December and January were very lively months indeed! Taking advantage of the festive season with Christmas, New Year, Hari Raya Haji, and the Lunar New Year all falling within this period, Clubs, Areas, and Divisions organized many themed gatherings and meetings. This added special verve and strengthened ties among Toastmasters, friends, and families. Club Officers' Training sessions followed, conducted by the various Divisions focusing on issues essential for effective administration and achievement of DCP goals.

 Let's review some of the recent major events and take a look at those on the horizon.

  CLUB OFFICERS TRAINING

Club Officers Training, (COT2), was the second round for this term. It was inspiring for me to personally witness the huge effort put into the training by so many of our District leaders and senior Toastmasters. Judging by the large numbers in attendance, it was clear that our officers take their leadership roles with the earnestness they deserve. These COTs are a great way to brainstorm ideas and examine new perspectives to overcome the challenges we face.  

A most pleasant task I performed was to publicly recognize and acknowledge the Clubs in each Division that had achieved six or more of their DCP goals. Each of these Clubs was rewarded with a manual of their choice from the Better Speaker or Leadership Series. I look forward to doing the same for Divisions H, K, and T.  

I'd like to urge all clubs to redouble efforts to achieve their goals. Any clubs that achieve 6 or more goals by 30 April shall be rewarded with a similar manual.   

Talk Up Toastmasters 

Details of this challenge have been circulated and posted on our website. If you add five new, dual or reinstated members to your membership roster between February 1st and March 31^st, your club receives special rewards. Go for it! 

OUR DCP REPORT CARD TO DATE

How have we been doing in terms of our DCP goals? The table below presents information accurate to 23 February. We heartily congratulate all those who have achieved educational goals. Congratulations too to everyone - sponsors, mentors, charter members, officers - who have worked hard to charter the new clubs.

In the five months ahead, we need to "jia you" - a Mandarin phrase which means to inject more fuel to turbo-charge our performance. You can help our District to achieve the minimum goals set by TI WHQ, by completing your CTM or ATM projects. Remember though that this should not be done in haste at the expense of the excellence you wish to achieve.

TABLE 1: CLUB PAYMENTS & EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS

TO DATE 

Club building and club extension are two other major objectives in our Toastmasters mission. Those who have succeeded in the achieving these goals experience the great satisfaction of knowing that they have made possible the benefits of Toastmasters to a larger community. TI WHQ rewards most those Districts whose efforts in club building and membership extension yield good harvests.  

We warmly welcome all new clubs chartered to date! Several other clubs have sent in their Charter applications. Let us all work towards extending our family! If you know of any institution or group that could benefit from having a Toastmasters Club, get in touch with LGM Michael Wee or me. Together we can make good communication a world wide reality.  

TABLE 2: NEW CLUBS CHARTERED TO DATE 

International Speech and Table Topics Contests

We shall soon be watching the District's best speakers as they showcase their talents in the upcoming Area and Division contests. Perhaps more so than other contests, the International Speech Contest attracts the most serious attention and preparation. Table Topics Contests have always attracted much enjoyment as audiences marvel at how the contestants rise to unknown challenges. Several workshops on judging and crafting winning speeches have already been conducted in Mandarin and English. These were very well attended and much appreciated.  

CLUB VISITS BY AREA GOVERNORS 

Get ready for the second round of Club visits by your Area Governors! These visits are good opportunities for Club Officers to update your plans for the months ahead. Make good use of your Area Governor's visit - invite him or her to give a special talk. Make an event of it - publicise it, and encourage all members to attend to generate a dialogue! 

Area Governors: Club visit forms can be accessed on our website under "Quick Links - Get Forms and Documents". This new option is truly convenient!  

DISTRICT ANNUAL CONVENTION (19 -21 May)

Have you signed up for the Convention? This is definitely going to be the highlight for the second half of this term. Nothing beats the excitement of having hundreds of our members from Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand and Singapore - all gathered in the joint enterprise of learning from our education workshops, applauding our Division Speech Champions, celebrating at the many social events. One very important task to be performed is to determine the direction that our District will take in the year ahead. Do this by choosing our new leaders at the Convention. 

Therefore, if you only have time for one big enriching, spirit-uplifting event from now to June, you must come to this Convention!  

Leaders for the Next Term 

As we near the end of the present term, we must select with great care the persons needed to carry the baton in the next lap of District 80's race. Many amongst our members will be called upon, and many will respond. Will you step forward to offer your skills and services? We know what we want from our Clubs and the District, but what and how much of ourselves are we prepared to offer to ensure that that is attainable?  

Our District is blessed with members who have the requisite quality, the stamina, and the determination not only to complete the run, but also to bring greater honour to our movement. Many among them have served the District well - we have been inspired by their leadership AND communication skills. These are vital halves of what an iconic Toastmaster should be. Our training in the communication and leadership programmes is geared towards this end. 

We must be an active part of this vital process of making the right choices. The process begins now. Observe carefully. Listen well. We need to select leaders able to be the proud flag bearers of a great movement. We need to exercise our votes with care.  

I'd like to leave one thought with you: Our journey towards Achieving Excellence and Sharing Success begins with what we ourselves do.  Our passage to progress hinges on what each of us gives in service. Our expedition's end depends on the compass of the leaders we choose.   

Khong Chooi Peng DTM

District Governor

Achieving Excellence. Sharing Success.