"Helping YOU Take Center Stage"!

"Great leaders unleash the collective talent and passion of people toward the right goal." Dr. Stephen Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People "Your ability to negotiate, communicate, influence, and persuade others to do things is absolutely indispensable to everything you accomplish in life. The most effective men and women in every area are those who can quite competently organize the coorperation and assistance of other people toward the accomplishment of important goals and objectives". Brian Tracy My Lt. Governor of Education & Training, Bil Lewis, DTM bought and presented me a copy of The Leadership Bus - How to be a Truly Effective and Successful Leader , by Past International President, Ted Corcoran. I read it today and found some helpful tips to assist me on my leadership journey as the District 31 Governor. AND I am planning on buying his books for our District Bookstore as well. Ted is a sweet gentleman from Dublin, Ireland. We shared ...

2009 Toastmasters Accredited Speaker Program: L-R: Michelle Alba Lim., Mary Ellen Psaltis. Sheryl Roush, Karen, D31 DG, Sherri Raftery Photo taken by Sheryl;s friend Only two people advanced to the 2009 Accredited Speaker Program during the International Convention at the MGM Grand - Foxwoods. It began at 2:45 p.m. on Thursday August 13th in a large room with many who watched the second-level presentations to see who would earn the title of 2009 Accredited Speaker at the Hall of Fame Ceremony. I am only going to focus on the second speaker MaryEllen because I watched her transform in 365 days. I was very impressed with how much she has improved from her professional attire, to the moment she walked onto the stage. I was impressed with many aspects of her speech and thought for sure that she nailed it and would pass as an Accredited Speaker. But to my surprise, she did not which proves just how hard it is to master this elite program. Right after the end of the event I went over to ...

Photo by Brian Lin Copyright @2009 LeaderD83@gmail.com 2009-2010 Third Vice President, John Lau, DTM and 2009-2010 District 31 Governor, Sherri Raftery, DTM sitting at the Head Table during the 2009 Toastmasters International Presidents Dinner Dance on Saturday August 15, 2009 at the MGM Grand Foxwoods. What a thrill to be asked by the incoming Third Vice President, Distinguished Toastmaster, John Lau from District 51 (Malaysia) if I would like to be his guest at the President's Dinner Dance! YES OF COURSE I WOULD! What an amazing opportunity to be sitting at the head table (first tier) with all the BIG WIGS!! This is ONE of my MANY favorite moments at the 2009 International Convention. OH AND even better, ...the announcer ..1995 WCPS, Mark Brown (with his mohogany voice) prounounced my name "spot on". Thanks Mark! -------------- Toastmasters: Confidence, Leadership, Service! http://www.toastmasters.org/ Take Center Stage! http://www.district31.org/ Distric...

District 31 Governor, Sherri Raftery, DTM & Second Place WINNER 2009 World Champion Public Speaking, Mary Cheyne at the 2009 Toastmasters International Speech Contest on Saturday August 15, 2009 during the International Convention - MGM Grand, Foxwoods, Connecticut. Photo by Don Saracen - Copy right @2009 saracen@fctvplus.net My Best Mate Mary Cheyne WON Second Place during the 2009 World Champion of Public Speaking Contest! I am SOOO proud of Mary - I watched her grow as a speaker during the last few years and I prayed for this day to come when she would TAKE CENTER STAGE at the International Convention! Mary also supported me during my years in the leadership track and during our 2009 District 31 Spring Conference - we EACH had a victory! I was elected the 2009-2010 District 31 Governor and Mary WON First Place at the District Contest - we hugged one another and cried and smiled of course! During the contestant interviews Senior Vice President Pat Johnson asked Mar...

District 31 Toastmasters members which covers Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island Take Center Stage with 2009 WCPS, Second Place Winner Mary Cheyne on Saturday August 15, 2009 at the MGM Grand - Foxwoods - Connecticut during the 2009 Toastmasters International Speech Contest! Photo by Don Saracen - @ 2009 Copy right all rights reserved saracen@fctvplus.net

2009 WCPS -Second Place Winner, Mary Cheyne from District 31 with 2009-2010 International President, Gary Schmidt at the 2009 International Speech Contest on Saturday August 15, 2009 at the MGM Grand - Foxwoods, CT. Photo by Don Saracen - Copy right 2009 all rights reserved saracen@fctvplus.net

2003 WCPS - 2nd Place Winner, District 31 Governor, Sherri Raftery, DTM, 2001 WCPS, Darren LaCroix, 2009 WCPS 2nd Place Winner, Mary Cheyne, 2003 WCPS, Jim Key, 1995 WCPS, Mark Brown at the 2009 Toastmasters International Speech Contest on Saturday August 15, 2009 MGM Grand - Foxwoods. Photo by Don Saracen Copy right 2009 saracen@fctvplus.net

Winners of the 2009 World Championship of Public Speaking (L) Mary Cheyne (Region Vii D31) - 2nd place(C) Mark Hunter - 1st place(R) Erick Rainey - 3rd place Photo by Don Saracen Copy right 2009 @ saracen@fctvplus.net An amazing contest with amazing messages! "Nellie", "Green Tomates", "Feed Your Dog"

2008 World Champion of Public Speaking, LaShunda Rundles LaShunda responded to my email that asked if she was attending the 2009 International Convention at MGM Foxwoods today. She informs me that her health comes first AND she is doing much better! Fingers Crossed she makes the 2010 Convention - Palm Desert California! ---------- LaShunda Rundles becomes 1st black woman to win World Championship of Public Speaking -BNET Talkback http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_17_114/ai_n31007016/

"I have benefited in many ways from being an EDGE member such as being on the monthly calls, listening to the educational CDs, and writing on the EDGE Forum. Probably the most important benefit was the connection that Darren helped me establish with Orphan Train's speaker Charlotte Endorf who also wrote several books about the subject. Charlotte inited me to speak at the 2008 Orphan Train's Celebration in Fremont, Nebraska. She also asked me to contribute my personal story about being an orphan from the Home for Little Wanderers in Boston Massachusetts in her book Undsung Neighbors! Now I will have a product to seee and plan on donating 10 percent of the proceeds to the Home for Little Wanderers - all thanks to being a Champions Edge member since 2007". Sherri Raftery, M. Ed. Page 45 World Champions Edge Testimonial Speaker’s EDGESecrets and Strategies forConnecting with Any Audience http://www.worldchampionresources.com/products-book.html Whether your next presentat...

Congratulations! It is my privilege to inform you that you have been selected to carry the flag of Zambia the following country at our Opening Ceremonies at Toastmasters International Convention at Foxwoods on Wednesday evening, August 12, 2009. Val Albert, DTM, PID Opening Ceremonies Chair Zambia declared its independence on the day of the closing ceremony of the 1964 Summer Olympics , thereby becoming the first country ever to have entered an Olympic games as one country, and left it as another. Victoria Falls is by some measures the largest waterfall in the world Kalambo Falls Mwata Kazembe XVII Paul Kanyembo Lutaba chief of the Lunda people in Zambia in 1961 Coat of arms Zambia http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=112239125770&h=-lah6&u=rds8e&ref=mf The Republic of Zambia (pronounced /ˈzæmbiə/ ) is a landlocked country in Southern Africa . The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malaw...

"We are delighted to recognize you as a Distinguished Toastmaster. Your outstanding achievement will serve as an inspiration to all Toastmasters" Daniel Rex, Executive Director & Jana Barhnill, DTM, AS, International President 2008-2009 June 29, 2009 Distinguished Toastmaster Award - Sherri Raftery, DTM "Sherri I am SO proud of you - for EVERYTHING! Share the benefits you have recieved from other Toastmasters, mentor and encourage them to take full advantage of the opportunities that Toastmasters affords. Show them what can happen when they have " The Courage to Conquer"! See you soon" . - Jana Barnhill, DTM, AS "Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) recognition is the highest honor that can be earned by a member of Toastmasters International. The DTM award is given only to those who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and communication skills and who have used these skills to help others in their self-development efforts". Dan Rex, Execut...