District 69

Kicking Off the Year: Highlights from Our First DEC Meeting

by | Jul 16, 2025 | District News | 0 comments

On Sunday evening, our newly appointed District Executive Committee (DEC) met for the very first time this program year.

With bright eyes, bushy tails, and a whole lot of enthusiasm, our leadership team came together to make some early—but important—decisions for Toastmasters District 69.

As Chair of the meeting, I was especially grateful for how efficiently business was conducted. The minutes are still in the works, but here’s a quick rundown of what we decided:

1. District Leadership Officially Appointed

We formally confirmed our 2025–2026 District leaders—and what a sharp-looking bunch they are! You can meet the full team over here: District Executive Team 2025–2026

2. Contests Confirmed for 2025–2026

This year, we’ll once again be hosting the four familiar District-level contests:

  • International Speech
  • Humorous
  • Table Topics
  • Evaluation

While these are the same contests as last year, Districts must confirm them annually—and now it’s official.

3. Contest Progression Rules for Small Areas

Where an Area has 4 or fewer clubs, one or two contestants from each club may progress to the Area Contest.

This currently applies to Areas 4, 10, 28, 7, 20, 37, 2, 9, 14, 38, 41, 44, and 35—with others potentially affected once alignment is finalised by Toastmasters International.

4. Contest Progression Rules for Small Divisions

Where a Division has 4 or fewer Areas, one or two contestants from each Area may proceed to the Division Contest.
This rule currently affects:

  • Eastern Division
  • Central Division
  • Moreton Division
  • Northern Division
  • Southern Division
  • Western Division

5. Area Realignment: Area 4 Joins Northern Division

Due to a newly enforced protocol from World Headquarters (WHQ) regarding the minimum number of Areas per Division, Area 4 has moved from Central to Northern Division.

While this caught us a little off guard, our leaders responded with excellent collaboration and grace. Special thanks to the incoming Area 4 Director, Central Division Director, and Northern Division team and a big thank you to Area 4 for their flexibility and spirit of cooperation.

As we kick off a new program year, these decisions set the stage for another fantastic year of growth, communication, and leadership. If you have any questions about what was discussed, feel free to drop a comment or reach out to me directly on dd@toastmastersd69.org.

Here’s to an exciting year ahead in District 69!