Written by Area Governor, Anne McKinnon learnt at the recent training in Brisbane 12-13 Sept that any area with only 3-4 Clubs can contribute 2 contestants to the upcoming Area Conference on 25 October. While this may not make much difference to some Clubs, this is subtantial news for Mt Sheridan which is sitting on a volcano of talent ready to explode at the seams. The Area Conference will be well worth attending! Keep 25 October free!
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Recognition for Outstanding Members
Tonight Nicky Jurd and Kaj Haffenden were formally acknowledged by their Area Governor, Anne McKinnon and Mt Sheridan members for their exemplary contribution to the Mt Sheridan Club and Toastmasters generally. In presenting the awards, Anne emphasized that being a winner isn’t only about winning competitions, nor is it only about scoring impressive statistics. Winning and achievement are as much about the process of striving as they are about reaching the destination. It’s about intention, effort, energy, drive, willingness to push through, persevere and give your best.
Anne elaborated “I want to acknowledge outstanding achievement, and it is not for any one particular thing! It’s not for being outstanding presenters, altho’ both of these people are. It’s not for having outstanding ideas, vision and creativity altho’ these two have that in bucket loads as well. It’s for being outstanding members of this Club and of Toastmasters generally.
Anne credited that the Clubs’ renaissance has largely been due to their incredible contributions which included
Stoic attendance
Willingness to volunteer their services far beyond the every day duties of being a member
Unbridled enthusiasm and dedication to anything ‘Toasties’
Building the best website of any Toastmaster’s Club
Being terrific team players and offering to help, train and mentor others
Opening not only their hearts minds but their kitchen to fellow ‘Toasties’
Educating us all about how coffee is better than tea, that espresso machines are always a wise investment and that chocolate is ‘bestest’ of everything and
Their best contribution of all – lots of loud laughing, snorting and chortling whenever the whim takes their fancy!!
Members erupted in applause for the much appreciated pair!
Internationally Acclaimed Author, Andrew Matthew’s Address
Andrew Matthews had the audience at the ‘I Love Cairns’ competition entranced today as he highlighted his happiness message by drawing his comical cartoon illustrations. He completely won our minds and hearts when he sketched one of his characters at the crossroads of life seriously pondering on which direction to take.
One arrow pointed north to happiness and the other to …….. Yep! You guessed it ……. T.o.w.n.s.v.i.l.l.e!!! The audience appreciatively erupted in laughter!
Many thanks to Andrew Matthews, international celebrity and Cairns-ite for his generous donation of time as well as his gems of wisdom.
Mt Sheridan Toastmasters Love Cairns and Cairns Loves Mt Sheridan Toastmasters
Mt Sheridan members swept the winning pool today at the inaugural ‘I Love Cairns’ Speech competition. Celia Berrell demonstrated her wordsmithing prowess with her highly polished and eloquently crafted speech expounding the virtues of how Cairns provides the best of both worlds – a safe haven as well as a hotbed for thrill seekers. Following close on her heels was Rod Sheather’s wonderfully entertaining speech embellishing on how he loved Cairns, not for its long legged women but for its gelato – more specifically the gelato one can savour on the Esplanade amongst the swarms of people taking simple pleasure in simple activities. Congratulations to both of these winners and many thanks also to Nicky Jurd for a splendid job chairing the competition, Kaj Haffenden and John Lizzio for a great job on audio and recording the event.
The ‘I Love Cairns’ speech competition this year was made possible by the financial support given by the Regional Council and Splash and the energy and effort put in by David Burston Northern Division Governor and an inter-area committee comprised of Pauline Douglas, Bronwen Forster, Nicky Jurd, Kaj Haffenden, John Lizzio, Anne McKinnon and Jill Morris. Next year we have no doubt the competition will be even bigger and better.
Mt Sheridan Members Spreading their Wings
At least two of Mt Sheridan Toastmasters will be spreading their wings to other Clubs over the next few weeks. Club competitions throughout both area 9 and 32 has created a demand for test speakers. A test speaker is required to provide a speech to contestants who are competing in an evaluation contest. The competitors listen to the speech and then each prepare a 2-3 minute evaluation which they later deliver in front of the audience (including judges).
Being a test speaker is an excellent growth opportunity for members because they are delivering to a new, usually unknown audience and then get the added value of multiple evaluations of their speech. Evaluations are all designed to provide constructive feedback in an appreciative, sensitive and motivational manner.
Rod Sheather is going to be providing the test speech for Mareeba Club this Tuesday night and Mark Turner will be doing the same for Marlin Coast on 24 Sept. I have no doubt these Clubs will be as excited and impressed as we are with our new upcoming speakers.
“I Love Cairns” Competition Sat 29 August! Author, Andrew Matthews Guest Speaker
Local Toastmasters Clubs with the backing of the Cairns Regional Council, Shangri La and Splash are holding the inaugural “I love Cairns” Speech competition next Saturday 29 August. The competition will be held in the Shangri La ballroom from 10am. Prize money of $250 is available for the junior winner and there is a $500 prize for the open winner. This competition is being staged at this time to co-incide with Festival Cairns. What better time or way to celebrate the wonderland we live in. Please come along to support our Clubs and speakers. Well known author Andrew Matthews, author of Happiness in a Nutshell, Being a Happy Teen will also be in attendance and will be giving a guest speech as well as being available to sign books.
Terrific Table Topics
Intrepid Toastmaster, John Lizzio, treated our meeting last Thursday to a highly entertaining and imaginative series of topics designed around “sniglets” – words that could not be found anywhere else but in a mind as fertile as John’s. Members were invited to weave words such as ‘bugpeddle’, blithwacking’, ‘zipcuffed’ into an impromptu story after John gave them a meaning for the word. ‘Blithwacking’ for example refers to the practice of using something other than a hammer to drive a nail into the wall. Audience participants and guests enthusiastically rose to the occasion with impressive, witty tales. Tremendous session!! Congratulations to all!
Sunday 25 October Combined Area Conference
Area 32 and Area 9 will be holding their combined Area Conference on Sunday 25 October. This platform provides for the next level of competition after Club level and will involve the following Clubs – Mareeba, Innisfail, Mt Sheridan, Leaders by Design, Pt Douglas, Marlin Coast, Cairns, Darwin and Alice Springs. Participants will be vying for the opportunity to compete at division level in Table Topics, Evaluations, Humorous speeches as well as the International speech. All Toastmasters are encouraged to attend this event not only to support our Club contenders but to gain experience in judging and other roles involved in competition. Guests are most welcome to attend.
4 June 2009 Meeting Programme
Download our next meeting’s programme: 4 June 2009.
Public Speaking Course starts 10 June
If you or people you know could benefit from this training, please read more on our home page by pushing the blue button …. “read more about our public speaking course”.
It may well be the best ‘value for money’ you will ever spend on your personal development.
