What a hoot!

The meeting was one of our best ever – but then again, most meetings are.

Mark Richards was Toastmaster with his usual flair and energy.

Mark Lennon gave the Inspiration.  He started with the 16 year old girl planning to be the youngest person sailing around the world single handed.  Then he revealed his ambition to take part in an extraordinary race around the world in a maxi yacht.  When he has the time and the money!

David Nicholas

David Nicholas spoke from  the Advanced Interpretive Reading Manual – Interpreting Poetry.  His title was “Sonnets”.  He gave some brief information about this most rigidly controlled form of poetry and then read 3 sonnets he particularly likes – Shakespeares’s “Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments.”, MacLeish’s “The end of the world”, and Shelley’s “Ozymandias”.  Then for good measure he read the Macleish and Shelley again, and came in 4 seconds over the 8 minute time slot.  You can view the text of the poems at three sonnets. Colin Hughes evaluated David’s speech.

Lee Syminton

Lee Syminton presented Speech 8 from the Competent Communicator Manual – Get comfortable with visual aids.  She gave helpful advice and stern warnings about “Fashion Trends 2009-2010″.  Neville Simmons assisted her with an absolute no-no for this year – wearing a denim top.   The audience was in stitches in the whole speech and particularly when she cut holes in the top of her black stockings – absolutely required – a woman should always have her scissors handy before she goes out in public this year.  Heljo Cameron evaluated Lee’s speech.

Amanda Siebert evaluated the evaluators.

The Table Topics Contest

Peter Law was the Contest Chair.  Peter is our W21 Area Governor and he is getting familiar with the contest scene in preparation for organising the Area final in October.  Peter’s Table Topic for all 6 contestants was “Computers are a wonderful invention.”

The Judges

David Nicholas presented a Judging Workshop.  It’s our practice to do the judging in house.  That worked out very well, with an expert panel of 12 judges.

The Contestants

It was a big field, with a late entry from Ty Bridon.  He joined tonight and just made it into the contest.  In speaking order they were

Richard Strickland, Neville Simmons, Mark Hamilton, Linda Dose, Diarumuid Neville and Ty Bridon.

Mark Hamilton

Mark Hamilton took first place.  Diarmuid Neville was second and Neville Simmons was third.  Mark and Diarmuid will represent us at the Area Final, with Neville as an emergency reserve.

Mark Williamson presented the Highlights.  There were lots of highlights for Mark, but the Table Topics Contest was his top choice.

Tony Obrzut presented the Timing Report.

Alan Smith evaluated the Meeting.

President Heljo Cameron closed the meeting.  She welcomed our visitor, Peter, who told us he was rather overwhelmed by the high standard of speaking, but hoped to join.  She drew attention to the Speechcraft course beginning on September 24th, and asked those able to help to speak to David.

Committee Meeting

After supper the Committee met to discuss Club business.

Our Victoria Quay Speechcraft Course

We are running a 6 week course on Thursday evenings from 7-9pm, starting on Thursday, September 24^th. David Nicholas is the Coordinator. You can view a page about it at Current Course

Speechcraft is a series of public speaking classes designed to develop public speaking ability and so much more. Speechcrafters gain confidence in all aspects of communication, including written and impromptu speeches, body language, active listening and critical evaluation.

The Speechcraft program exposes each participant to a wide range of communication and learning experiences. Each participant receives a professionally published Toastmaster International Speechcrafter Manual plus a range of learning materials. Participants prepare and present speeches in a relaxed atmosphere.

We need helpers

We gradually train the Speechcrafters to take on meeting roles apart from answering Table Topics and giving speeches.  In the early stages we need about 6 members each meeting to fill roles like Toastmaster, Table Topics Master, evaluator and timer. It doesn’t have to be for every session.

The trainers learn too!

Yes, it is usually the teacher or the trainer who learns the most from a session.  So, if you are new to the club, you are eligible to help us, and you will benefit greatly from it.

Let David know you want to help, and which evenings you will be available.

Email me, or phone on 9457 6468, or speak to me at the club meeting.

David Nicholas

New Member

Richard Strickland joined the Club. Richard attended the Speechcraft Course we ran in February/March this year. Since then he has been very busy in his work, but now has the time to take part. Of course he had a Table Topic from Neepa and was challenged – who is the happiest person you know? It was a challenge, but he survived it.

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Club Success Plan

President Heljo presented a Workshop about our plan to meet the 10 Goals in the Distinguished Club Plan. She took the names of members who are aiming at speaking and leadership awards during the year. We already have one Competent Communicator Award lodged by Amanda Siebert. There will be many more coming.

David gave a Tonic about our performance in the DCP (Distinguished Club Plan). He has recently viewed a web page report from Toastmasters Region 5. It showed that in District 73 we are the only club to have always been Presidents Distinguished Club with all 10 goals in every year.

Notices

This is a copy of the Notices from p.2 of the Agenda.

Double DTM

Our 4 Double DTMs

Distinguished Toastmaster – DTM – is the highest award in Toastmasters. It requires a lot of work in both the club and in administrative work in the broader Toastmaster community. Some members, having completed their first DTM, go on to do another one, or even more than that. In the 165 clubs in District 73 – that’s Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia – there are 6 members who have done this. 4 of them – that’s right, 4 of the 6 – are members in our Club.

Last night we honoured Mark Richards DTM who has just achieved his second award.

Mark Williamson was Toastmaster.

Mark Williamson

Mark applied himself with great energy in his first try at this demanding role. The meeting ran smoothly with no hitches. Early on he had a few stumbles with introducing speakers smoothly and convincingly, but when that was overcome it was plain sailing.

Lee gave the Inspiration.

She told us about Susan Boyle, the 47 year old single Irish woman, who starred in a singing talent show and has become enormously popular through postings on UTube. Susan sang I dreamed a dream from Les Miserables, inspiring Lee.
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Tony Obrzut

Tony presented Table Topics

He took us through scenarios based on encounters with aliens.

Alan’s question was Are there aliens among us? Yes there are – the strange people who belong to Toastmaster Clubs, working on public speaking skills.
Visitor John What would he say to the first alien he met? John had plenty to say – he would discuss suitable dress codes, how to communicate by email and other important matters to humans.
Visitor Michelle Who is to blame for the Global Financial Crisis? Michelle doubted that aliens would be very interested in financial crises, but if they were, she would like their advice on what to do about it.
Colin Simon What is the solution to the world food crisis? Colin felt sure aliens would suggest we adopt scientific production methods using Genetically Modified food crops.
Lee How would she explain to aliens that Startrek is actually just a movie, and not reality? Well, she would try hard, but actually she is not convinced it isn’t reality.
Mark Hamilton Is human cloning the way of the future? The aliens definitely think so, and so does Mark. He felt that if our meeting group could be cloned then the world’s problems would be sorted out.

Alan presented the Tonic. He has been reading some crazy ads collected in the New Scientist magazine.

Mark Richards presented the Table Topics Evaluation.

The prepared speeches

Gail Jenkins

Gail believes It’s Time to Talk About Alcohol. She gave her proposal – that each person present should become an agent for change in the community’s attitude to and use/misuse of alcohol, by taking action in our sphere of influence. She outlined the worsening situation with younger groups becoming addicted to alcohol. She dealt with the. problems resulting from this. Gail ended with a stirring call to action. Personal freedom is a great thing, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of the rest of the community.

Colin Hughes evaluated Gail.

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Peta Anderson

Peta’s's CC6 – Vocal Variety – speech was titled Gold Star.
Peta read to us a powerful poem by Australian poet Bruce Simpson. She chose to sit on a chair and read from there. The story was about a dramatic event on a droving trip. A fearful storm broke over the herd during the night. Gold Star was the 12 year old mare ridden by Dave. As the riders tried to head the herd off from running over a steep bank into the river, Dave came off, but Gold Star knew the procedure and did the job herself, but at the cost of her own life.

David evaluated Peta.

Peter Law

Peter’s Icebreaker speech was titled Forks in the road.
Peter gave us a series of snapshots of crucial times in his life when he had to decide what to do, and the result was important. The first was at 17 when, encouraged by his father, he went into the Army. The next was in the Army when he switched to the SAS. Then he married, and had 3 days for his honeymoon. Then a very important event – he was severely injured on a training drill. But he recovered and went into Admin, to work behind a desk. Fatherhood had a big impact on his life. He left the Army for a while. Now he is back in a way as a public servant, serving the Army. The last fork – joining Toastmasters. Where will that lead?
Neville evaluated Peter.

Glenis Nicholas

Glenis’s CC9 speech was titled Why?.
Why have David, Alan and Glenis remained in Victoria Quay for the past 14 years since it first met on Victoria Quay wharf in April 1995? Glenis outlined the benefits of being a long term member. She gave her own experience as a shy child who only spoke when spoken to, as a teacher – who are notoriously poor at public speaking, as a Lecturer who was subject, not audience, oriented, and as a Clinical Psychologist in private practice. It was Toastmasters which transformed her ability to handle public speaking opportunities. And it was through Toastmasters that she got training, practice and experience in leadership. She issued an invitation and a challenge – to stay on, to become a long term member with all the personal benefits that will accrue, and to pass on the skills to the members who will join the club down the years.

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Frank evaluated Glenis.

Diarmuid presented the Highlights.

Heljo Cameron

Heljo evaluated the evaluators.

She evaluated each of the evaluators in detail and gave each a one word summary analysis
Mark was Efficient
Colin was Analytical
David was Natural
Neville was Structured
Frank was Thorough

Ayden Durrance

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Mark Hamilton gave his first Timing Report.

Ayden evaluated the meeting.

President Gail closed the meeting.

Gail honoured Mark Richards for achieving his second Distinguished Toastmaster Award – the DTM. She pointed out that among the 165 clubs in our District 73, there are only 6 members who have achieved more than one DTM. And four of them were from Victoria Quay and present this night.

She presented David with a copy certificate for the presentation of Life Membership in the club, awarded the previous meeting.

She got feedback from our 3 visitors, Michelle, John and Jenny. She closed the meeting with the usual request for members to replace chairs and table in their standard positions, before sharing in the supper.

Gail prepared the supper.

Thank you, Victoria Quay.

Last Wednesday, April 22, 2009 a wonderful honour was paid me.  Yes, I was made a life member of the Club I founded with Lesley Amm back in 1995.

It was our 14th Anniversary celebration.
Our first meeting was held on the wharf at Victoria Quay in April, 1995. We have met continuously since then, every Wednesday night, except for a few week off over the Christmast/New Year break. The 14th Anniversary meeting was Meeting 682. What a wonderful record.

Four of us are still in the club

Glenis Nicholas and Alan Smith have maintained continuous membership since that first meeting. Judith Ingle had a break of a few years, but she has been back with us for quite a while now.

I have enjoyed my 14 years membership very much. The Toastmaster International database shows that in that time Victoria Quay has been the outstanding club in Australia. Through our consistent early Presidents Distinguished Club status with all 10 goals we must be near or at the top of the world rankings as well. It is an honour to be one of the leaders in such a wonderful club.

Thank you to President Gail, the Officers and all the members of Club 5769, Victoria Quay Toastmasters.

David Nicholas DTM

Heljo Cameron won our February International Contest

We had three excellent contestants – Heljo Cameron, Claire Lacy and Lee Syminton – for our International Contest on Feb 11, 2009.

Chief Judge Glenis congratulates Heljo

Gail Jenkins was Contest Chair, David Nicholas delivered the Judging Workshop and Glenis Nicholas was Chief Judge. Victoria Quay member, Pascale Amberville Colby, is our W21 Area Governor.

The next round

The W21 Area Contest will be hosted by Gateway on Tuesday evening, February 24, 2009. There were be two representatives from each of 3 Clubs – Victoria Quay, Gateway and Southsiders. This means that we will represented by Heljo and Claire in the International, and Shaun and Heljo in the Evaluation.

A bumper meeting

We have had a powerful start to 2009. There were 28 people at the meeting with 7 visitors, several of whom are likely to join. Already this year we have 5 new members – Gary (rejoining), Janice, Ayden, Neville & Siobahn.

Shaun Dore won our February Evaluation Contest

We had three excellent contestants – Gail Jenkins, Shaun Dore and Heljo Cameron – for our Evaluation Contest on Feb 4, 2009.

Michael Geisler from Canning Vale Toastmasters was the Test Speaker. Alan Smith was Contest Chair and David Nicholas was Chief Judge. Victoria Quay member, Pascale Amberville Colby, is our W21 Area Governor, so he presented Shaun with his winner’s certificate.

W21 Area Governor Pascale congratulates Shaun

Next Wednesday, February 11, we will be holding our International Speech Contest.

February Contests

We will be having Contests at our first two meetings in February.  These are our Club contests.  The winners will represent us at the Area W21 final on Saturday afternoon, February 28.

Who can compete?

All club members are entitled to take part in the contests.  If you would like to compete, let David know.  Email him or phone him on 9457 6468.

Who does the judging?

Judging for the Contests is done by fellow club members – all those not taking part in the Contest. David will present a Judging Workshop which gives training in how to do the judging. Then there will be immediate practice in the contest that follows. Our mix of experienced and newer members gives us an excellent panel which delivers fair results.

There is a Judging Form with suggestions on how to allocate points for various relevant matters. See below to download copies of the forms.   Judges get 1 minute after each contestant has finished to make notes and award points. When all contestants have spoken, the Judges write the names of their preference for 1st, 2nd and 3rd on a form which is collected by the Tally Counters who go out to the back with the Chief Judge and count the votes. The Chief Judge returns to announce the results. The successful contestants are presented with a certificate by our W21 Area Governor.

The Evaluation Contest

Before the meeting, the contestants draw for speaking order.

A Toastmaster from another club will present a Manual Speech of 5-7 minutes. After the speech the Marshall takes the contestants to the back room where they have 5 minutes to prepare their evaluation and make notes. The Marshall then collects the notes and the contestants go out one at a time to deliver their 3 minutes Evaluations. The Marshall hands them their notes as they go out to speak.

Helpful Suggestions for the Evaluation Contest

• Use the CRC structure – Commend / Recommend / Commend
• Use a 3/2/1 approach – 3 Commends / 2 Recommends / 1 final Commend
• End with a brief summary of your points, both Commends and Recommends

The International Speech Contest

Before the meeting, the contestants draw for speaking order.

The speakers deliver their 5-7 minute speeches in the speaking order. They don’t go out and wait their turn with the marshall.

Helpful Suggestions for the International Speech Contest

• Deliver an inspirational speech
• Include humor – audiences love to laugh
• Use the full width and depth of the stage

Download the Judging Forms

Evaluation Judging Forms
International Judging Forms

Checkins and Checkouts

We had 3 speeches only tonight – Judith was ill and couldn’t give her speech. So we started with a Checkin. Beginning with Tony, everybody had the opportunity to express how they were feeling at the beginning of the meeting. There was a big range of emotions.

David was Toastmaster.

David Raftery

David handled the role with easy competence. He drew our attention to the power of silence when speaking in public, and urged us to try it even more than usual. There were two visitors. Bernadette came along to see where daughter Claire was getting so much encouragement for her speaking career. Simon was very nervous and just wanted to watch for the first meeting.

Peta gave the Inspiration.

Peta read us a thoughtful, powerful poem by Helen Deutsch – The white magnolia tree. The poem was about romantic love, springing up youthfully, waxing, and mellowing into maturity as each year the magnolia tree bloomed.

Cathy Feely

Cathy presented Table Topics

Cathy began with a detailed account of Nigella Lawson’s TV show and then asked a series of questions based around food.

Suvidh spoke about stress in eating. His father is very interested in Suvidh’s University studies and frequent questions during mealtime make it difficult for him. Perhaps eating in front of the TV would be the best strategem.
Alan confessed to over-indulgence – yes, but only in healthy foods like choclates, rich cakes and cream. He is very restrained with bad foods like carrots and cabbage and apples.
Bernadette declined to accept the title of Domestic Goddess. She remembered cooking chicken for the man she eventually married – it was raw and quite inedible. Apparently nothing much has improved since then.
Lee detailed culinary disasters she has perpetrated as she has ignored recipes when confronted with them.
Glenis discussed recipe books. She believes in them, but doesn’t use them since David does all the cooking now. And he never uses recipes, preferring to use his tastebuds instead.

Toastmaster David filled in with a Tonic – well, a story of gin and tonics for his mother.

The other David presented the Table Topics Evaluation.

Frank Lindsay

Frank presented his Icebreaker Helter Skelter – the Day the Music Died Music has also been important in Frank’s life. He grew up listening to Patsy Cline, Slim Dusty, Dean Martin etc. He went to Music School here in Fremantle to learn Classical Guitar for 8 years. But that left him with no confidence, particularly with girls, who were more interested in rock stars than classical guitar. He had a lucky break and became a singer with a small band, culminating in a show in a review in which he sang American Pie for an audience of 2,000. He had a bad throat and part way through lost his voice completely. The day the music died. He was very ill and was in hospital and quarantined for a week. He hasn’t pursued a career as a pop singer.

Glenis evaluated Frank.

Tony Obrzut

Tony’s Speaking to Inform 3 speech was titled Database Design.
Tony dealt with the key issues in an organisation choosing a Database to meet its long term needs cost and features. Typically, Tony made his two main points memorable by well chosen and well delivered jokes. Dealing with cost he made the point that the purchase price is less than half the long term cost. Imagine selling a kidney in order to purchase something, and then needing to sell the other kidney to keep it maintained. Not a good idea. As for features, he dealt with Load Balance and the Fail Over Clusters. This was made very memorable by a story about a brain surgeon using a computer for feedback and interrupted at a critical point in the operation by the blue screen of death, and then attempting to get online help over the phone.

Suvidh evaluated Tony.

Amanda Siebert

Amanda’s CC 6 speech was titled The End is Nigh.
She had an arresting opening, miming her primary school teacher smoking in class. Of course it couldn’t occur now. She gave figures which showed that in the years since her primary school the number of smokers in our population has gone down from 43% to 16%. Already WA is spending $2.4 billion a year on smoking health care and it will increase as the populations ages. Amanda detailed a series of strategies that the Cancer Council has on the drawing boards to reduce smoking even further more in our community. For the Tobacco Companies, The End is Nigh.

Lee evaluated Amanda.

Alan Smith

Alan’s Highlights tested our listening skills, as he took us through the meeting by a series of questions on things that intereste him. We were all interested.
Craig evaluated the evaluators.

Claire gave the Timing Report.

David conducted a group evaluation of the meeting, calling upon selected members to evaluate the roles which hadn’t been evaluated to that point.

He then closed his part of the meeting by supervising the Checkout. Emotional energy must have lifted sharply during the meeting, as all present gave their final feelings.

David Nicholas our VP Education, closed the meeting, with President Gail away. Visitor Bernadette enjoyed the meeting very much. Visitor Simon felt very nervous but knew this was something he had to do to overcome his crippling nerves.

David drew attention to the forward Agendas on the back page, and urged people not only to read the meeting stories he is posting on our webpage, but to post comments as well.

Glenis thanked the many members who have sent in contributions for Quaywords. Now it’s a matter of putting it together.

Cathy prepared the supper.

End of the First Quarter of 2008/09

The September Quarter has special significance for our club. It is the first of the new year. After this we are into a new Renewals period, and usually we see a big changeover in membership. It looks as if this will occur again, and we will have a reduced official member list at World Headquarters. The overall numbers will be less, but the Club is as strong as ever.

The Distinguished Club Program

Victoria Quay is always the leading club in District 73, and therefore in Western Australia. It is true again at the end of the first quarter. We have achieved 7 of the 10 Distinguished Club Program Goals, so we are at the Select Distinguished Club level already. Only 2 other clubs among the 151 Clubs in District 73 are at the Distinguished Club level with at least 5 Goals, and amazingly they are both from Fremantle – Gourmet with 6 Goals and Gateway with 5 Goals.

Gail was Toastmaster.

Gail Jenkins

Gail stepped into the role just before the meeting began when Lynn was ill. We hope she recovers quickly. Gail had no problems in handling the ins and outs of the program. Visitor Phil came again and we expect him to join next week, the first week of the new quarter. Andre was another visitor. He is from Canning Vale Club. We have strong links with Canning Vale through its Founder and Vice President Education Mark.

Andre gave the Inspiration.

Andre was inspired by the help he got from the store where he purchased an mp3 player less than a year ago. When it broke down he took it back and got outstanding service

David Raftery

David presented Table Topics

David invited us to speak about various fanciful situations.

Mark had been honoured for his discovery of penicillin, but he revealed a much more important discovery he was keeping secret. A special version of penicillin was keeping him young. He might look about 40, but really he was over 12.
Lee gave us the true story of what happened in the tunnel when Princess Di died in the accident. It was a terrible put up job, and Lee saw it all.
Gail is a day time estate agent, but at night she has another occupation – Dracula. It is Gail who has been responsible for some of the ghastly nightime accidents – even cot deaths. Gail!!
Phil has been to the Bermuda Triangle and he knows what really goes on there. The answer? – absolutely nothing. It’s just the sea.
Marina revealed a completely unexpected side to her character. She was able to go back in time, to see the assassin about to shoot, and by her daring action save John F Kennedy.

Lee delivered the Tonic. It was about sharks and an extraordinary video she saw on UTube where the fearless diver was able to hypnotise sharks and stroke them. Sharks are worth preserving.

Amanda presented the Table Topics Evaluation.

Hermine Zielinski

Hermine presented From Casket to Eulogy Speech 2 from the Communicating on TV Advanced Manual – the Talk Show. David N was the compere who introduced Hermine as the latest World Champion Speaker from Toastmasters International. He fired a series of questions at Hermine which covered her introduction to Public Speaking, peoples fears about Public Speaking, what they can do to improve their speaking skills, and of course the value from joining Toastmasters International. Now there were the questions that Hermine had prepared for her host, but at the end David fired a completely unexpected question at her – what did it feel like to be up there competing for the World Championship. Hermine was obviously surprised, but coped brilliantly as she described what it is like to step off the edge of a steep cliff in a hang-glider. That’s what Public Speaking is like on the big stage.

Tony evaluated Hermine.

Tammy Lee

Tammy’s Project 7 speech was titled The law of attraction.
Tammy had attended a Workshop where the presenter recommended a book – The Secret. Tammy confessed that she is a rather skeptical person who doesn’t take easily to new age stuff, but she bought the book, read it and is a convert. She explained various ideas from the book and recommended that we all get it and read it. She bought 10 copies and handed them around as Christmas presents last year. She showed us a copy of the book and passed it around the group. She ended with “The secret is for you and for everyone.”

Glenis evaluated Tammy.

Alan Smith

Alan’s speech was titled Balance.
He got us off balance right at the beginning by referring to problems at the Hadron Collider. Alas! That had nothing to do with his big problem right now in the garden – getting out a stump. He is saving money and the anguish of watching professionals wreck his shrubs by doing it himself. But he has found himself running up against various Laws of Physics, particularly the inconvenient one about equal and opposite forces. His 75 kgs are no match for the stump’s 1.5 tonnes. So he is proposing Victoria Quay plan for an outside meeting at his house in Booragoon so our members can work on defeating the equal and opposite forces law and then discuss physics in the contest of Alan’s balanced life.

Hermine evaluated Alan.

Amanda Siebert

Amanda’s Highlights were a series of extremely probing questions which dealt among other things with Andre’s mp3 player, Hermine’s life on the edge, Tammy’s scepticism, the Hadron Collider and the venue for the next meeting.
Mark evaluated the evaluators.

Craig gave the Timing Report.

David evaluated the meeting.

Gail closed the meeting, and then as President conducted an information session. Peta hadn’t spoken during the meeting so she got a chance right then. Gail congratulated Claire on winning the W21 Humorous Contest the previous Saturday afternoon.  Andre, our visitor from Canning Vale Toastmasters, gave his impressions of the meeting – they were very favourable.  Visitor Phil spoke as if he was going to join the club.  We will know next week.  Marina is back at the club and intends to attend regularly.

Glenis spoke passionately about our Newsletter, Quaywords.  She urged those who hadn’t yet contributed to send her 100 words about their experience of Victoria Quay.

Gail prepared the supper.