Redeemed of Columbia Toastmasters Club #2884342

11/12/2013

LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP THIS SATURDAY IN COLUMBIA:

This Saturday the Communications Columbia Consortium will present a lessons in leadership workshop. Featured presenters will be David Mallory and Kenny Freeman, members of Toastmasters International. The program will be held in the Virginia Young Board Room of Columbia Public Library (100 W. Broadway) in Columbia Missour beginning at 10:00 AM. The admission-free workshop is open to anyone wishing to attend.

To be an effective leader, you must have the ability to accept and overcome challenges. By being a positive influence, you will help members function productively and deliver quality performances. Kenny Freeman will be teaching the skills and techniques needed to be an effective leader, such as team-building, motivating and coaching.

Kenny Freeman is recognized as a Distinguished Toastmasters by Toastmasters International and currently serves as the District 8 Heartland Division Governor over the 18 Toastmaster clubs of Central North/South Missouri. Freeman has been a member of Toastmasters International at Truman Capotefor 28 years and is a member of three Toastmaster clubs in Columbia Missouri.

Effective leadership also requires creating and maintaining a positive team environment. David Mallory will be teaching techniques to meet the needs and expectations of team members in any setting. These skills include developing team relations, encouraging commitment, providing structure, building trust and resolving conflict.

Through Toastmasters International, David Mallory holds an Advanced Leader-Silver certification in leadership skills and an Advanced Communications-Silver certification in public speaking. Mr. Mallory is a former district 8 Area and division Governor who currently serves as District 8 Heartland Division Sergeant-At-Arms. Conducting this final project will make Mr Mallory eligible for the Distinguished Toastmaster Award and recognition. Mr. Mallory is a member of The Shelter Insurance Toastmasters Club also located in Columbia Missouri.

The Communications Columbia Consortium is a cooperative community service of the Columbia Public Library and members of Toastmasters International. Created in 2010 the consortium presents quarterly workshops for the general public in communication, management and leadership skills. It is the ongoing mission of the cooperative to create greater public awareness in the importance of effective communication skills and provide members of Toastmasters International with opportunities outside the regular club setting to develop greater workshop facilitation and public speaking skills.

10/23/2013

DTM ROAST & TOAST OCTOBER 26TH AT CHINA GARDEN BUFFET:
KENNY FREEMAN CELEBRATED FOR EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT

This Saturday the Columbia Toastmasters Club #4492 will host a club level special event to celebrate the recent elevation of Kenny Freeman to the rank of Distinguished Toastmaster. The event will feature several members of Toastmasters International who will speak to the occasion with both humorous reflections and in praise of Freeman's many accomplishments as a member and leader in the organization. The program will be held at the China Garden Buffet (3420 Clark Lane) in Columbia Missouri. Dinner will begin at 6:30 pm and the program will start at approximately 7:00 p.m. The public is invited to share in the admission free program (meals not included).

Kenny Freeman joined Toastmasters International in 1988 at the insistence of his office manager Pat Harbert while employed as an employment and training specialist by the Oklahoma State Employment Service in Oklahoma City. Currently, Mr. Freeman serves as District 8 Division E Governor over the 15 clubs located in central north and south Missouri. He is most noted in the organization for his community service outside the organizational setting working with youth and introducing the benefits of Toastmasters International through quarterly workshops at the Columbia Public Library. Last April Freeman was named the division's Toastmaster of the Year for these activities.

The Roast Master of the event will be Distinguished Toastmaster Ralph Kreigh of the Columbia Toastmasters Club #4492 in Columbia. Speakers during the program will include Assistant Division E Governor/Advanced Communicator-Gold Leigh Britt and Competent Toastmaster John Farr of the Downtown Toastmasters Club #1119527, Division E Sergeant-At-Arms/ Advanced Communicator-Silver David Mallory of the Shelter Insurance Toastmasters Club #7349, Advanced Leader-Bronze Toastmaster Lorie Kaplan and Columbia Club President/Competent Communicator Randima Dinalankara.

Distinguished Toastmaster Roast & Toast ceremonies are among the most rare occasions celebrated at the club level in Toastmasters International. That is because the title of Distinguished Toastmaster is the highest honor that Toastmasters International bestows to an individual member. Less than 2% of the organization's 300,000 members in 120 countries have earned or hold the title. Freeman is among three members of the Central North/South division of District 8 (Southern Illinois/Eastern Missouri) of Toastmasters International who have earned the title this year.Other award recipients include Gert Baldwin of the Capital Toastmasters Club #503 in Jefferson City and Kurt Minton of the Callaway Community Toastmasters Club #1078293 in Fulton.

10/12/2013

ALPHA TOASTMASTERS CLUB SOARS IN SEPTEMBER
FOUR MEMBERS EARN SIX EDUCATION AWARDS

Extraordinary efforts bring extraordinary rewards. Forty-two percent of the Heartland Division's educational awards for the month of September were earned by four members of the Alpha Toastmasters Club #3273397. This is a remarkable achievement for any Toastmaster club, but what makes the accomplishment especially exceptional is that this club is one of two institutional clubs in the Heartland division located at Jefferson City Correctional Center.

Congratulations to Laurent Menard, Michael Quinn, Anthony Genovese and Deandra Buchanan who all earned a Competent Leader Awards.

Laurent Menard is a charter member and currently serves as club secretary. Michael Quinn is the club president. Anthony Genovese serves as vice president-education, and Deandra Buchanan is also a charter member.

The Competent Leadership program focuses on developing different leadership skills through participation in the various functionary roles during Club meetings and through contributing
towards the success and growth of the Club.

Michael Quinn and Deandra Buchanan doubled their achievements in September by also earning the Competent Communicator Award.

Members of Toastmasters International earn the Competent communicator award by completing the first 10 manual speech projects in the Competent Communicator program. These projects are evaluated by fellow toastmasters and are designed to provide participants in the program with the fundamentals of public speaking.

Although programs of various types exist in prisons across the country, those operated by Toastmasters International have proved particularly successful. Toastmasters volunteers across the nation have taught inmates speaking, leadership and organizational skills and instilled the type of confidence that will help them when they search for a job upon release. Less than 10% of inmates who participate in a Toastmaster Club once released ever return to prison.

The Heartland Division Council congratulates these members and officers of the Alpha Toastmasters Club on their outstanding achievements during the month of September.

10/04/2013

KENNY FREEMAN NAMED DISTINGUISHED TOASTMASTER:
CELEBRATION ROAST SET FOR OCTOBER 26TH IN COLUMBIA

Less than one percent of all members in the history of Toastmasters International have reached the title and distinction of earning Distinguished Toastmaster certification. After twenty eight years of effort Kenny Freeman of the Columbia Toastmasters Club #4492 is now recognized as a member of that group.

Kenny Freeman joined Toastmasters International in 1988 as a member of the Lets Talk Toastmasters Club #4884 in Oklahoma City, I Remember What The Eastside Of Oklahoma City Was Like In The 70"sa. Now a resident of Missouri Mr. Freeman currently serves as District 8 Heartland Division Governor and is a member of three Toastmaster clubs in Columbia Missouri.

Best known for his work outside the club setting, For three years Kenny has been project coordinator for the Communication Columbia Consortium which is a cooperative between members of Toastmasters International and the Columbia Public Library.This program presents quarterly workshops on communication and leadership skills that are free to the general public. He also coordinates 10-week youth programs in public speaking through the Toastmasters International Youth Leadership Program. Kenny was rewarded for these efforts last April when he was named the 2013 Division E Toastmaster of the Year.

To reach DTM certification Mr. Freeman had to present a minimum of 45 evaluated communication projects earning all certifications in the communication track of the Toastmasters International program. These certifications included the Competent Toastmaster Award, Able Toastmaster- Bronze Award, Advanced Communicator Silver Award and the Advanced Communicator Gold Award. These presentations ranged from giving timed 4 to 6 speeches to facilitating 90 minute workshops. This is quite an accomplishment in itself, and yet it is only 50% of the requirement.

Kenny also had to complete 20 club level leadership projects to earn the Competent Leader Award. served at least one six month term as a club officer and presented two evaluated 15 minute programs on leadership skills to earn the Advanced Leader Bronze Award. He then had to serve a full and credited one year term as a district officer in Toastmasters international, complete a "High Performance Leadership program to earn the Toastmasters Leadership Excellence Award and serve as a sponsor or mentor to a new club to earn the Advanced Leader Silver Award.

All of these Awards are first required before a member is qualified and submit an application for approval for Distinguished Toastmaster Certification by Toastmasters International.

Members who are approved for certification are added to the Toastmasters International Hall of Fame, receive a plaque of recognition and a DTM medallion that is presented by their district at the most immediate fall or spring district conference.

It is quite an accomplishment shared by only a chosen few from over 5 million people worldwide who have participated in the over 80 year past or are currently members of Toastmasters International.

The Columbia Toastmasters Club will celebrate Kenny's accomplishment with a traditional DTM Roast & Toast Banquet. Open to members of Toastmasters and friends and family of the recipient, the banquet will take place Saturday, October 26, 6:30pm at the China Garden Buffet in Columbia Missouri. For more information and RSVP contact Lorie Kaplan at [email protected] or call 573-529-9069.

The Heartland Division Council congratulates Kenny Freeman on reaching the top of our educational achievement ladder and not only earning the title of Distinguished Toastmaster, but first and foremost distinguishing himself as a member of Toastmasters International.

09/27/2013

NEW YOUTH & SPEECHCRAFT PROGRAM BEGINS IN COLUMBIA

For the second year in a row the Columbia Toastmasters Club is sponsoring a Toastmasters International Youth Leadership and Speechcraft program for families of the Mid Missouri Cooperative of Home School Educators. The program began last Wednesday at the Calvary Baptist Church in Columbia Missouri.

The uniqueness of this effort is that it combines both the youth leadership and speechcraft program into a single 10 week program. Parents and youth share in the learning experience. So the age range of participants is ages 8 to 65 years of age.

The program coordinator, also for the second year in a row is Heartland Division Governor Kenny Freeman. Freeman experimented in combining the programs last year believing that if he could get parents involved with their children in the learning process the youth would get more out of the program. The approach was so successful that the group approached Freeman this summer to do the program again using the same format.

This program is provided at no charge to as a public relations and service to the community for the Columbia Toastmasters Club #4492. Program materials were provided for the program by a corporate sponsor through District 8 of Toastmasters International.

It is not too late for youth in the community to take part in the program. Classes will be held each Wednesday 3:30-5:00pm at Calvary Baptist Church, 606 Ridgeway avenue, in Columbia.

09/16/2013

LOCAL TOASTMASTER CO-STARS IN
PRODUCTION OF "THE WIZARD OF OZ"

A Jefferson City Blue Tiger Toastmaster is currently "off to see the wizard." Well, at least on stage he is. Sekou Gaidi is currently co-starring this season in the Columbia Entertainment Company's production of "The Wizard of Oz" now playing at the CEC Theater (1800 Nelwood Drive) in Columbia Missouri.

Mr. Gaidi is putting his vocal variety, and nonverbal communication skills to use in the production as the fictional character "Dorothy's best friend, the Scarcrow" in the production that will continue running September 19-22 and September 26-29.

Sekou first joined joined the Columbia Toastmasters Club #4492 in 2007. He rejoined the organization in June 2013 as a member of the Jefferson City Blue Tigers Toastmaster Club #1488380. Mr. Gaidi is currently pursuing the certification of Competent Communicator.

Acting is just another example of the vast array of pursuits in which developing good verbal and non-verbal communication skills is essential.

Congratulations and continued success to Sekou Gaidi of the Jefferson City Blue Tigers Toastmasters Club.

Photo Courtesy of Dee Campbell-Carter.

09/16/2013

THE IMPORTANCE OF A SPIRIT OF HUMILITY

BY THE JOHN MAXWELL COMPANY.
SEPTEMBER 16, 2013
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Some people fail forward. Others fail and quickly spiral downward. These two types of people are very different, but how?

“The difference is on the inside. It’s the spirit of the individual. Those who profit from adversity possess a spirit of humility and are therefore inclined to make the necessary changes needed to learn from their mistakes, failures, and losses. They stand in stark contrast to prideful people who are unwilling to allow adversity to be their teacher and as a result fail to learn.”1

But failure to learn isn’t the only way pride impacts a leader. Prideful people blame others, deny the obvious truth, and are closed-minded, rigid, insecure, and isolated from others. All of these can be detrimental to a leader, especially one who is interested in growing.

However, if leaders can move past arrogance and work toward humility, they can become the very best. Great talent is good, but great talent with a spirit of learning is better. As leaders, we need more than just talent to be successful. In fact, humble leaders must not boast in their talent, but instead, must be confident in the ways they can build others and build organizations regardless of failure.

According to John C. Maxwell’s book, Beyond Talent, “Perseverance is not an issue of talent. It is not an issue of time. It is about finishing. Talent provides hope for accomplishment, but perseverance guarantees it.”2
So often, leaders encounter a task or an obstacle and give up because it seems too daunting. Their pride limits them. They refuse to fail.

With a spirit of humility, leaders recognize that they will likely fail, but that their perseverance allows them to stand back up after the fall and move forward with confidence. Humble leaders are modest about their success, and make it known to everyone that their failures don’t define them. Instead, they finish the drill, fail forward and let their spirit of humility help them to benefit from adversity.

When we make mistakes, we can see them as failures or as possibilities for innovation. It is easy to get discouraged. If you have a spirit of learning, you can take the positives from the mistake and make use of them in the future.

Here are 4 ways to create a spirit of humility:

Don’t think less of yourself, just think of yourself less.
Allow yourself to fail, but know it’s not the end of the world when you do.
When mistakes are made, recognize the problem, solve it and move forward with new knowledge.
Live with the mindset that there is always something to learn from everyone.
Overall, by always keeping an open mind and being geared toward learning, humility can propel us forward during good times and bad. We grow from mistakes and learn from failures, and in the end, our leadership benefits.

Leaders, how have you seen a spirit of learning and humility benefit your leadership? We’d love to hear in the comment section below.

To learn more about how a spirit of humility helps you learn, order John Maxwell’s newest book to be released in October, Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn.

09/12/2013

DOWNTOWN TOASTMASTER ACHIEVES
ADVANCED LEADER SILVER AWARD

Congratulations to Division Governor Kenny Freeman, a member of the Downtown Toastmasters Club #1119527. On August 11, 2013 Mr. Freeman received the Toastmasters International Advanced Leader Silver Award which is the highest recognition in the leadership track of the Toastmaster program.

Kenny had to complete 20 club level leadership projects to earn the Competent Leader Award. serve at least one six month term as a club officer and present two evaluated 15 minute programs on leadership skills from The Toastmasters International Leadership Excellence or Successful club series to first earn the Advanced Leader Bronze Award. He then had to serve a full and credited one year term as a district officer in Toastmasters international (Which was completed in 1992 as a member of District 16 of Toastmasters International), complete a "High Performance Leadership program to earn the Toastmasters Leadership Excellence Award and serve as a sponsor or mentor to a new club to earn the Advanced Leader Silver Award.

Kenny Freeman has been a member of Toastmasters International since 1988. he is also the Immediate Past President of the Columbia Toastmasters Club #4492 and last April was recognized as the Heartland Division's 2013 Toastmaster of the Year.

The Advanced Leader Gold Award is the highest recognition a member of Toastmasters International can receive in the leadership track of the Toastmasters International program.It is 50% of the program requirement to earn the title of Distinguished Toastmaster (the highest recognition offered by Toastmasters International.

FOOTNOTE: Kenny has already fulfilled the second requirement for Distinguished Toastmaster and the application is pending approval.

The District 8 Heartland Division Council congratulates Division Governor Kenny Freeman on his recent achievement and wishes him continued success in the Toastmasters International program.

09/02/2013

A keynote address by Toastmasters International District 8 Heartland Division Governor Kenny Freeman to attendees of the District 8 Area 7 Toastmasters Leade...

09/01/2013

09/01/2013

AREA 7 TRAINING A YOUTHFUL EXPERIENCE:

It is not the quantity of participants. but the quality of an experience that makes an occasion memorable. That was the atmosphere at Westminster College this morning as Area 7 held its last chance officer training. Fifteen attendees gathered at Coulter Center & Lecture Hall to enjoy a more intimate program setting that allowed for a personable touch from division trainers.

Area 7 Governor Ron Smith presided over the program and it began with a special presentation to Immediate-Past District Governor Curtis Scroggins. Mr. Scroggins was presented an American flag by Division Governor Kenny Freeman that had been flown over the U.S. Capital recognizing his five years of leadership in District 8 of Toastmasters International.

The morning's keynote speaker was Kenny Freeman who provided an inspiring message that was titled "Does The Banner Yet Wave?" Freeman compared organizational leadership the role of a standard bearer and emphasized the importance officers at all levels of Toastmasters International have in the continued future of the program.

Trainers represented the very best of the Heartland Division could offer including Curtis Scroggins who trained club presidents, Area 14 Governor Jean Craft who trained Vice Presidents-Education, Assistant Division Governor Ed Allen who trained Vice Presidents-Membership, Ron Smith who trained Vice Presidents-Public Relations, Immediate Past Division Governor Frank Yates who trained Club Sgt-At-Arms and Meg Langland who trained Club Secretaries and Treasurers.

Trainees included Kurt Dickason of the Columbia Toastmasters club, Paul Andrews of the Jefferson City Blue Tigers Toastmasters Club, Nathan Swan, Karmin Athusaim, Enrique Salank, Maulik Dave, Meg Langland, and Jennyfer Martinez of the Callaway Community Toastmasters Club.

Kenny Freeman called the affair a youthful experience commenting of the fact that so many of the trainees were students at Westminster College. "It was wonderful to observe the exchange of thoughts communicated between such young minds and more seasoned Toastmasters" said Freeman.

Congratulations to Area 7 Governor Ron Smith and Assistant Area Governor Meg Langland on an outstanding program

08/30/2013

KENNY FREEMAN TO KEYNOTE AREA 7 OFFICER TRAINING
AUGUST 31st LAST CHANCE FOR CLUB DCP CREDITATION

Meg Langland, Assistant Area 7 Governor-Marketing announced today that Heartland Division Governor Kenny Freeman will deliver the keynote address this Saturday at the Toastmasters International District 8 Area 7 Officer Training Program to be held at the Coulter Science Center on the campus of Westminster College (501 Westminster Ave.) in Fulton Missouri.

The event, hosted by Callaway Community Toastmasters Club #107829 is open to all club officers and members of Toastmasters International. Registration will begin at 8:30 AM followed by an opening ceremony at 9:00 AM. The event marks the last opportunity for club's to have at least four officers trained and get credit towards the distinguished club plan for fall 2013. According to Freeman there are still several clubs who do not have the required minimum of four club officers trained for the credit.

Kenny Freeman is recognized by Toastmasters International with an Advanced Communicator-Gold certification and is noted among the most passionate and enthusiastic speakers in District 8 of Toastmasters International. A member of Toastmasters since 1988, Freeman is a member of both the Downtown Toastmasters Club #1119527 and Columbia Toastmasters Club #4492. In April Kenny was named 2012-2013 District 8 Division E Toastmaster of the Year. Most recently, Freeman has been appointed Education Chairperson for the District 8 Fall Conference to be held November 22-23 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Other special guest trainers named for Saturday's program include Assistant Heartland Division Governor Ed Allen of the Ozark Orators Toastmasters Club #1056, and Area 7 Governor Jean Craft, a member of the Missouri University S&T Toastmasters Club both of Rolla Missouri. Area 7 Governor Ron Smith is the program chairperson.

This program, an extension of the Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI) is a premier educational opportunity for Toastmasters’ club officers, as well as the membership at large. Held twice a year, this 3 hour event features officer training sessions to help officers be effective in carrying out their roles.

For more information contact Ron Smith by email at
[email protected] or call him at 573 694 2310