Shining Bright

Ladies, our first week of winter has passed and our club is in good cheer. We welcomed a new member into our club this week Anne, who has recently arrived from France. Welcome Anne, and we look forward to getting to know you. We also welcome aboard Priscilla and Tiria who have joined our club in the last month, with Tiria already completing her first speech, and it was fabulous to have several her friends join us to mark the occasion. Great to have you with us Priscilla and Tiria.

This week’s meeting incorporated our AGM with the election of our new committee members for the year with Sie Ling as our newly elected president who will most capably lead us through our next year.

We also had the presentation of two awards with Penny Lee being awarded her Advanced Communicator Gold. The Gold award is quite an achievement and the concerted effort of quite a few year’s work. Congratulations to you Penny Lee, and to Christine who was awarded her Advanced Communication Bronze. A lot of work goes into each award and it’s good to recognise their attainment and the steady gains that are made in achieving them.

Penny receiving her Advanced Communication Gold

Christine receiving her Advanced Communication Bronze

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Club Award

We also, have something exciting news as a club. We have received the President’s Distinguished Club, having achieved 9 out of 10 goals, through our increased membership and also progression of members through the international education program. This is the 3rd year running and the best indication that our club is thriving!!

Our theme for this week was to ‘Shine your Light’ and our Toastmaster Penny G encouraged us to shine bright and not hide our abilities, which totally in tune as we celebrated our achievements this week.

Keep shining ladies!

 

 

Competition Day!

What an awesome Humorous speech and Table Topics competition we had!!             Penny Lee started proceedings as Contest chair and introductions of our competing speakers.  The competition got off to a rousing start with Sheila, regaling us with tales of her encounters with medical professionals, in compromising states. Lovey was next sharing her interesting experiences as a boss trying to keep staff members engaged and awake on the job! Carol spoke of her dalliances with an Irish gypsy, in the woods against the better judgement and advice from her mother and the romance that ensued. Finally, Natasha who recently joined our club, captivated with her tips for life and always looking on the positive, even when your 3- year old is seemingly uninterested in your speech. Your club certainly was interested.  A spectacular effort and a wonderful source of entertainment on the part of all our competitors who had us all giggling in our seats. However, there must always be a winner and Natasha tickled ours and the judge’s funny bones, so much so that she was awarded winner of the Humorous speech competition. Awesome effort Natasha. We’re so proud of you!!

After some scrumptious eats at half time, we moved onto our Table Topics competition ably chaired by Sie Ling Ting.  Table Topics saw six participants given the topic of “What has been your happiest moment?” Sheila, Denise, Lovey, Penny G, Nicola and Tina competed sharing their moments and stories of times had from the births and special moments with their children and happy honeymoons.  Well done to Sheila for taking out the Table Topics title, with Penny G and Denise placed 2nd and 3rd respectively.

A big shout out to our wonderful judges Beryl and Mark Baker. We look forward to watching Natasha and Sheila compete at the next level in our Area competitions in 2 or 3 months’ time.

 

 

Autumn

Our most recent meeting was on St Patrick’s day and we had at least two of our members arriving in green! Looking good ladies.

We were also treated and had time to reflect on the season ahead as our Toastmaster, Carol Burrows shared her poem ‘Autumn’, which was our theme for the day. As with the seasons, so our club enjoys new seasons with several visitors lately, and we’re excited to welcome two recent new members, Nicola and Natasha. Welcome aboard ladies! Also, our visitor Nayla, who competently shared her impromptu speech, telling us of the seasons of travel in her own life.

In preparing for the coming weeks ahead, pulling out those winter clothes as the temperature outside moderates, just remember, there is still always a warm atmosphere to be enjoyed here at our club.

Poem by Carol Burrows 

Autumn is upon us, the season of despair, the heat of summer slowly dissipates, cold damp frosty weather, brings a remembered chill to our bones, as autumn issues the warning signals, of the approaching winter.

Turn your eyes to the trees, the glory of the Autumn tones, the branches radiant with golden leaves, the fruit trees bowing low the apples rosy, the grapes heavily laden and ready to pick, the fruits of the garden, brighten our days, before winter winds sweep them all away.

Soon we will once more hibernate, the cold will drive us indoors, blankets, heat pumps to the fore, leaves will fall and carpet the lawns, flowers will pull their heads in and hide, until slowly, slowly spring will come, with a burst, at last, to warm us again.

 

 

 

 

Celebrating Our Successes!

What a gorgeous winters day for the first meeting of Term 3 and what better way to be ‘Celebrating our Successes’ than with a fabulous Pizza Party!international speech_contest

And boy did we have a lot to celebrate today!!

Apart from those who have joined in the last few months, everyone received an award!! How awesome is that?!

We had six members who received their Spirit of Success certificates and pins were awarded to members who had completed their Competent Communicator, Competent Leader, Advanced Communicator Bronze, Advanced Communicator Silver, and Advanced Leader Bronze.

The pins themselves weren’t presented as they had gone astray in the post but we had excellent photocopies of them, which we all found quite amusing as it has given us a great excuse for another celebration when the pins do arrive! Party, party!

The Toastmaster of the Year award was presented jointly to Penny Lee and Sheila Hailstone who have both contributed massively to the club over the last year. Thank you and congratulations ladies! Well deserved.

Each of our individual successes contributed to our club’s success of achieving President’s Distinguished Club. We are very proud of achieving this goal, along side our own personal achievements, It is fantastic how much we have accomplished this year already! We still have many more opportunities to come. Keep up the good work th2P661CFBtoastmasters and remember……