The milestones that shaped District 61, from the movement's beginnings to today.
J.A. Gamache won the District International Speech Contest again. His wins are recorded in 1996, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2024, and he won the French speech contest in 1998.
He competed in the World Championship of Public Speaking in 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2018, placing third on his first appearance.
Under District Governor Beverley Miranda, DTM, the district passed the 200-club mark.
Gina Cook, DTM, served as an International Director of Toastmasters International from 2010 to 2012, overlapping with Sue Dalati's term. It is the only time in the history of Toastmasters that two sitting International Directors from the same district have served at the same time.
This entry summarises awards spanning many years, so it is filed at the last of them rather than at any one.
District 61 reached **Select Distinguished** status in 1987, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2007, and **President's Distinguished** status in 1984, 1993, 1998 and 2004.
It received **Excellence in Leadership** awards — for meeting its mission as a Distinguished District three or more years running — in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2009.
Sue Dalati, DTM, served as an International Director of Toastmasters International from 2009 to 2011.
Chris Ford, DTM, served as President of Toastmasters International for the 2007-2008 year — the district's only International President.
At the International Convention in Reno, Nevada, Chris Ford, DTM, was elected Third Vice President of Toastmasters International.
Jeannine Scott, ATM-B, represented District 61 in the World Championship of Public Speaking in Atlanta, Georgia.
John Gupta, DTM, served as an International Director of Toastmasters International from 2003 to 2005.
J.A. Gamache placed third in the World Championship of Public Speaking in Anaheim, California, in his first appearance at the contest.
Chris Ford, DTM, served as an International Director of Toastmasters International from 2000 to 2002.
Under District Governor Chris Ford, DTM, the number of clubs in the district roughly doubled, passing 100.
Under District Governor Jack Gammon, DTM, District 61 placed first in North America and third in the world.
Connie Maartense, DTM, won the Region VI Evaluation Contest.
Italo Magni, ATM, became the first District 61 contestant to compete in the World Championship of Public Speaking, at the International Convention in Louisville, Kentucky.
At the International Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, the district newsletter LEADER — edited by Jane Stuart, DTM — was chosen as one of the Top Ten District Bulletins.
The honour was repeated in 1994-1995 with joint editors Henry Heald, CTM and Jane Stuart, DTM; in 1998-1999 with editor Jean-Luc Leterme, DTM; and again in 2000-2001 with editor Cynthia Fortin, ATM-B.
Under District Governor J. P. Champagne, District 61 passed the milestone of fifty clubs.
Muriel How, DTM, served as an International Director of Toastmasters International from 1987 to 1989 — the first of five from District 61.
District 61 received the President's 20-Plus Award for the first time, as one of the three districts with the highest percentage of clubs carrying 20 or more members. It has received the award in many years since.
District 61 was recognized at the International Convention as a President's Distinguished District, having led every district in the world in exceeding its goals for educational completions, membership growth and club extension.
In its twenty-fifth year, under District Governor Muriel How, DTM, District 61 chartered seven new clubs and lost none — a final count of 33 clubs and growth of more than 30 percent.
Under District Governor Lilli Janzen, ATM, District 61 earned its first Distinguished District recognition, for educational completions and membership growth.
That same programme year, World Headquarters agreed to let District 61 handle the French translation of educational materials. Members coordinated the translation of three advanced manuals. The District 61 Translation Committee has since updated the basic Communication and Leadership Program manual, translated several more advanced manuals, and translated The Better Speaker Series and The Successful Club Series modules.
Still at 23 clubs a year later, 160 members turned out at the District Spring Conference. The show of support gained the district a further year.
At the International Convention, with 24 clubs, District 61 was told it would have to be integrated into another district unless there was marked improvement by June 1981. The district's bilingual status was perceived by some as the problem, and by others as a unique opportunity.
From a peak of 47 clubs five years earlier, the district had fallen to 23.
The original District 34 was disbanded. Four of its clubs joined District 61, bringing the district to 47 clubs.
The district had grown from its founding 14 clubs to 43.
July
Toastmasters International recognized District 61 on 1 July 1958. Fourteen clubs chartered under District 34 formed it, and three of them are still active today:
Districts 60-P and 61-P were granted provisional status, one year before becoming full districts.
A group of Canadian Toastmasters — then part of District 34, based in upper New York State — decided to form two all-Canadian districts.
