Visiting other clubs is a great way to share your excitement and enthusiasm with another club and to let them show you theirs. You can also learn a great deal from a different club as each one does things slightly differently. The Traveling Gavel program is an interesting way to see more of District 64.
Objectives
• Encourage joint Toastmaster Club meetings
• Share talents and knowledge of communication and leadership
• Extend the fellowship of Toastmasters
Process
1. Members of the capturing club visit and participate in the meeting of the target club, the club in possession of the traveling gavel. As a courtesy, call ahead to announce your intent to visit and offer to help with the program.
- If the distance between the capturing club and the target club is 100 kilometres or less, then three (or more) Toastmaster members from the same club visit the target club that currently holds the Traveling Gavel. At least two of the visiting Toastmasters must participate in the target club’s meeting.
- If the distance between the capturing club and the target club is more than 100 kilometres, then two Toastmasters from the same club may capture the gavel. The two visiting Toastmasters must participate in the target club’s meeting.
- If the distance between the capturing club and the target club is more than 300 kilometres, then one Toastmaster may capture the gavel by participating in the target club’s meeting.
2. The club surrendering the gavel will react with joy at the opportunity to have guests and graciously surrender the gavel.
3. The visiting Toastmasters capture the Traveling Gavel at the end of the meeting and take it back to their club to display at each subsequent club meeting, until it is captured by visiting Toastmasters from another club, bestowed upon another club or returned to a District meeting.
4. As soon as the Traveling Gavel is captured, the visiting Toastmasters must inform the Gavel Guardian of the gavel’s new place of residence. Take a photo of your group visiting the club and capturing the gavel. Email the photo and new location of the gavel to Gavel@district64.ca
Rules
1. Toastmasters capturing the gavel cannot also be members of the target club.
2. Should more than one Club be present to capture the gavel, the Club with the most members present will be successful in obtaining it. If each Club has an equal amount of members, the Club travelling the greater distance will obtain it. If both Clubs are from the same distance and have the same amount of members present, a tie will be declared and the gavel will stay at the current club unless one club wishes to forfeit it.
3. If the gavel is not captured within three weeks, the gavel must be bestowed upon another club or returned to the next District meeting to become available for capture by the club with the most members present at the District meeting. (If there is a club meeting between the end of the three weeks and the next District meeting, then the gavel is still available for capture.)
4. All clubs are eligible to capture the gavel. If a monthly club captures the gavel, then they can hold it for one meeting. If the gavel is not captured at that meeting, then the gavel must be bestowed upon another club or returned to the next District meeting.
5. If the Travelling Gavel is returned to a District meeting, it will be captured by the club with the greatest number of members in attendance for the meeting.
6. A club in possession of the Traveling Gavel may bestow it upon another club by having members visit and participate in the meeting of another club. The parameters for distance apply. (0 to 100 km = 3 Toastmasters, 101 to 300 km = 2 Toastmasters, over 300 km = 1 Toastmaster)
7. Clubs may capture the gavel more than once, but a club may not capture the gavel right back from the club that captured it from them.
8. A club returning the gavel to a District meeting shall not re-capture the gavel at that same District meeting.
9. Clubs may capture the gavel from the District meeting only once per year.
The actual traveling gavel and journal booklet
