The location of 512 is in a repurposed 1870’s Victorian house located just off Ligonier Street in Latrobe near the Amtrak train station. 512 is the street number. I posted a link from the June 2021 Tribune Review article about the grand opening. The owner is Michael Ciotti, a 2002 graduate of Greater Latrobe High School.
I ordered a Pumpkin Spice Latte (16 oz.) and Pumpkin Muffin.
My drink came out hot (which is how coffee should taste). I ordered it with skim milk. The owner made my drink and was very courteous. I asked about the old fashioned cash register which is from 1924. It was probably used in one of the old five and ten chains.
The pumpkin muffin was great. It had great flavor and tasted just right. It was not too hard or stale. On the pumpkin bread mix I have from Target is a recipe for pumpkin streusel that I’ll have to try sometime.
Pastries are from Prantl’s and ice cream is from Kerber’s. Michael also picked up equipment from the former Valley Dairy in downtown Latrobe.
I had my choice of that plus a pumpkin bar which also looked tempting, as well as chocolate chip muffins. There’s a candy counter as well with various types of candy bars to choose from. You can also get ice cream (like Abigail’s).
You can sit outside on the porch or inside in the lounge. I give this place points for the Mister Rogers book as well as a picture of the man himself. There’s also an autographed picture of Mr. McFeely. David Newell was in Latrobe during the banana split festival and here he is with owner Michael Ciotti.
I thanked the owner for a great experience and got style points on my outfit and heels.
Good afternoon! Here is your weekly dose of District 13 Toastmasters News and Notes.
It’s the last time I’ll say this. Pay your dues. Renew your membership and reinvest in your growth by writing a check for your Toastmasters dues. Help your club remain healthy the next six months. Today is the big day.
It’s the other public service announcement that keeps on giving. Save the date! The District 13 Fall Symposium (held virtually) will be on October 16 from 9:30am to 3pm. Registration will be coming soon. Details will hopefully be coming soon too so I can share them on a future blog post.
Saturday’s Earlybirds Toastmasters meeting saw Walter J Smith and guest Jyoti Khare from Cranberry High Noon complete their level 3s in the Pathways educational program. Walter’s speech was about his “big move” to NH and Jyoti led us in Table Topics today.
Congrats to Walter J and his wife! They will be missed at the meeting but thank you for Zoom and the virtual platform so we can keep in touch with them
It was awesome meeting. If you were a guest, you were treated to three great speeches. The club inducted Levi as their second new member this year. Congrats and welcome Levi!
In addition to Walter J’s speech on his big move to New Hampshire, October and Donni gave great speeches today as well. Donni showed off her craft talents in her speech. Well done Donni!
Also completing her level 3 was Woman 2 Woman member Leora Flax.
Just in time for Hispanic Heritage Month, Leora Flax completed her Level 3 with a presentation about Juana Ines de la Cruz, a 17th-century writer, philosopher and composer who was condemned for her criticism of misogyny. Leora gives some great informal speeches about less well-known women trailblazers who made a world of difference. Here’s to more exceptional speeches such as these in Level 4! Congratulations Leora on leveling up in your path.
Who doesn’t love a speech about cats? At W2W, Linghan Zheng have a Researching and Presenting Project titled “Let’s talk about Cats.” Linghan got the attention of her fellow Woman 2 Woman members while delightfully delivering a charming speech. How sweet was that speech? I know many of my coworkers have cats and my “family” loves their pets, The Mighty Thor and Harley. Here’s The Mighty Thor in his happy place.
Way to go, Linghan, on your speech.
I’m really hoping that I can attend this event on November 9. This red carpet event is not to be missed. RSVP early, because space is limited. I’ve been really wanting to attend a club meeting but it’s been hard to with my work schedule. Regardless of whether or not make this event, I plan to attend a regular meeting on November 23. I might want to get on it so if I go I can do my red carpet strut. Here’s today’s Toastmasters throwback.
The return of our soldiers, sailors, and airmen really aided in the growth of post-War Toastmasters clubs. Toastmasters Magazine during this time became a monthly publication and remains that way to this day.
Speech contests continued to go strong in post-WWII America, as evidenced by the Washington Toastmasters sponsoring a high school level contest. How motivated are you to win that speech contest and earn a full scholarship to the college of your choice?
In 1946, membership included brothers, and even fathers and sons. Seems like a rarity back then but with the way Toastmasters has evolved, anything is possible now. Maybe we’ll be able to bring our pets soon.
September is coming to an end and the first full week of Fall is here. It was nice to usher in the first full day of Autumn with cool temperatures and clouds. It was also nice to have a beautiful weekend we could enjoy, aside from the poor performance the Steelers gave us on Sunday against Cincinnati. Not getting any easier against Green Bay this coming weekend.
Anyway, enough about football and the wonderful weather. I’m here to give you all a look ahead into the best month Fall has to offer, the month of October. From what I posted last night in the stories so far, there’s a lot planned so far but that’s not all. I think next month will be fun filled to say the least.
We’re into the season… pumpkin spice season that is. I’m going to visit some local cafes and coffee shops to pick the best Pumpkin Spice Latte and fall treats. I’ll be at Market Street Pastries in Blairsville this week to kick off this contest. I aspire to have a blog up in a few weeks. I also have plans to go to Coffee Bean Cafe and Abigail’s Coffeehouse.
October is a month of birthdays in my family, including Annabelle who is turning nine on the 7th. But it’s not just any birthday month. This is a year of milestone birthdays in my family. We’ll celebrate Annabelle’s birthday at Mammoth Park this Sunday. Not this weekend but the one after is our Gaffron Family Reunion at Laurel Hill. This will be one of our biggest reunions in years. Since it’s our first big family event since before COVID, I’ll be really excited to see everyone. I’m looking forward to talking about how the blog has grown. Also, I’d love to wax a little fashion sense and talk about this year of gender nonconformity and dressing non traditionally. Plus, I want to show off my first love, Coach.
Stylish and Hungry segments take me to my little Stars Hollow. I have plans this weekend to try out the Kitchen on Main and have some brunch. The week after I will be looking forward to a meal at Carol and Dave’s Roadhouse. I might even have to throw in a fall treat at Abigail’s Coffeehouse.
Columbus Day weekend means it’s Fort Ligonier Days. I’ll be enjoying myself post-reunion and taking in all the sights at the Stars Hollow Autumn Festival. I plan on wearing one of my Gilmore Girls sweatshirts or, if Sara wants to meet up, my blazer. Even in the pandemic last year, it was still fun to shop around and stop in at all the little shops in town.
The week after that is not set in stone yet, but if October 16 brings good weather like it did this weekend, I’ll be heading to Slippery Rock University for Homecoming. Wait I thought you were done with that. You can take me out of Slippery Rock, but you can’t take Slippery Rock out of me. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, I’ll be attending the District 13 Fall Symposium and learning from our presenters and keynote speaker.
What other exciting plans do I have in mind for October? Maybe a fun shopping trip with my bestie. Where would we go? Possibly Target and ULTA or Kohl’s and Sephora for makeup or Sandy Johns in Ebensburg where we would have a lot of fun looking at flowers or clothes. How about a Fall Festival at Greendance on Halloween 🎃 weekend? I’ve been there a few times to watch my uncle perform with his band. The raspberry flavored wine is out of this world and the atmosphere is great. Raspberry ice cream is served there too.
As always don’t miss my Toastmasters News and Notes every week. I cover some of the big news in District 13 and congratulate those who earn achievements for their clubs. Also check back for my weekend lifestyle updates which I upload Sunday evenings.
Don’t miss my fashion blog posts. I’m still planning on talking about some awesome nail designs for Fall. Maybe I’ll rock some cute colors for Ligonier Days and reunion weekend. I’ll have to model my lip gloss for you all one day. This year of gender nonconformity has been one for the books. I even bought scrunchies tonight at Target. I also purchased a pumpkin bread kit. I’ll have to polish my baking skills sometime soon and do a food blog for you all.
It’s the first weekend of fall and this weather has been absolutely perfect. Things are also somewhat better after last Saturday. Aunt Sue and my parents fighting for me… that’s a win. I know Paula and my Mom take on the mama bear role when their kids are being messed with. But Aunt Sue stepped up big time this week when she found out. #IStandWithJames
In this year of gender nonconformity (rocking my Coach purse; wearing makeup) and dressing non traditionally (wearing my leopard print cardigan or a dress), I’m going to have to expect some discrimination. Not everyone is open minded. This goes for any social media or in a conservative setting or anywhere else.
Aside from that, let’s talk about the weekend. Saturday, I ate lunch at Burgatory in Murrysville and gave a great review of my experience there. From there it was off to Westmoreland Mall because I had some more shopping at Bath and Body Works to accomplish. I bought some fall and holiday scented pocketbacs as well as some fall scented candles. But first, I stopped in at RSVP and met Faerie Grace who was doing her book signing. She released a children’s book called Wacky Jacky.
Back in March 2020, she left her beloved coffee mug at our Area content and worried that she lost it forever. Well, being the wonderful friend that I am, I held onto it for the last 18 months. We were never able to cross paths until recently when she returned to our in person Toastmasters meetings. I thought one of these days I’m going to return this mug to her. It was yesterday at RSVP. I said hi and Faerie asked if I had her mug. It was in my purse. She was so grateful that I held onto it for her. We chatted about Toastmasters, I talked to Suzanne and Alicia for a few minutes and then I was on my way.
I stayed home from church last night due to the fact that I had to get up early. Plus I was physically drained from last week alone. Thank God for a three day weekend coming up that ends with Annabelle’s 9️⃣ birthday party. You’ll read more in my blog that previews great upcoming events in October. Coming up, family birthday parties, Target, and Ligonier Days. Some surprises later in the month as well. Stay tuned.
I did get to see Annabelle’s new glasses she got from the eye doctor 👨⚕️. She looks smarter with them on. My family had a bonfire last night. I missed it because of my early morning today. Hopefully we do one again next week.
Not much to take away from today as I watched an unspectacular Steelers loss to Cincinnati. This team is in big trouble. I congratulated a Woman 2 Woman Toastmasters member for completing another level on her path. Great content coming to the September 30 edition of Toastmasters News and Notes.
I also got the opportunity to view some of Rob and Sara’s wedding pictures on her Instagram. What a great day it was to celebrate two wonderful friends (I mean, family members) There’s some gems in there.
Check back tomorrow for my look ahead to October. A lot of exciting events are coming up. A few trips to Ligonier are on the horizon. Plus, a lot of color will be popping up in my travels as leaves 🍁 begin to change. I hope you’ll tune in.
I’ll close off the blog with some pics of my little Stars Hollow.
Today’s Stylish and Hungry segment takes me to Murrysville where I’m having lunch at Burgatory. This completes my Murrysville Trifecta, though I’d love to try First Watch sometime for Brunch.
I’m no stranger to Burgatory as I have eaten here twice before with Mr. Clougherty for my birthday meal. It is definitely not your parents’ drive in hamburger stand of the 1950s or the Park Classic Diner. The milkshakes are Eat’n Park’s on steroids (and alcohol), this a hard shake.
Menu—You have unlimited options. You can order a burger from the menu or custom make your own. Great choice of shakes (classic or hard 🥃). Cocktails and appetizers look all right. But seriously, order the milkshake hard if you want some alcohol. I give it a 9.25/10
Service—I was taken care of in a timely manner. I got seated and my waitress took my order quickly. I did need a little time to decide on the shake and how to custom make my burger. She was very patient as I made my culinary decision. My burger and shake got here very quickly. My waitress also took an interest in what I was reading. I thought that was very nice. I had excellent service and that’s what makes me and other people coming back. I don’t usually give 10s, but service gets a perfect ten. My server’s name was Tiffany and I made sure she got a great tip for her work today.
Food—I ordered the campfire s’more milkshake and it is to die for. I put some peanut butter on for my topping. I think I may be good for the day once lunch is over. The burger I ordered was the Fiddy Fiddy on a pretzel bun. The rub means everything when it comes to great flavor and this Texas BBQ makes it stand out. The cheese was As Gouda As It Gets (Bob’s Burgers reference). I got the Chipotle Horseradish Sauce. I could have had the Truffled Shallot Aioli (Hit Me With Your Best Shallot). You have your choice of $1-2 toppings but I stayed with the free ones.
I got my money’s worth out of everything, and I give the food a 9.5/10.
This place along with North Park Lounge and Moe’s gets a lot of business. It also helps that Murrysville has a lot of income so that keeps people coming back. For all three restaurants I’ve attended in this trifecta I’ve had excellent service. I’ve had a great dining experience and the food has been spot on.
Out of the three I eat at in this plaza, I will say it’s a tie between Burgatory and North Park Lounge that win it for me for the best service. North Park Lounge wins for best food hands down. Burgatory wins for most creative menu. Make your own burger? How about those milkshakes? Moe’s had the best decor with Burgatory coming in second. Burgatory had the best atmosphere with North Park Lounge and Moe’s not trailing by much.
North Park actually takes the title even though I felt Burgatory was the better experience. That wraps up this edition of Stylish and Hungry. See you next time (in my little Stars Hollow).
Overall grade: A
Ligonier next week as I try out The Kitchen on Main for brunch.
We’re not going to call a spade a spade ♠️. This is not a phase. Mom and Aunt Sue and I talked this week about some things that happened to me over the weekend. They told me to make my own decisions and I’m going to do just that. I talked about it briefly in my blog on Sunday but I don’t want to say much more. Because I’m going to make my own decisions concerning my lifestyle, I can go ahead with today’s blog which I’m looking forward to sharing.
For me, 2021 has been the year of gender nonconformity and dressing non traditionally. I’ve rocked my Coach purse and looked amazing in my leopard print cardigan and my blazers. Sara and I will rock ours when we go shopping in the not too distant future. I style my floral blouses with my skinny jeans and a tank top underneath. I’ve worked hard to develop my fashionable image and establish my definition of style. I almost gave it up because some people complained. My family and friends have come through for me and I’m going to continue being Fashionable 4EVA. However it won’t come without some changes.
Today’s blog highlights my “Journey to Being Fashionable 4eva”. It started on an overnight work trip in Ashtabula. We were all staying at a nearby Red Roof and we were in one of the rooms waiting to go to dinner.
Two of the girls from Uniontown walked into the room. The redhead looked casual in jeans and a T-shirt. The blonde looked stunning in a pink cherry dress. Here I was looking frumpy in my gym shorts and a T-shirt while Emily looked gorgeous. I was going through a period of loneliness as well since my Grandma passed away and that night exacerbated it even more.
I had that night on my mind for two months and spilled everything to Mr. Clougherty as well as Maura and Ashley when we met up for dinner at Bud Murphy’s just before Thanksgiving. At least they were all understanding about what I was going through. This experience opened my eyes to dressing better.
In 2020 when COVID hit, I began supporting small businesses and developed a huge following on Instagram. I started to buy accessories but for the longest time I was hiding them because I wasn’t sure how my family would react. I constantly asked for approval from my friends and from my family about my accessories and even my Gilmore Girls attire. I was that insecure.
I followed bloggers and learned more about them. I also followed local clothing boutiques like Wight Elephant and Lizzie’s and supported them in person and through social media. I fell in love with Ligonier and called it my little Stars Hollow. I reconciled with Sara and finally got to meet her husband Rob one night for dinner at the Ligonier Tavern. It was during the holidays. Sara has become a huge fan of my blog and my fashionable attire.
2021 has had its good moments and bad moments. I dealt with a health scare that could have been fatal had it not been taken care of. I lost a beloved family member to heart disease. I helped my sister move into her first house. Plus I celebrated my 40th birthdays at Jean Bonnet with family as well as with Sara at the Olive Garden.
But what is the best thing to happen in 2021? That would be coming into my own with my fashion sense and definition of style. I was so excited to go to the Coach outlet and buy my Coach bags. My interest in Coach came from my coworker last Fall when she brought her big Coach purse to work. The same girl who wowed me with her cute pink cherry dress the year before. That, plus all the advertising from social media, and encouragement from Paula and Sara. Thus, I had a really great brand of designer bag.
I have become more confident as I embarked on my gender nonconforming adventures in my fashion. Everyone is on board with my dressing non traditionally, well most everyone. I’m working through the negativity and making it work for me. If it makes me happy, then that’s all that matters. Along with Harry Styles and Hunter Schafer, we are some of the best dressed people around.
Working in Carmichaels on Wednesday reminded me of how far I’ve come in the last few years with my blog, my confidence, and my sense of style. Two years ago I was transitioning and trying to figure things out.
Good afternoon! Here is your weekly dose of District 13 Toastmasters News and Notes.
It’s the Toastmasters Public Service Announcement that keeps on giving. Dues are due. Reinvest in your future by renewing your membership with your Toastmasters club. Make your checks payable to the club or treasurer of your club. You have until September 30.
Save the date! The District 13 Fall Symposium (held virtually) will be on October 16 from 9:30am to 3pm. Registration will be coming soon. Details will hopefully be coming soon too so I can share them on a future blog post.
Want to be a future broadcaster, lawyer, politician, etc.? Elk County Toastmasters will be holding a Youth Open House on October 21 at their meeting location, St. Boniface School, in Kersey. It will be a hybrid open house. This program offers many benefits. The name of the program is “It’s Debatable” and will be offered to youth who are interested in learning about and participating in debate. The program starts Tuesday, November 2 at the same location and will be held from 4:00 to 6:30pm.
Elk County Toastmasters meets on the first and third Thursday of every month at the location listed above.
Here’s today’s Toastmasters throwback.
District 13 continued growing clubs as the War came to an end. They began 1945 with nine clubs and were poised to get that number into the double digits. The District started sponsoring and promoting speech contests at local high schools within the District. Scholarships were even offered. The original Greensburg club set the gold standard for how clubs should treat their guests.
The man who helped form District 13 and who was a charter member of Original Greensburg was in his second year as International Director. If Dr. Carroll Freeman were still alive today, he’d be very pleased to see what our District has become today.
I’m really hoping that I can attend this event on November 9. This red carpet event is not to be missed. RSVP early, space is limited. I’ve been really wanting to attend a club meeting but it’s been hard to with my work schedule. Regardless of whether or not make this event, I plan to attend a regular meeting on November 23.
I had the opportunity to meet the faces behind this new Toastmasters chapter in Fayette County at the DTM Gala held at Westmoreland County Community College. They’re a budding club and i hope they have continued growth in this Toastmaster year.
Can Laurel Highlands Toastmasters accomplish this goal by September 30? This is a challenge to the Club and the Community. Help this new club achieve this goal and in the process, you will be part of history!!! The first five people to join as members and help the club achieve the Smedley Award will be part of the history making Laurel Highlands TM Club. Can they do it?
Laurel Highlands Toastmasters meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays at 6pm at the Connellsville Canteen (regular location).
After a week off to commemorate the 20th anniversary of September 11, Stylish and Hungry is back. This week’s segment takes me to Jaffre’s on East Pittsburgh Street. Before I do my review, here’s what I know about the restaurant.
It’s located off of route 130 in front of Hillview Bowling Lanes across from Primanti Bros. There’s construction going on at the moment next door so it might be a hassle getting into the place. It just recently opened a few years ago if I’m aware. There’s not much information I found on the website pertaining to the place.
They have outdoor seating and also, an upper deck for dining. This is perfect for summer but not so much in the colder winter months (I’m sure it’s closed off for a certain time period). There’s a bar area and tables for dining. They also do a good takeout business (which came in handy during COVID-19).
Here’s my dining experience from today.
Service: I had no problem getting seated. The greeters were on it. I asked about eating outside and they were very courteous. I probably could have taken that one back though because it was a little bit warmer that I’d have wanted, but that’s on me. My server took care of me as well, getting my food to me in a timely manner. She was patient as I decided what I wanted and very polite. I give service a 9.5/10.
Menu: Jaffre’s has some great options for food. Not too much and not too little. Plus you have your choice of salad, pasta, pizza, sandwiches and entrees. I’d love to come back sometime and try the bigger entrees. Hello 12 oz. New York Strip Steak 🥩 or Filet Mignon. I should come back for the Pumpkin Ravioli sometime this Fall if they have it, or any special they have. It’ll be for dinner too. I give the menu a 9.75/10.
Food: The comments weren’t lying when they said you get a lot of food. I ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken. It was served on a big 14” plate with Parmesan cheese and some parsley. You definitely get your money’s worth or at least I did today. The flavor was amazing too. Salad was good and she even gave me an extra bowl of bread. It’s not easy for me to do but I asked for takeout, which never happens when I eat at a restaurant. Food gets a 9.5/10.
Ambience: From where I was sitting the atmosphere was nice. Inside looked pretty relaxing too. Nice bar area for sitting and the upstairs is probably hopping. The upper deck is kind of reminiscent of that place (Harry’s) across from the usual hotel we stay at in Cape May. I’ll definitely be dining inside next time (obvious because it will likely be much colder than it was today). I give Ambience a 9.25/10
Decor: The decor I saw made the outside dining experience worth it. It’s a bar so there’s TVs playing with a football game on. It is that time of year now for football so a majority of customer will be watching the Steelers and Pitt. I give Decor a 9/10.
Will I return to Jaffre’s for a second trip? I think the answer is yes. Great staff and great dining experience all around. Final grade: A.
So far this weekend has gone good. Yesterday after work (in Everett) I had a little Sheetz Picnic at Shawnee and then walked the entire lake (around 3.5 miles to be exact). I walked past the cottage where we’ve had many good camping trips over the years and reminisced on many Mother’s Day picnics from the past.
On my way home down the mountain, I stopped in my little Stars Hollow for a brief recharge and had a twist cone from the Ligonier Creamery. I’ll be back in a few weeks for the first of two of my Stylish and Hungry posts.
We closed down the pool for the season last night. This year and this summer have flown by quickly. Hard to believe that Tuesday is the first day of Fall 🍂.
We had a great Council meeting this morning. We have an extraordinary team in place in District 13. Attendance between the District Trio, Division, Area, and President and VPs of Education totaled in the 70s. We voted on two key things, the slate of officers and the budget for 2021-22. We heard outstanding reports from our District leaders.
I’m starting the first of four Stylish and Hungry segments on the blog. Today I’m headed to Jaffre’s and then next week is Burgatory 🍔 😈 completing my Murrysville restaurant trifecta. The first two weeks of October I’m headed to my little Stars Hollow for brunch at The Kitchen on Main and Carol and Dave’s Roadhouse (think I’ll do the latter when I’m there for Ligonier Days).
Last night at church, Deb Close and I had our small group (just three of us reviewing the sermon from the week before). She even provided cheese and crackers and bottled water. Pastor Donn gave a great sermon and it really spoke to me. We’re going to have a great small group discussion coming up this week.
I had a discussion with one of the staff members when I arrived before I met with Deb. The way I dress came into question and he asked me how the Bible would want me to represent myself. 2021 has been a crazy year with COVID, my health scare, and being gender neutral. He said that I need to dress more conservatively when I serve at church and I would eventually agree with him. I dwelled on it for a while and though I don’t want to admit it, I’m going to chalk it up to a phase. I’ll talk more about in my next blog post.
Tom wanted to set up a meeting with a pastor and while I said no to it last night, I’m going to agree to it next time we talk.
We had an open house at Achievers and discussed Pathways. Three of the members talked about how to navigate Base Camp and how to get awards sent. JR, Fred, and Joe all had great insight on Pathways. Carol did a great job moderating the panel discussion and everyone had great questions to ask the panelists. I even got some motivation after Fred talked about accessing the reports. Sue Ellis in Cranberry High Noon is just amazing with nine awards.
My weekend is wrapping up with some football and thinking about last night’s sermon. We need to be careful with our mind and where we let it wander. I won’t be attending the March for Life on Harrisburg on September 27 but I pray for all those who will be going. I had the opportunity to attend back in 2016 and it was a great experience. I’m going to send in my baby bottles 🍼 before the deadline, and I’m going to pray for the Women’s Choice Network and Life Way Pregnancy 🤰 Centers.
Newly minted Distinguished Toastmasters Tina Kramer and Kim Santillo along with District 13 Director Bob Johnson and Sarah Souri. All four are proud members of the excellent Cranberry High Noon Toastmasters club.
On Monday at the Cranberry High Noon meeting, Toastmasters Tina Kramer and Kim Santillo were honored with their Distinguished Toastmaster awards. What a crowning achievement for the hard work these two have put in during their Toastmasters journey. It’s also a crowning achievement for the Cranberry High Noon club which now has nine Distinguished Toastmasters. Since its inception in 2013, the club has achieved the high honor of being Presidents Distinguished every year and I have no doubt this upcoming year will be no different. The members are always supportive and it’s not surprising how successful this club is.
Promasters held their first hybrid meeting Monday night and it was victorious. Two great speeches were given including an icebreaker. Russell Drake came up with some good table topics. Credit for the successful hybrid meeting can be given to Club President Stephanie Scott and Treasurer Russell Drake, two successful past district leaders. Area 13 Director Tina Kramer visited along with her assistant AD Darlene.
It’s celebration 🎉 time at Penn Hills. That same club which went From Extinguished to Distinguished (credit to Nate Stephens for putting together a great YouTube video on how that was executed). The chapter is celebrating its 20th anniversary this Saturday with a picnic at Boyce Park. There will be food and drinks served and the weather forecast looks good for the event.
Now onto this week’s Toastmasters Throwback. Just like the USA winning in World War II, so did District 13 Toastmasters. If not serving in uniform, our Toastmasters served the clubs with spirit and pride. This Toastmasters Resolution would be a perfect speech topic for an upcoming Toastmasters meeting.
The Steubenville club faced its own challenges head on and was better off in the long run for them. Wilkes Barre was learning the ropes in 1944, and early next year hosted the first theme meeting. The Biggest Show on Earth was a play on the Ringling Bros. Circus 🎪. The meeting itself was patterned after a circus. How about the Greatest Organization on Earth as a good nickname for Toastmasters?
Your semi-annual dues are due by the end of the month. Reinvest in your growth by renewing your Toastmasters membership. Encourage your clubs to bring their checks to the next meeting. Here’s the suggestion Greensburg’s VP Membership came up with:
Let everyone know that dues are due by the date of the next meeting instead of September 30. This will prompt everyone to make their dues payment a priority–and steer people away from thinking that they can delay writing a check until the last day of the month, which is the date by which the club treasurer has to submit dues to International. This will just make dues collection easier and less of a last-minute scramble for the Treasurer. When you send in your dues, you can post this on your Facebook.
That’s my Toastmasters News and Notes for this week. Check back again next Thursday, September 23 for more of what’s cooking in District 13.
