In January of 2004, we introduced FreeToastHost to the Toastmasters community. Since that time, FreeToastHost has been helping clubs attract new members, operate more efficiently, and keep current members informed and interested. Over 11,000 Toastmasters clubs around the world benefit from the no-cost websites and on-line tools provided by FreeToastHost such as the duty roster, member directory, e-mail lists, club calendars. August of 2011, we introduced FreeToastHost 2, a generational update in the platform for Toastmasters Club and District websites.

In August 2018 we introduced FreeToastHost 3, the next step in Toastmasters Club and District websites with responsive templates and changes to support the EU GDPR laws.

FreeToastHost is a webhost specifically for Toastmasters clubs and districts anywhere in the world. Each website comes with easy-to-use web-based software ideal for any Toastmasters club. Providing your club is listed on Toastmasters.org, there is no-cost for this service! FreeToastHost was created by a Toastmaster, and is maintained and supported by a group of Toastmasters, with the cooperation of Toastmasters International. FreeToastHost 3 websites use the domain names ToastmastersClubs.org and ToastmastersDistricts.org for the club and district websites, respectively.

FTH 2.0 Video User Guide

If you are the visual type who wants a detailed walk through of FTH 2.0, then sit back and enjoy this 56 minutes, commercial free :), video user guide as presented by the creator of the software.

Watch the Video Now!

FreeToastHost Year-end Musings

As we come to the end of 2017, I thought I would be a bit self-indulgent and take a look at what got accomplished this year with FreeToastHost updates.

All in all, I am pretty happy with what we were able to accomplish in updating the system this year. (However, there is always more to do.)

  1. Built out the Agenda Emailer to allow for the emails to be used more effectively to sign up for meeting roles, drop meeting roles, and confirm meeting roles.
  2. Along with #1 above, implemented meeting attendance tracking and reporting.
  3. Made the meeting sign-up sheet more usable by allowing certain future meetings to be omitted and by adding spreadsheet grid format as an output option.
  4. Upgraded email security with the roll-out of DKIM email security support, crowd-sourced black list, anti-spoofing phrase, and the addition of the "Is this SPAM?" links to certain emails.
  5. Made email more useful with the roll-out of user-supplied email template support.
  6. Upgraded website security with the roll-out of HTTPS support and automatic SSL certificate generation and renewals.
  7. Improved localization features with the implemenation of user-selectable date and time formats.
  8. Added some more appearance "bling" with the implementation of a website "wallpaper" feature.
  9. A number of miscellaneous other features to make the system easier to use.

As I mentioned in my prior blog post, I do have some goals for the future.  I am already working on some of those in my spare time.  Please log in to your websites as the admin occasionally so that you can get my notifications of system updates.

Steve James, DTM
FreeToastHost Ambassador
FreeToastHost System Developer

FTH passes a major milestone

This month marks a major milestone in the life of FTH the provider of free websites for chartered Toastmasters Clubs around the world. FTH is proud to announce it now supports more than 10,000 Toastmasters clubs.

Bo Bennett DTM and I (Brian McDonald DTM) want to thank our dedicate group of volunteer FTH Ambassadors who do the support of all of the FTH websites.

The FTH Ambassadors are:
Jane Atkinson, ACS, ALB (Division A Governor in District 72 (New Zealand)),
Roger Morehouse, DTM (District 65, central and western New York State (USA)),
Brad Smith, CC, (North Carolina, USA)
Steve James, ACB, ALB (California, USA)

We are about to announce the addition of new FTH Ambassadors we will be making their names available shortly.

Thank you,

Brian McDonald DTM
Lead FTH Technical Advisor and Support
District Director District 61 2016-2017

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