As a treat, we’ll look at the last two meetings that took place November 17 and 24.
The theme of the November 17 meeting was “Aroma”. Toastmaster John Kj opened the meeting by focusing on a thought provoking subject−our senses. He gave us an example of the dog, a highly perceptive creature that is excited about the abundant senses around it. Do we humans notice all the things around us too? Sadly, many of us who are constantly distracted by our daily routines do not. Fortunately John’s speech reminded us that small things make a big difference and it’s good to be aware.
Fresh off of the heels of her induction, new member Lilly gave a beautiful Ice Breaker speech. Titled “How I Left the 905”, we learned why she escaped Markham and found liberation in Liberty Village. Her speech was peppered with humour and contained a lot of food for thought. Most importantly it was a deep reflection of a person eager to whole-heartedly embrace the positivity of her new surroundings.
Next, our second speaker Bill Got to the Point by declaring capitalism is good. He supported this argument with some great examples. The distinction he highlighted between East and West Germany was a good indication why capitalism is great. Very educational speech, Bill!
Our third speaker Navita perfectly incorporated the theme of aroma in her speech number 4 – How to Say It. Navita’s narrative was very vivid and her description of the food was mouth watering, especially when it was heard during the dinner hour. Inspiring!
Final speaker Valerie wowed us by addressing the topic of EQ. Equipped with a bounty of techniques to connect to her audience, our advanced speaker presented a powerful and impactful presentation.
On November 24, the theme of the meeting was “Keeping in Contact”. Toastmaster Sean recollected a great story about how he kept in contact with a colleague and recommended him for a job. A few years later the same person recommended Sean for a job. Nice example of the power of “Keeping in contact”!
A defining moment of the night occurred when Valerie introduced her role as General Evaluator. She reminded us that our club has acquired numerous Distinguished Club accolades and invited all in attendance to bring our participation to the next level. She shared the appreciation of the feedback she received from the speech she did last week and encouraged us to be as open with our evaluation of our peers.
Hazel and Frank were the speakers for the evening.
Hazel’s Ice Breaker called “the Ups and Downs of 2010” was truly absorbing. Her eloquence and choice of words were admirable. Hazel’s speech opened an assortment of emotions from the audience. We reacted positively to her high points, we were touched by the low points, and were elated when she concluded her speech with a beautiful announcement. Well done and congratulations!
Our second speaker Frank asked if we like our Christmas trees real or fake. He was well poised and his delivery was very polished. Frank provided us with a well researched speech that put real trees in a more favourable light than fake trees. Great job!
We didn’t have Table Topics. Instead we spent the allotted time familiarizing ourselves with our mentorship program. Mentors and mentees went over setting goals for speeches and arranged time to follow up with each other. Our guests were not forgotten. They got the opportunity to learn more about Toastmasters too. Overall a lot of people really appreciated the mentorship session. Thank you Sean and Priya for leading such as important part of our development.
Both meetings were well attended and people continue to underscore the great flow of the meetings and the high level of engagement!
Looking forward to the next meeting!
Michelle
