Our District Historian is hard at work once again on this wonderful look back at what our District used to be like. We look back at 1957 for this week’s Throwback Thursday.

The District reached 40 clubs and counting by 1952, but it took some time for the next club to charter. That would in March 1957 when the Coraopolis club was founded. They would meet Mondays at 8PM at the Coraopolis YMCA.

TLI makeup training will be held next Saturday at 9AM, as well as July 18 in the evening, and also on July 30 in the morning. Plenty of time to register so you attend training and get credit for your club. Attending club officer training will fulfill #9 on the Distinguished Club Program.

Next week, Cranberry Township will be hosting its annual Cranberry Community Days! Several Toastmasters clubs from the surrounding area will be present to share the Toastmasters mission and potentially gain some new members. Both Cranberry High Noon and Cranberry Area clubs plan to be in attendance.

Cranberry Community Days will be held next Thursday, July 14, through Saturday, July 16, at Cranberry Community Park, located at 111 Ernie Mashuda Dr., Cranberry Township, PA 16066. Hours of operation will be Thursday from 4-10PM, Friday from 4-11PM, and Saturday from 1-11PM. Cranberry Community Days is a big draw for the area with over 32,000 in attendance, providing enjoyment for children of all ages, adults and senior citizens. Enjoy FREE Parking, FREE Admission and over 200 VENDORS!

Something to think about as Toastmasters when discussing the Distinguished Club Program. Look at the first six goals, your educational goals. It’s beneficial to us and to the club when do our speech projects and achieve educational awards. Every goal we achieve is a goal for club towards Distinguished Status.

It’s important to talk up Toastmasters with your colleagues, friends and family. The guest whom you bring to your meeting could be the member that the club needs to fulfill their membership goals, and become eligible for the DCP. If Penn Hills could go from Extinguished to Distinguished, there’s no reason your club can’t grow its base either. The sky’s the limit! Pay it forward. New members bring new prospectives and add value to a club.

We just had club officer training a few weeks ago and plenty of opportunity to attend makeup training for you to get credit towards that ninth requirement. Why should you give up part of a Saturday to attend TLI? Because it’s one of the best ways you can come into the new Toastmaster year confident in mastering your role as club officer. Plus you get to learn from those who have done the role before. Trained officers are better equipped to support their members.

Get your slate of officers set early and get that list sent to World Headquarters. Not only does it look good but it shows effective communication among the officers and that has a positive effect on the club. Get the word out about dues being due and get it done early and often. If you have to send mass emails to get your minimum of eight members do it!

Remember, it’s all about the member and the exceptional service that you provide them.

What’s coming to the blog this July? Well if you look at the title, I’m back to doing restaurant reviews under Stylish and Hungry. Get ready for Season Two. I plan to get out to Ligonier this month as well as August or September. I want to review Wicked Googly as well as the Kitchen on Main. I wanted to go to the latter last year but staffing issues kept the place closed. The Murrysville location did remain open however. They’re going to get a review as well so I can compare and contrast. I’ll do a few chains but mostly keep it to independent restaurants. Look for two reviews a month. If I’m feeling lucky, I’ll do a third.

I’ll highlight my upcoming shopping adventures. Since I’ve been at Giant Eagle, I haven’t done too many Target runs. That will change as I just got a gift card for my birthday from Annabelle. I’m going to spend that $25 gift card on something nice. I’m thinking of a sweater or some jewelry. Maybe my JCPENNEY card (from Aunt Sue) will go towards some nice Sephora or more amazing fashionwear or accessories. The possibilities are endless. I also plan to shop Old Navy with my new card as I might buy a jumpsuit or something else slay worthy. I also got an Amazon gift card from my parents and might put that towards a book.

I’ll continue to keep you up to date on all things going on in District 13 Toastmasters. With the new year starting, I’ll take a look at the Distinguished Club Program as well as the Moments of Truth. I’m planning a Cranberry High Noon visit this summer (timetable will be late July to mid August) as well later this Fall before Christmas. Our District Historian Dana Mitnik takes us back to yesteryear and I’ll be including his weekly pieces in my Toast blog posts.

Something special in the works at Stylish 🍒. I haven’t come up with a working title quite yet. This would be a weekly series and it will be ongoing. I would like to post an episode (or blogisode) every Friday. Work should begin later this month or into August. It’s half fiction and half real life, based off of me and my gender nonconformity journey. I think my cousins, my family, and those who support me (friends and colleagues) in these adventures will really love it. There will be fashion, food, fitness, and of course, lots of fun and Target runs.

Lots of great content coming as we close in on 400 blog posts.

Bye everyone. ❤️ you.

Target Gift Card: $25

New Nintendo Switch game: $60

The perfect birthday outfit: $40

Getting words of encouragement from your wonderful cousin: Priceless

This birthday weekend didn’t quite match up to last year’s fun, but 40 only comes around once in a lifetime. I’ll get back to Jean Bonnet this fall or close to the holidays, maybe both. I will use that gift card to Aristacuts soon, I promise. This birthday and this Fourth of July trip to the Gaffron farm was special because I got to see my Chicago family. I also received a priceless gift from my cousin, and we cried wonderful tears. Emily’s husband gave us both a tissue to dry our eyes and wipe away the happy tears. Emily and I are both active on social media, and her words of encouragement are just amazing.

What is it about girls named Emily and Sara who are always calling me an inspiration or who are one themselves?

Katie, Matt, and Annabelle gave me a gift card for Target. I’ll spend that on an outfit or some jewelry. What I really want for my birthday is t know that I’m accepted and loved. I was about to receive that gift from my Chicago cousin.

Last year was special because I was turning 40 and because if the hype leading up to the big day. Getting to celebrate at Jean Bonnet Tavern as well as the Olive Garden meant the world to me. Bedford has the look and feel of a Hallmark town, just like Ligonier, Indiana, and Canonsburg.

In between my birthdays, I was having doubts about my gender nonconformity. I was gaining more confidence but my family was having doubts about it. I also quit attending church last fall because I needed a break. I’m fine right now with keeping it that way. I almost abandoned my gender nonconformity completely because I wasn’t feeling encouraged nor was I hearing it from anyone. I almost went back to church and felt like I’d have to drop my uniqueness because it wouldn’t look good. I walked away from that decision though and I feel better for it.

I sat at the picnic table with family and across from me was Emily. She listened as I broke down to her about my gender nonconformity and told me how beautiful I was and how inspiring I am to people who are going through the same thing. She told me how loved I am and then the rest of my family stood with me. She also encouraged me to rock that nice outfit that I’ve been afraid to show off. I even told her about the pink cherry dress and my ULTA Beauty Box that Rob and Sara got me for Christmas.

Just like everyone else has said to me, “Be You”. I plan to take those words to heart and will be nothing less than I am.

Sometimes the perfect gift is one that money can’t buy.

Bye everyone. ❤️ you.

If you missed last Saturday’s Toastmasters Leadership Institute, remember there are three opportunities to attend makeup training. You’ll get credit for attending and that will go towards #9 on the Distinguished Club Program. Training will be held on Saturday, July 16; Monday, July 18; and Saturday, July 30. Go to d13tm.com to learn more.

This past weekend’s club officer training was a big deal, as it was the first in person training event since December 2019. We all know what happened just a few months later. Overall it was a success. The theme was summery and made me long for the beach. I covered the event in a previous blog. You can learn more about it in the link I posted below.

Riding the W. A. V. E.

Tuesday, the Toastmasters club that made history in 2021 wrapped up its first year with a transition of officers and a mini-SPEECHCRAFT type meeting. Four of our members gave speeches (myself included) and we celebrated at the end of the meeting with a cake. We also gave our founding club president Sharon a card and a bouquet of flowers. We also had Cameron from the Earlybirds club visit. Here’s the link to how Tuesday’s meeting went and the link to my speech I gave, in the description below.

Celebrating the Toastmasters Club That Made History

The Best Hallmark Christmas Town 🎄

District 13 wishes all of its members a Happy Toastmasters New Year. We support all clubs in achieving excellence. Here’s a list of upcoming events in the District.

2022 – 2023 Upcoming Events

Division & Area Director Training – Saturday, July 9 at 10:00 am Cranberry Library, Cranberry Municipal Center, Cranberry Township, PA 16066

Smedley Membership Drive – August 1, 2022 – September 30, 2022

District Executive Committee (DEC) Meeting (virtual) – Saturday, August 6 at 8:45 am – 10:00 am

Toastmasters International Convention, Nashville, Tennessee – August 24 – 27, 2022

District Council Meeting (Virtual) – Saturday, September 10 at 9:00 am

DEC Meeting #2 – Saturday, September 24 at 8:30 am – 9:30 am at the Wyndham Pittsburgh University Center

District 13 Fall Leadership Symposium – Saturday, September 24 at 9:30 am at the Wyndham Pittsburgh University Center

Spring Conference – Friday to Sunday, April 14-16, 2023 at Crowne Plaza Suites South Hills PA

Here’s the list of clubs who made Distinguished or higher in 2021-22. This list may still need updating.

President’s Distinguished

Bettis, North Hills, Cranberry High Noon, Bayview, Highmark BRG, Johnstown, and Bakery Square

Woman 2 Woman 

Select Distinguished

Priority Speakers 

Distinguished

Westinghouse and Mercer County

On May 14th, 15 Earlybirds and guests gathered to celebrate the club’s 65th anniversary with an Open House meeting and breakfast. The club was chartered by 23 members on March 1, 1957. District Director Stephanie Scott and District 13 Club Growth Director Adir Kurtanich were on hand to congratulate the members. John Trotta was honored for 40 consecutive years of membership in the club. The Butler Eagle published an online story about the celebration. In addition, they also included full page articles in their print editions in both the Butler and Cranberry Eagle that week. You can find the link in the description listed below. To read the full article, you will need a subscription to the Butler Eagle.

https://www.butlereagle.com/20220516/butler-toastmasters-dedicated-to-improving-speaking-skills/?fbclid=IwAR1tDzHhEcFF6t3rt2PfCHrje3sptOaBJYjT7v_w13FKmCAFyb2zxIosyGE&PC=OUTLIOS&FORM=OUTLSB

I’ll close these Toastmasters News and Notes blogs with the District Mission and Club Mission

DISTRICT MISSION:

We build new clubs and support all clubs in achieving excellence.

CLUB MISSION:

We provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth.

The Toastmasters club that made history in 2021 wraps up its first year on Thursday, and it plans to make more history in the upcoming Toastmasters year.

This last meeting was different than the rest as it was all speeches and no table topics. I was scheduled to be Table Topics master but will serve that role on July 12, our first meeting of the new year. All of our speakers did great (myself included) and the meeting flowed smoothly. But the purpose of this blog post is to look back on the past year and celebrate everything that’s happened and what’s to come on July 1.

Laurel Highlands Toastmasters chartered in just two weeks at the Connellsville Canteen. They had lots of support from the Fayette County Cultural Trust and the Rotary Club of Connellsville. They chartered on June 30 last year, so happy birthday Laurel Highlands Toastmasters!!! We share a birthday.

Laurel Highlands is the first Hybrid Club registered at Toastmasters International. That means they are an in person and virtual. If you live in Louisiana and want to attend remotely then you have the opportunity.

I was honored to meet club president Sharon Joseph for the first time at our DTM gala event held at Westmoreland County Community College last summer. I learned about the new club and met some of the faces who were behind the formation of the club. All had a hand in bringing a Toastmasters club to Fayette County for the first time in 40 years.

Laurel Highlands Toastmasters produced a Red Carpet Officer Induction Ceremony. This right here was a fun event and I was very pleased to attend and celebrate the newest club in District 13. There were many great keynote speakers like our District Historian Dana Mitnik, District Director Bob Johnson, and International Director Melissa McGavick. This was a magical night for the club, for our district, and for the city of Connellsville.

The Laurel Highlands chapter has the most newspaper articles in one year out of any club in District 13. VPPR Judy Eans is doing a great job getting the word out about the club. We’ve also had several guest speakers who aren’t Toastmasters.

At Tuesday night’s meeting Sharon did a year in review of all of our themes as well as some of the most memorable experiences. The Red Carpet Event is definitely up there and the best event so far in the Toastmaster year.

I joined Laurel Highlands in February, submitting my application upon the finish of the Area 23/24 contest. We also gained five more new members in the Toastmaster year. Those members all received their new member certificates or will at the next meeting. In addition to being the first club in Fayette County in 40 years, we’ve also added members from Cumberland, MD, as well as Morgantown, WV.

As officers we all received new pins which show the role we have in the club. Sharon pinned Ryan with his club president pin. Dana was recognized for his role as the Club Mentor. Sharon received a bouquet of flowers and a certificate of appreciation for serving as the first club president of the Laurel Highlands Toastmasters club.

Sharon closed the meeting by handing the gavel over to Ryan and he adjourned the meeting at 7:20pm. We all socialized after the meeting and had cake to celebrate our first year as Laurel Highlands Toastmasters.

Pictures from Tuesday’s meeting and the transition of leaders coming tomorrow.

Saturday’s first in person TLI since December 2019 was one event I was taking advantage of attending. Overall it was a great experience and it was nice to see everyone again. A few of us met up in July in the same venue for the DTM gala when those of us who couldn’t run the gauntlet due to the COVID 19 pandemic were able to do so. However there were no fire alarms to interrupt us this time.

As we walked in the door to register, we got our program and were provided with leis. The theme for this summer TLI was “Riding the W. A. V. E. “. I must have missed the memo when I saw other attendees decked out in their Hawaiian prints. No problem though, as I have my own style and was representing the Rock with my Slippery Rock windbreaker and my red top underneath

Breakfast consisted of pastries as well as coffee and tea. WCCC always provides well for us when we hold our club officer trainings there. We recognized our dignataries including our soon to be past district director Bob Johnson. With these last three years serving in the District Trio plus one year serving as Division Director, its been a marvelous four year run for Bob.

Our program had its usual club officer sessions as well as another session which was led by both Sharon Joseph (Laurel Highlands Toastmasters club president and incoming Vice President Education) and Catherine McCarron (incoming Division D Director). They both took turns at leading the sessions. One was Club Officer Tools and the other was Best Practices for Engaging Prospective Members.

Now let’s get into detail on what was behind the W. A. V. E.

W-Wow: Creating Club Quality (led by past Division A Director and incoming Club Growth Director Dr Marci Antion)

A-Achieve: Leading the Team to Success (led by past District 18 Director Dr. Elizabeth Carter)

V-Value: Moments of Truth (led by TLI chair and incoming Area 34 Director Lorie Regas)

E-Engage: Building on Achievement (led by current and soon to be Immediate Past District Director Bob Johnson)

Here’s some takeaways from those four sessions.

Wow: The importance of the club experience and what having members who are engaged and immersed in that experience can do for you. Also the values of Toastmasters. Those are Integrity, Respect, Service, and Excellence.

Achieve: You don’t want to set SMART goals, you want to set SMALL goals. Delegate or, Split up the work; Make this part of your development; Ask for help; Learn about your members; and, Leave it better than you found it. The people you asking for help and delegating the work to are your incoming replacements.

What does success look like to you?

Value: The importance of conducting the Moments of Truth annually. The best time to do this exercise is early in the Toastmasters year. Lorie talked about who handled certain parts of the MOT in her club. First impressions and membership strength responsibilities went to the Vice President Membership; Membership Orientation and Achievement Recognition were put on the Vice President Education; and, Fellowship, Variety, Communication and Program Planning was delegated to the Immediate Past President.

Engage: Bob asked the audience to discuss their best and worst customer experiences. One bad review can ruin a reputation you worked for years to build. We are responsible as the executives of these clubs to provide a sparkling club experience that will have our guests coming back and even inviting other guests who will in turn become prospective club members.

When we took our break, it was like our surfboard stretch. When we went to our sessions, we were surfing to them. I really liked the theme for this TLI a lot. Lunch consisted of picnic food (hamburgers, hot dogs, watermelon, potato salad, condiments including relsh, ketchup, and mustard). We chatted about what the best part of this club officer training was. I finally got to meet Adie Kurtanich (Club Growth Director incoming) and she complemented me on the blog and my fashion sense (my gender nonconformity and dressing non traditional is staying despite rumors of its demise; it’s brought me far too much success at this point for me to give it up now). I made plans with Bob for an upcoming Cranberry High Noon visit in July or August. I’ll also make a visit in December. I made plans to speak at Laurel Highlands for their last meeting of the year.

I’ll highlight my visit to Laurel Highlands in the next blog post later on this evening. Pictures will be posted as well.

This week has been one of comebacks. Saturday will mark my first in person Toastmasters club officer training since December 2019. I’m going back to church (online) but for now just visiting. Gender nonconformity has come back (it never really went anywhere… just put on the back burner because I felt like I wasn’t getting encouragement).

Also returning in this summer of comebacks… weather updates. This hobby started in the fall of 2009 when I was at a cross roads on what to do with my life. I kept it up through the early 2010s and then walked away from it before coming back.

I almost went back to school in 2008 and 2011 for meteorology (with a minor in communication studies). I didn’t really need another college degree, but a get out of jail free card. I hated working at Kings (because I listened to everyone else around me) so I wanted to find a way out. Eventually I applied for a job at WIS International but my passion for the weather lived on.

From graduation until 2018, I was stuck in the past. Homecoming was less about catching up and more about living for the good old days. Driving up to Johnstown was more reminiscing about the days of living at HGA and the memories I made there. I was still doing well, but I missed how great those days were to me.

Since I retired the homecoming tradition after October 2018, I felt like I was in a really good place. I wrapped up everything I needed to achieve my Distinguished Toastmaster award, started my blog in late 2019, and began to really find myself. Of course those who follow my blog knew I had some inspiration there, and I’ve come a long way in the last few years.

Hoping for a great forecast to give you this first full week of summer and for Saturday’s club officer training.

My Spring of Discontent has finally come to an end.

It was a lost season that didn’t include much content on the Stylish blog. I also questioned whether or not I should continue with my gender nonconformity journey as I’ve started to embark on my church tour. I nearly abandoned it so I would be on good terms if I was making an in person church visit.

It’s safe to say that I still need time to find the right one; also, my gender nonconformity journey is getting back up and running again. “Boo”, say the critics. Now maybe I can make the most of Rob and Sara’s Christmas gifts without looking over my shoulder at the naysayers and instead thinking of those who have encouraged me to make it this far.

Those who don’t like it are jealous because no one can slay as hard as me.

Rae and I came up with a thread on Facebook titled “At the Corner of Sigh and Slay”. Rae is famous for her sigh worthy posts which get a rise out of her mother. I’m famous for my slay worthy fashion which makes them all smile.

My church tour will resume on July 9, after the Fourth of July 🇺🇸 🎇 holiday. I’ve attended Allegheny Center Alliance Church and Victory Family Church online. Both churches I’ve been pleased with but the best I can do is attend online. I made a few trips to Community Church in Harrison City and I’ll do so again. I also plan on checking out Greater Johnstown Christian Fellowship (online) and watch the sermons on their YouTube channel.

This Saturday will mark my first in person Toastmasters club officer training event since December of 2019. It will be a hybrid event (just like our clubs since last summer as well as our past Spring Conference). For those who still don’t know, hybrid means that the event will be both in person and online.

For me it’ll be worth it to meet with other club officers who will be attending in person. I didn’t attend last winter’s club officer training due to work commitments as I had just begun my employment with Giant Eagle. The last few trainings that were online have gone very well. The best one being that December 2020 training where I was part of the Spirit of Toastmasters panel discussion.

This morning I was looking up towns in Pennsylvania and Maryland that would make the perfect Hallmark Christmas town. You know my little Stars Hollow makes the list, as well as Jimmy Stewart’s hometown of Indiana, PA. I might have something fun planned for later this year (I’ll have a paid vacation upon my one year at Giant Eagle which will be this November). I’ll discuss my upcoming plans in Friday night’s blog post.

I’m not wishing away summer and longing for Fall but, today’s cooler temperatures make me want a pumpkin spice latte really bad. There will more time for Fall and all the great things about it once September gets here.

For now, I’m looking forward to being me once again and hopefully inspiring my followers to be themselves again too. I want to give you guys great content and make it to 400 blog posts later this summer (my goal is to be at 450 by the end of 2022).

Bye everyone. ❤️ you.

On June 30, 2021, I celebrated a huge milestone in my life. I turned the big 4-0. It’s a birthday we can all be proud of celebrating, especially when you think of the one that comes in ten years. Between my actual birthday and the Fourth of July, my family and friends took advantage of the event by treating me to dinner and celebrating my milestone achievement.

It was a fun long weekend, and I felt loved and blessed by those who cared about me. 40 is an age where you really begin to get serious about planning long-term, and also it’s a time to look back and see how far you’ve come since graduating from college. Has this milestone year been all sunshine and rainbows or has it seen its share of storms?

For me, it’s been a mix of both.

40 so far has brought with it…. Change. Late in 2021, after 13 years working for the same company, things changed and not so much in my favor. I knew then it was time to finally move on and what better time for change than at age 40? I gave up traveling daily at my old job counting inventory to driving just five minutes to my new job at Giant Eagle. With the exorbitant rise in gas prices, that new job came calling at the right time.

It brought a change of style. This started a few years before but it really came together in 2021. It was received well early on but I got too carried away and wore myself out this Spring. It also brought a change of tradition. For the first time since my high school years, I wasn’t attending church regularly. I needed some time to step away and reflect so far on my spiritual journey.

40 so far has also brought with it… Confusion. When my employer merged with its competition in 2021, I was confused as to what would happen to our office and where I would end up. I was confused when this would all take place and what would happen to those coworkers who became family to me.

I was confused about who I was. That’s why I changed my style because I thought it would make me happy and help me find myself. For a while, I was doing well with the changes and thought I had a good thing going. However, I wasn’t as confident as I let on and was constantly looking back instead of looking ahead. I was looking for approval and didn’t always get what I wanted. My friends and family encouraged me to “Be Me” but eventually my conscience got the better of me. To those who loved me because of my gender nonconformity, I felt like I quit on them at the top of my game and owe them an apology. I’m accepting it as a season in my life and even I thought it could have been more than it was; but, in the end, it is what it is.

40 so far has brought with it… Celebration. After waiting a year and a half to celebrate my biggest achievement in Toastmasters, a group of us gathered at Westmoreland County Community College on July 24 for an elegant event, the DTM gala. I got to earn my award the way I should have in April of 2020. What a fun night that was, disco dancing and fire alarms included. I also celebrated the newest club in District 13 of which I am part of now, Laurel Highlands Toastmasters.

40 will also bring with it… a Comeback. After taking some time off to figure out who I was, the time was right for me to go back to church. Dealing with this season of gender nonconformity and dressing nontraditionally is what I thought would bring me joy. I thought it would help me live my best life.

One night at work, I talked about my faith and my church experience as well as what Christian music artists I listen to. That made me realize that I missed attending church and missed the fellowship that I had with everyone. While it was hard to abandon what I thought was making me happy, I came to realize that it was only a phase and it had finally run its course. Next Saturday, I’ll return to the home church that I left in September and make right with everyone there.

Sometimes God uses events and seasons like this one to bring us closer together with Him n

After planning this so many times and having it fall through due to conflicting schedules, I’m finally going to start a church tour.

I talked with a couple whom I work with and we talked about what kind of music we listen to. When I heard K-Love mentioned, that rang a bell because I also listened to K-Love on and off since first discovering it in 2009 (it replaced Froggy 🐸 on our radio dial) It also made me aware that something’s been missing since the Fall.

Thus, my inspiration for coming back to church was born.

I’ve been away from church since Fall, but those days are soon coming to an end. I attended Allegheny Center Alliance Church this past weekend and will do so again this Saturday to hear Pastor Alan wrap up his series, “Without a King”. June 11 (or 12) I’m looking at either Orchard Hill Church in Wexford or Victory Family Church in Cranberry Township. Victory will be fresh off its Man Up event that weekend if I decide to attend a worship service. Both visits will be online. June 18 will be the big day though.

Father’s Day weekend will see me “visit” Cornerstone, I’m excited but I’m also nervous. I hope I’m welcomed back and not turned away. I’m listening to the current sermon series and getting caught up.

I felt bad leaving church the way I did but needed to take time away to find myself. Perhaps I could have continued with dressing non traditionally if I lived in the city (think Pittsburgh or Philadelphia). This whole thing got blown out of proportion from what it was originally intended to be.

I overreact when I feel I’m in the wrong because I don’t want to be wrong. Also, I didn’t want this to end. I was having too much fun with it. However, the magic just ran out. I wanted to go back to church, and I knew I’d have to compromise at some point.

I just wasn’t comfortable doing it anymore, given that it was making me distant from my parents. I don’t want that to happen in their old age. Ultimately, it’s for the best for me to just go back to being me.

I’m excited to come back though and pray for a smooth transition to back to my church home and back to just being James. Still stylish and slaying.