sing, Dance, Play an Instrument, Juggle, or have Some Other Talent You would like to share?
