Albuquerque Weekenders Toastmasters

Come join me on Monday night to hear from these two powerhouse speakers.

An Accredited speaker (and International speech contest finalist, twice) and a taped speech contest winner.

Everyone's invited.

Norma was awarded the Sparkplug, by Luke as General Evaluator, for bringing our guest today, her husband David. Esther won both the Better Speaker and More Improved Speaker votes. Charnia won the Better Evaluator vote.

Send a message to learn more

On Saturday, we had an excellent and well-attended meeting with nine Toastmasters and a guest. Charnia won the Best Speaker and Most Improved Speaker ribbons, and her evaluator Luke won Best Evaluator. Our Sparkplug Award for someone who brings an extra ✨spark🌟 of excitement to the club was awarded by last meeting's winner Norma to Randy Cooper, a fantastic artist and our meeting space's host. We look forward to our next meeting on December 6, hybrid in person and on Zoom. You don't have to be an Albuquerquean or a Burqueño to be a Weekender!

Sabrina won our Table Topics ribbon, Charnia was our Best Evaluator, new member Kaitlin won our Best Speaker ribbon, Norma was our Most Improved speaker and won the Sparkplug Award for bringing a spark to the meeting!

✨ What a great meeting today! ✨

We had the pleasure of hearing an Ice Breaker speech from one of our Albuquerque Weekenders members. She did a fantastic job it was a strong and inspiring start to her Toastmasters journey with our club. 👏

We also welcomed a guest who, after experiencing the meeting, decided to become a member by the end! 🎉

Each week brings something new: engaging speeches, positive energy, and people growing in confidence and connection. Come see what we're all about!

2025-2026 DISTRICT 26 SPEECH CONTESTS

District 26 - the new District for current District 23 Division Central clubs - released District 26's Area and Division Speech Contests for the 2025-2026 Toastmaster year.

Locations will be forthcoming from the District.

To monitor District 26 activities, follow the District 26 calendar:
https://www.d26toastmasters.org/our-calendar/

🌟 Another Wonderful Toastmasters Meeting Today! 🌟

Grateful for another energizing session filled with inspiration, growth, and connection. Our members continue to show up, support each other, and sharpen their communication and leadership skills — and it’s always worth getting up for. ☀️

🗣️ Word of the Day: Crux
Crux – An essential point requiring resolution or resolving an outcome.
Challenge yourself to use it this week!

From powerful speeches to insightful feedback, every meeting brings us closer to becoming the best versions of ourselves.

Want to grow with us? Come check out our next meeting — guests are always welcome!

Today's speaker was Michael Vega Serrano with his Icebreaker, coming in on time at 4:04. His evaluation by Luke Allen was also on time. The Best Table Topic was presented by Norma Lauben, and the speaker Michael received the Spark Plug award for bringing a 🌟spark✨ to the meeting. Our honored guest Raymond Wolfgang, from the Kirtland New Horizons club on base gave the Joke for the day, and Luke gave the tip of the day on how to structure a speech. All in all, not only did we live up to our motto ("It's Worth Getting Up For"), all of our participants were shamelessly magnificent!

Club Officer? Need training?
Tonight (1/2/2025) there is training! (Among all the other training opportunities you've seen).

See forwarded post from Leadership 23

Club Officer Training (COT) 2024-2025 - Toastmasters District 26 Connect the Dots...for Your Club with Effective Officer Training Districts must train club officers twice per year. Second Training: Between November 1 and February 28 Round 2 Club Officer Training started in District 26 on November 2. Upcoming Club Officer Training sessions for Round 2 are listed b...

Are you an incoming officer, especially President? Great session to check out!

Does your Toastmasters club hold regular officers’ meetings? How effective are those meetings? Would you like to talk about how to make them more effective?

Then come to “Munch with a Mentor” THIS FRIDAY and talk with DAVID R. GARDNER, DTM, current president of Leadership 23 Toastmasters Club, past president of several other District 23 clubs, and former Division Director. He has held every club office at least once.

FRIDAY, May 17, 2024 at 11:30am Mtn/12:30pm Ctl
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88405414630?pwd=V1luN3owQzdPL2F5NksvY3ZTZk11dz09

David participated in or convened hundreds of meetings during his professional career. Some were effective; many were not. David puts what he has learned into practice in his club officers’ meetings. Let’s talk about effective meetings and learn together!

Some interesting facts about David:
· A favorite quote: “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done, because he wants to do it” — Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States
· Favorite author: Charles Dickens
· Recently finished: A 16-lecture “Great Courses” course on the chamber music of Mozart
· Current course: Craig Valentine’s “Legendary Storytelling Course” replay
· Once took marimba lessons, but his teacher recommended he try “other options”
· Once won a blue ribbon at the New Mexico state fair in the “quick bread” baking category for cornbread
· Graduated from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia

Check in to talk to David about holding effective officer meetings!

Share this with others in your club, and clubs you serve who may benefit from this conversation.

Ask questions. Make a conversation. Enjoy the camaraderie.
· Starts at 11:30am Mtn/12:30pm Ctl
· 30 minutes
· many Fridays
Link in the comments.

Want to gain more ideas about sustaining your club's membership?

Then mark your calendar for THIS FRIDAY with PDG(PDD) SUSAN GARDNER. MUNCH WITH A MENTOR

April 5, 2024 11:30am Mtn/12:30pm Ctl

Come Munch with a Mentor and talk with SUSAN GARDNER, successful past District 50 Governor (Distinguished), successful multi-time campaign manager, and all-around successful person.

Susan wholeheartedly believes in focusing on sustaining membership. When you take care of the member, you help the member grow, you are delivering the Toastmaster product, and you help the club members grow.

Some interesting tidbits about Susan
- A favorite quote: "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten."
- Camped in Alaska (AK) in the winter, alone.
- Dog mom to long legged very ACTIVE puppy name Denali
- Each of her dogs over the years, were named after mountain peaks in AK
- Crochets, including making heat blankets (so cool)
- Father inspired to become an Area Director after Susan's time as a DG. (he served as AD, successfully)
- Past Toastmasters Chief Ambassador
- A Northeast coast girl, spent her career time in Texas as an Accountant

Check in to talk with Susan about sustaining membership!

Share this post with others in your club, and clubs you serve who may benefit from this conversation. Like and comment, too!

Ask Questions. Have a conversation. Enjoy the camaraderie.
- Starts at 11:30 MT / 12:30 CT
- 30 minutes
- most Fridays

Link in the comments.