Stone Road Toastmasters Club Blog

Area 62 Contest

2011-10-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

Humorous Speech Contest:

1st Blake Kurisko

Stone Road Toastmasters

2nd Steve Noonan

Royal City Toastmasters

3rd Isabel Bellamy

Co-Operators Club

Table Topics Contest:

1st Walter Ritchi

Agvantage

2nd Kristy Erickson

Town and Gown

3rd Mark Gemmill

Royal City Toastmasters

Humorous Speech & Table Topics Club Contest

2011-10-04T19:26:00.000-07:00

Humorous Speech

1. Blake Kurisko

2. Linda Neff

3. Michael Brenchley

Table Topics

1. Marion Ridel

2. Adnan Cheema

3. Linda Neff

Congratulations everyone!

SRTM Member Profile

2011-06-22T10:44:00.000-07:00

From my experiences with Toastmasters over the last three years, I have found it exciting to watch fellow members progress through the program. In becoming a Toastmaster, each member has the unique opportunity to practice and obtain feedback with skills that are challenging for most people - leadership and communication. I have noticed a definite change in my confidence, assertion, and ability to build relationships on both a professional and personal level since becoming a member . Each member of our club has a similar story. This post will highlight how one of our members is putting her leadership and communication skills to work in our community.

Wendy McDonnell has been a valued member of our club for just over two years. In this time, she has also been working steadily on a unique project - developing a weekly radio show - Family Matters - for our local community and campus radio station CFRU 93.3 FM. The show airs live every Sunday morning from 8 to 9 Eastern. This show explores the joys and challenges of family life through interviews with a variety of guests. Wendy says she took up this challenge because people continuously recommended that she record her voice because they liked hearing the sound of it. She also manages a personal coaching practice, Compassionate Solutions (www.compassionatesolutions.ca), where she was already engaged in the work of helping families overcome relationship and communication challenges.

Developing her radio show took a year of planning and another year of training. Wendy acknowledges Toastmasters' role in helping her be successful with this project. Specifically, Toastmasters is helping her develop her impromptu speaking skills, preparing topics for the show, and organizing herself when speaking. Interestingly, the most challenging aspect of community radio is not the talking. It is the multi-tasking! Wendy is both the host as well as managing all the technical aspects of live radio and editing - quite the challenge indeed! We would like to thank Wendy for allowing us to share her story with you. It is an inspiring story of where our voices can take us.

Michelle Munroe, VP Public Relations

Club Speechathon

2011-05-15T17:50:00.000-07:00

On May 9^th, 2011, we held our first Club ‘Speechathon’. It was a great success. This night we had four prepared speeches, compared to the usual two or three. They ranged from an beginner’s speech by Kathryn Ssedoga, which featured some stand-up comedy and a moving poem, to an Advanced Communicator’s ‘dramatic speech’ by Alan Cook, C.C., about some of his adventures in India. New member Kerri Van Dam gave a well-structured speech on the joys of mountain-biking, and Blake Kurisko, focusing on body-language, gave a lawyer’s interpretation of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, who, far from living happily ever after, it seems, were suing the heroine for $1.5m in damages!

Our Toastmaster for the evening, Isabel Hershaw, D.T.M., led us smoothly through this unusual meeting, which also featured voting for the best speaker (Blake) and the best evaluator (Michelle Munroe Reid). Further novelty came in that we had two rounds of Table Topics, led by Terri Millar C.C. on the theme of ‘Your Super-Self.’ This got four of our six guests speaking for the first time at the club, one of whom jointly won a prize for her efforts.

Finally, this meeting saw the culmination of our membership drive. Rebecca Anstett, A.C.G., A.L.B., was by far the most hospitable of our members! All the guests and those who had brought them, qualified for the prize draw of a season’s free membership. This was won by Ricaldo Ward, who was with us as a guest for the second time. Congratulations to him, and to all those who took part in making this meeting such a success.

Alan Cook, C.C.

Spring Membership Drive and Speech-a-Thon

2011-04-06T03:45:00.000-07:00

There was an announcement made at a recent club meeting about two events planned for our members and guests this spring. The first announcement is that there will be a special event run on May 9th, 2011. The club will be hosting it's first ever Speech-a-Thon! Instead of our usual meeting, as many members as possible are challenged to write and deliver a speech. More details are to follow, but expect a fun-filled night listening to well-crafted stories and information, enthusiasm, and helpful speech evaluations in the Toastmasters spirit of positive self-growth.

The second of these announcements is that a membership campaign is now in progress and will run until May 9, 2011. Campaign organizers Shawn Weldon, VP Education, and Wendy McDonnell, club member, have put forth a challenge to both members and guests and here is how it will work:

If a SRTM member brings a guest, they receive two points, and their guest, one point.
If that guest joins before the end of the campaign, they both get another point.
At our Speech-a-Thon, all points will be converted into tickets and there will be a draw for a free six-month membership to Stone Road Toastmasters!! Guests will need to be in attendance to win, members will not.

Over the next month make an extra effort to talk up Toastmasters by encouraging friends, family, neighbours, co-workers...any one you can think of to visit our meetings - the challenge is on!

Michelle Munroe, VP Public Relations

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

2010-12-22T10:46:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of the holiday season, our club hosted a special meeting this week which celebrated the end of our club's 7th year. The evening was kindly chaired and organized by Wendy and we thank her for her efforts. The night included a fun-filled gift exchange (involving picking a surprise "Whammy"...a.k.a. the dreaded gift can of tuna which changed hands four times before finding its home), holiday carols with live guitar and violin, and great snacks at our break. We would like to thank Blake for his company's sponsoring of the night (Miller Thompson LLP).

It has been an exciting year for our club - we welcomed in a new executive and many new members, the easy-speak system was introduced to better organize our meetings, and our members continued to grow in their speaking and leadership skills and also, most importantly, in wonderful friendships!

The Stone Road Toastmasters executive wishes you a happy and healthy holiday season. Our next meeting is scheduled for January 10th, 2011. See you in the New Year!

ALTRUISM AT TOASTMASTERS

2010-11-10T03:19:00.000-08:00

‘Altruism’: that was our word of the week on November 8th, 2010. It means ‘giving yourself up for the benefit of others’. On that day, I was able to use the word after a shy visitor to the club had received the ‘Table Topics’ award. In my comments as the ‘toastmaster’ or chairman of the meeting, I said that this young lady had given us an example of altruism in action. By risking herself, by reluctantly standing up and giving a one minute speech, covered in blushes and confusion, she had given herself up for the benefit of the club. Isn’t that what we do when we gather together on Monday nights? We offer ourselves, our strengths and our weaknesses, not only that we might improve our skills, but so that others might learn, grow, and find the courage to face a new challenge in their lives.

Alan Cook C.C.

AREA 62 CONTEST

2010-10-29T19:07:00.000-07:00

On Friday, October 15th, 2010 the Area 62 Contest was held at 10 Carden Street in downtown Guelph. The venue was intimate and the evening’s energy was palpable. Five contestants representing most of the six Guelph Toastmasters clubs were vying for the opportunity to advance to the next level of competition, the Division W Contest. City of Guelph Mayor, Karen Farbridge, was the guest dignitary providing opening remarks to kick off the event. Stone Road Toastmasters very own Linda Neff represented our club in both the Humourous Speech and Table Topics contests. She gave two wonderful performances, making both her club and her children in the audience very proud! The contest winners were: Glen Oxford (Humourous Speech) and Neil Lachapelle (Table Topics).

The night was a success and the efforts from our VP Education and Area Contest Organizer, Shawn Weldon, are commended. He secured many sponsors (NV Lounge, Miller-Thomson Barristers & Solicitors, Williams Coffee Pub, Starbucks Coffee, Atmosphere Café, Borealis Grille & Bar, and Purba Vision), which made for great food and many door prizes!

The Division W Contest will be held on Friday, October 29th, 2010 at the University of Waterloo. Contest begins at 7:00pm. Doors open at 6:30pm. Cost is $5.00. Details to follow shortly.

CLUB CONTEST WINNERS

2010-10-14T18:49:00.000-07:00

On October 4th, the Stone Road Toastmasters Club held it's annual Humourous Speech and Tabletopics Contest. The night was certainly a success and we would like to thank our organizing committee - Alan Cook, Wendy McDonnell and Michelle Munroe, as well as all of the members who volunteered for the various contest roles. Our members and guests had the pleasure of listening to four talented contestants - Marion Reidel, Blake Kurisko, Linda Neff, and Kelly Kirkland. They were competing for the opportunity to advance onto the next level of competition, the Area Contest. All contestants are congratulated for their participation - you made us proud!! We are pleased to announce the night's winners: Marion Reidel (Table Topics) and Linda Neff (Humourous Speech). Our club wishes you both the best of luck. Shown left: Linda Neff, right: Alan Cook and Marion Reidel.

The Area Contest is taking place on Friday, October 15th, 2010 in downtown Guelph at 10 Carden Street. Doors will open at 6:30pm and the event starts at 7:00pm sharp. Our club is hosting this event, and we encourage all members to come out to support our organizers and competing members.

FALL SPEECH CONTEST DETAILS

2010-09-21T04:02:00.000-07:00

Stone Road Toastmasters will being hosting the annual Humorous Speech and Table Topics Contest on Monday, October 4th, 2010 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at our usual meeting location. Volunteers are still needed to help with various roles and members of all experience levels are welcome to join in the fun as a contestant. Contest winners at the club level will then move on to the Area Contest taking place on Friday, October 15th (details to follow closer to the date). Here is the address to the Club Contest Rule book for both contestants and contest volunteers.

http://www.toastmasters.org/rulebook

Note for our regular members, don't forget that our membership renewals are due by September 30th. Help keep our club in good standing and our membership strong!

WORD ON THE STREET

2010-09-21T03:52:00.000-07:00

Word On The Street is a festival celebrating literacy and the spoken word. It is a family friendly event held at Victoria Park, in Kitchener, on Sunday, Sept. 26 from 11am to 5pm. For details Google "Word On The Street, Kitchener" and the website lists the event specifics.

CONGRATULATIONS MICHELLE!

2010-07-13T18:24:00.001-07:00

Our very own Vice President of Public Relations is getting married this weekend. The Stoneroad Toastmasters offer up best wishes to Michelle Munroe who will be anxiety free and ready to stand up and speak her mind. Our thoughts are with you Michelle!

Congratulations from your Toasty Pals.

PANIC AND ANXIETY

2010-06-27T15:51:00.000-07:00

Stoneroad Toastmaster Michelle Munroe offered a three part educational session on Panic and Anxiety. The fear of Public Speaking is at the top of the list of things that cause anxiety. Michelle explained that the three components of anxiety are:
1. Anxious Thoughts; beliefs or assumptions, predictions and interpretations that we make about a situation. "If I stand up and speak I will be laughed at."
2. Physical Body Sensations: A racing heart rate, shortness of breath, sweat, blurred visions are all symptoms of being anxious.
3. Anxious Behaviours: Strategies that people use to avoid stressful situations. Avoidance, distraction, rationalization and so forth.
Anxiety is simply a fear of what will happen. The brain triggers physical symptoms, therefore the brain can be used to overcome the problem.

2010 Executive

2010-06-07T13:53:00.001-07:00

President - Rebecca Anstett
Vice President Education - Shawn Wheldon
Vice President Public Relations - Michelle Munroe
Vice President Membership - Marg Stewart
Treasurer and Past President - Terri Millar
Secretary - Alan Cook
Sargent at Arms - Julia Niimi

The members of Stoneroad Toastmasters are grateful to these leaders for stepping forward in service of our organization. We are proud of the growth and positive atmosphere of our club and know that we can entrust the health of this chapter in the hands of these capable Toastmasters.

Cheers!

JOURNAL YOUR WAY TO BETTER SPEAKING

2010-04-25T17:03:00.001-07:00

Over the next two weeks, Stoneroad Toastmaster, Linda Neff, will be sharing with our club a presentation that she gave at the spring conference. Research indicates that we only share 10% of our thought and feeling with the world. The other 90% consist of our private feelings, desires, dreams and personal motivation. Keeping a written journal of these inner thoughts is not only therapeutic, put it also can be a rich resource of public speaking ideas. Socrates taught that, "An unexamined life is not worth living," and so a reflective journal helps us to analyze the events of our lives and how we feel about them.

Everyone has busy lives and taking on another task seems like a hardship. Linda explained that there is not perfect time for writing. The secret to success if to keep your journal handy and write whenever you have a moment. Try to find a routine that works best for your lifestyle. Can you journal during the commute to work, on coffee breaks, over the lunch hour or is bedtime best. Linda encouraged the club members to "make a date with themselves." Tell your family that you have an appointment; they don't need to know it's just you sitting in your favourite coffee shop with your journal.

STAY TUNED AS THE SESSIONS OF THE POWER OF JOURNALING CONTINUE.

AWARD WINNING MEMBER

2010-04-25T17:01:00.001-07:00

CONGRATUALTIONS to Stoneroad Toastmaster Isabelle Hershaw. She received an award for long time contributions to the Toastmaster's Program at this Spring's conference in Mississauga.

Congrtulations, Conference and Comments

2010-03-06T04:26:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to our own Mina McCluskey for winning the International Speech Area Contest. Mina will proceed to the District competition in Kitchener. The winner there must write a completely new speech and will go on to compete at the Spring Conference.

The Spring Conference for District 86 will be held at the Delta Meadowvale Convention Centre, in Mississauga. It will take place on April 16-18. You can register for this event online at http://www.district86.cloverpad.org/. This is right off the 401, about a 45-60 minute drive from Guelph. You are encouraged to take advanatage of this convenient location.

Share you comments on what is happening. This site is a "blog". You'll notice at he bottom of each article there is the word "comment". If you click on that you can write a comment on the article. Give it a try. Tell folks what you thought of Mina's performance, and cheer her on. Indicate that you're plannng to attend the conference, and get a car pool organized. Interact with this site and it becomes more interesting.

2010-02-22T19:21:00.000-08:00

The Guelph Area Speech contest will take place at the Evergreen Senors' Centre on Friday, February 26, starting at 7:00 pm. Past Club President Mina McClusky will represent the Stone Road Toastmasters in the International Speech Contest. Marion Reidel will be our club's respresentative for the Evaluation contest.

This is a wonderful opportunity to see a series of high level speeches. Admission is only $5.00. Come on out for an evening of entertainment.

How To Get Everything You Want

2010-01-05T16:41:00.000-08:00

Stoneroad Toastmaster Anca Preda demonstrated her Educational Presentation skills on Jan. 4th when she informed the group about an excellent motivational resource. Brian Tracy's book "How To Get Everything You Want- Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible" had a number of great ideas to benefit the club members. Anca gave a quick verbal summary of the book and also provided the group with a written synopsis from "Soundview Executive Book Summaries" an online resource.

As the theme of the evening was New year's Resolutions, one of the key points from the book that was highlighted was the concept of "S.M.A.R.T." goals. Not only was evidence presented to prove that the written establishment of goals is extremely powerful in leading to success, it was also clarified that S.M.A.R.T. goals are the most productive. This acronym stands for goals that are:

Specific

Measureable

Attainable

Realistic

Time bound

When goals meet these criteria, they are focused on daily to keep them ever present in your consciousness, then the potential for achievement of the goals is greatly increased.

Members reflected on the value that the Toastmaster's program has brought into their lives, and one individual told the group his success story. Previously he had been seeking work for over a year and he is now in a new and challenging employment situation, partly because of the confidence he gained and was able to demonstrate in interviews. Recently he gave a presentation to his colleagues, which went extremely well, causing his supervisor to comment of the strength of the club member's speaking skills. Toastmasters has made a difference in his life.

2009-12-26T16:30:00.000-08:00

Setting Toastmasters Goals for 2010

Yes, it’s that time again – time to promise yourself you’ll shed a few pounds, restart your exercise program and finally finish reading that Tolstoy novel you’ve been working on for the past few years. As a Toastmaster, you’re probably thinking about setting a few New Year’s resolutions for yourself or your club. While we heartily encourage you to do so (Finish that CC! Encourage everyone to help your club earn that DCP award!), we’d like to offer some advice on how to make your 2010 resolutions stick:

Write them down. The simple act of committing your New Year’s resolutions to paper (or to an electronic document, if you prefer) will help you remember them and act upon them later. Ideas that stay trapped in your mind don’t have the staying power of ideas that pass through your hands onto a document of some sort. The idea here is really just to perform the act of writing down your goals more than to create a reminder for future reading, though if you happen to write it down in a place where you’ll retrieve it and read it later, so much the better.
Pace yourself. Divide your goals into smaller, easily achievable steps, then spread these sub-goals as evenly as possible throughout the year. For example, if you want to complete your CC by the end of 2010, and you’ve only completed four projects, you’ll find it easier if you set yourself the goal of completing one of your remaining speeches every two months.
Schedule them. Once you’ve decided on a pace you can live with (one manual speech per month? one new member every other meeting?), mark your specific goal dates on a calendar, and do your best to achieve those goals.
Share your goals with others. If you tell your family, friends and fellow Toastmasters about your goals and aspirations for the year, you will create your own personal team of well-wishers who will provide you with the encouragement and motivation to get the job done on time.
Set attainable goals. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Before you set yourself up for disappointment, make sure you’re being realistic about what you can comfortably achieve in a year’s time. It’s much better to set yourself an attainable goal and surpass it than to set the bar too high and become discouraged.

Whatever your New Year’s goals may be, remember that you don’t have to do it alone. Your fellow Toastmasters are there to help, and many of them have already walked the path you’re walking now. So don’t be shy – ask for help if you need it, and before you know it, you’ll have the courage to conquer the next year’s resolutions.

(Article courtesy of Toastmasters International)

Congratulations Town & Gown

2009-10-17T19:43:00.000-07:00

The Stoneroad Toastmasters send a sincere "well done" to the Town & Gown Toastmasters Club this week. Their representatives won both the Table Topics and Humorous Speech Contests at the Oct. 16th, Area 62 Competition.

Danve Castroverde, the defending Table Topics champion, reclaimed his title with his eloquent response on the theme "A Sound Investment". He spoke of the important he places on his formal education and how it has been an investment into his future success.

Hakeem Shittu, last year's international speech winner, tickled the audience with is tale of learning English as a second language. With the use of a minimal prop he transformed into a cruel instructor from his childhood, and he clearly illustrated how ridiculous the rules of English are.

Best wishes to Danve and Hakeem as they represent Guelph at the Division Contest on Friday, October 23. The contest will be held in the Davis Centre at the University of Waterloo. Six competetors will be entered in each event. The evening begins at 6 pm and will cost $10. Everyone is encouraged to attend.

CONTEST WINNERS

2009-10-10T07:33:00.001-07:00

On Monday, October 5, the Stoneroad Toastmasters held their annual contest for Humorous Speeches and Table Topics.

Five people competed in the Table Topics portion of the event. They each gave an impromptu speech for 1 to 2 minutes on the subject of "What does the Fall season mean to you?" Congratulations are extended to Marion Reidel, who was selected to represent the club at the area contest.

In the Humorous speech section of the contest, the topics included the nature of laughter, reminiscences of childhood and the frustration of getting lost. The club is proud to have Linda Neff represent us at the area contest with her speech "Where Am I?"

The area contest will be held on Friday, October 16. The location is expected to be announced this week.

INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER

2009-07-28T08:32:00.002-07:00

The Civic Leadership Prayer Breakfast of Guelph is honoured to present inspirational speaker Kim Phuc, "The Girl In The Picture." Kim was 9 years old, living in South Vietnam when on June 8, 1972 she was severely burned with napalm bombs. Naked and terrified, Kim's image was caught in the Pulitizer Prize winning photo shown here. With over half of her body burned, it was not expected that Kim would survive. The photographer, Nick Ut, took Phuc to an American hospital is Saigon. Two years later she returned to her village and was used as a proganda symbol for the Communist Government.

While studying in C uba in 1986 Kim met Bui Huy Toan, whom she married. They honeymooned in Moscow and during their flight back defected while in a stop-over in Gander, Newfoundland. Kim now lives in Ajax and speaks worldwide about forgiveness. She raises money for the Kim Foundation, which is a not-for-profit organization committed to funding programs that "heal".

This event will also feature music from Juno Award winner Deborah Klassen.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Delta Hotel & Conference Centre

Stone Road at Gordon St., Guelph

6:45 Hot Buffet, 7:00-8:45 Program

Cost $20 each, table seat 10, parking included

This event is sold out except fora handful of tickets that Stone Road club member, Blake, is holding in reserve. Email the club if you're interested.

PRESENT AN IDEA AND BE HEARD

2009-06-15T18:23:00.000-07:00

Education session by Terri Millar, based on an article in "Toastmaster" magazine, Sept. 2006.

When you are asked to speak at a meeting it is a valuable opportunity to influence others. You are in a position to gain the respect of colleagues, and it is a chance to learn as well as teach. The following are five important points to consider.

1. Be Prepared

If you have advance notice of the presentation take time to plan out your comments. Do some research to gather statistics and other relevant information. Find out who the audience will be and the time allotted, so you can meet expectations. Review the notes from previous meetings on the subject, so you can build on past work.

If it is a spontaneous opportunity don't panic. Pause and gather your thoughts. Pick one big point that you want to make and make it clearly. Frame your comments logically. Speak with authority and you will appear confident and thus be more influential.

2. Listening Is Just As Important As Talking

Check the pulse of the group by listening to their comments. Assess whether they prefer interaction. Listen to the previous speakers and build on their comments to make your remarks more powerful. This linking of ideas also gives the meeting continuity. You may need to revise your planned input in light of prior comments.

3. Lead With Questions

This is a mens of checking the pulse of your audience. When you clarify their needs it connects you to your audience, and also ensures their focus.

4. Don't Marry Your Ideas

Finding solutions is a process and is usually the result of group input. It is important not to be emotionally attached to your ideas. Be prepared to adapt, don't get defensive, and don't worry if someone else gets the credit for an idea you initiated. On the other hand, don't brush off a compliment. Be humble, but accept credit when appropriately given. Share credit with others when they've contributed, acknowledge their input graciously.

5. Know When NOT To Talk

Watch for opportunities to hear feedback, it's a powerful learning experience. Know the power of group contributions and listen to questions. This is especially important if you're new to the group. Listening can help you understand the meeting culture and group dynamics.

SPEAKER'S BOOT CAMP REPORT

2009-06-01T18:13:00.000-07:00

At our June 1 meeting, Linda Neff reported on a two day training session she attended which was presented by International Toastmaster Champions Darren LaCroix and Craig Valentine. The program titled, "Get Coached to Speak! Champ Camp", offered four people the opportunity to be coached on a speech presentation, while the remainder of the participants were able to learn by observing the experience and participating in the feedback sessions.
On day one the four focus speakers each gave a 5 to 7 minute prepared speech. Linda indicated that the learning experience was to hear, and participate in the the one hour feedback session following each speech. LaCroix and Valentine gave specific guidance on how the speaker could improve both the writing and delivery of the speech. Then, on the second day, the speakers presented the revised version of their speech. Linda said it was impressive to see the amount of progress they had made in this short period of time. Following the revised presentation the group offered further feedback and small sections of the speech were tweaked again.
The participants included a wide range of experience. All four speakers focused on topics of great personal importance and by the end of the sessions had a highly polished product that could be developed into a keynote speech for any number of occasions
The inspirational report to the Stone Road Toastmasters ended with Linda offering a few quotes by LaCroix and Valentine, from the notes she had taken at the training session.
"Sometimes we want validation, instead of education."
"The audience does not want you to be perfect, they want you to be present."
"When yo are getting feedback, look for patterns, not isolated comments."
"Techniques need to become automatic, so they are invisible."
"No technique can beat heart."
"Great speeches are not written, they are rewritten."
"A message is a mess...with age."

EXECUTIVE ELECTIONS

2009-05-26T15:38:00.000-07:00

The sign of a healthy organization is when a significant portion of the leadership wants to remain in service taking on new challenges, while a component of new faces join them at the helm. That's exactly what happened as the Stone Road Toastmasters conducted the election for new executive officers on May 25. The new executive will be;

President - Terri Millar, previously VP Education
VP Eucation - Bani Arora, previously VP Public Relations
VP Membership - Michelle Munroe, previously Sergeant at Arms
VP Public Relations - Marg Stewart, previously Secretary
Treasurer - Theresa Dietrich, new member
Secretary - Anca Preda, new member
Sergeant at Arms - Adnan Cheema, established member

Mina McCluskey moves to the role of Past President. She encouraged the new executive to participate in the training programs that will be forthcoming through the Toastmaster's Organization. She indicated that their roles can be as expansive, or focused as their personal schedules permit. Stone Road Toastmasters has a history of group support for all activities and Mina assured the new executive that they will not be working in isolation.

TEAMWORK = SUCCESS

2009-05-04T18:56:00.000-07:00

The term of office for the Stone Road Toastmasters Club runs from July 1st to June 30th each year. The elections for the next group of executive members will be held on Monday, May 25th.
Anyone interested in taking on an executive role may put forth their name for nomination, or if a club members feels that a colleague would serve the organization well they may choose to nominate them. If you are nominated by someone else, you can "pass" if you wish to try for a role other that the one you're nominated for, or you can decline altogether.
No special qualifications are required, as the TM District Council will provide all necessary training. It does help if you are organized, enthusiastic and have the time to take on this responsibility. Members should be aware that holding an executive role acquires credits in the Competent Leadership manual.
The Executive Roles, in order of responsibility are as follows:

7th - Sergeant At Arm, sets up the room for meetings, maintains the supply of meeting documents, awards and general supplies

6th - Treasurer, implements a budget based on the previous year's data, submits dues to the bank, works with membership VP to track data, keeps the club ledger, is one of four signing officers, two needed for any payment

5th - Secretary, takes minutes at executive and regular meetings, manages the club copies of any manuals or videos

4th - Vice President Public Relations, promote club events, oversees the production of the newsletter, oversees the website, runs any newspaper ads

3rd - Vice President Membership, track membership data, work with treasurer, coordinate communication

2nd - Vice President Education, assigns agenda roles, assigns mentors, tracks member progress, coordinates education sessions * considering splitting this role in two

1st - President, chief executive officer, provides leadership for the club, represents the club at area meetings

Think about whether you'd like to serve in one of these roles and speak to Terri if you have questions or an interest.

TRANSITIONS

2009-04-23T14:15:00.001-07:00

This is the time of year for membership renewals and a turn over in the assignment of executive roles. On April 20, Vice President ofMembership, Margaret Virani, used the Educational Session to explain her role. Margaret reminded the members that part of the goal for Toastmasters is to build leadership skills. It was to develop her confidence that Margaret took on the role of Membership Vice President. She reported that she was able to attend several district training workshops that equipped her with the skills to fulfill this role. Those present were encouraged to consider their personal schedules and determine whether they will be interested in seeking and Executive position when the turn-over occurs later this spring.

Margaret reported that our club has 25 active members. She indicated that she has been to other Toastmasters groups, and although there is a commonality of agenda, each organization has a unique personality that is reflective of the members.

Youth Leadership Program Feedback

2009-02-14T14:50:00.000-08:00

Joshua, a nine year old grade 4 student who attended a Youth Leadership Program sponsored by the Stoneroad Toastmasters, recently competed in his school's public speaking contest. He competed against 10 others in a category for grade 4 to 6 students. Although he didn't place against these older schoolmates, his speech earned him high praise. He incorporated many of the techniques he learned at YLP and was commended for his confidence of delivery and ability to engage the audience.

Aaron, a 12 year old grade 7 student and YLP participant, has represented his class at the school public speaking contest for the past three years. This year he won first place in the Intermediate Division and went on the the District competition. Despite struggling with the flu, Aaron faced 14 students from schools across the city. Although, he did not place (he is at the bottom of the age category) all three judges complimented him on his speaking skills. It seems that he lost points for not officially addressing the judges ("Judges and fellow competitors"), but Aaron retorted that he was speaking in the persona of the Norse God Thor who would never begin his address with, "Dwarves, giants, humans and all creatures of Middle Earth."

This information was provided by a parent of one of the YLP participants as evidence of her appreciation for the program. There has been a request for the Stoneroad Toastmasters to offer a another session for elementary school students and the group is currently seeking volunteers to run the program.

How To Tell A Joke

2009-02-14T14:32:00.001-08:00

Humour is an important tool in public speaking and we've had two Education Sessions on the theme of "How To Tell A Joke". The following is a summary of the information covered at those sessions.

THE CONTENT

1. Know Your Intent - Why are you speaking and why do you want to say something funny? Be sure the occasion is appropriate and your comments are relevant. Never tell a joke just for the sake of getting a laugh. Consider it from the audience's point of view; it must make sense.

2. Personal Stories Are The Funniest - Before you go to the internet to find a joke, think about your life and whether you've experienced a funny situation that is related to your topic. It will make a more sincere connection with the audience and you don't have to memorize something you've experienced. If you must resort to a canned story consider making it sound personal by presenting the characters as you and your pals.

3. Know The Joke - Stopping halfway through to correct details or forgetting the punch line will lead to disaster.

4. Forget the Introduction, Just Tell the Joke - Never tell the audience, "This is the funniest story..." or "You're going to laugh at this one..." You're just setting yourself up for trouble. Also, don't distract them by starting with irrelevant comments like, "I found this on Google."

5. The Only Person You Can Make Fun Of Is...You - Not matter what you say, you have risk the potential for offending someone. No racial jokes, no sexist put downs, no religious humour.

THE DELIVERY

6. Take Your Time - Sometimes the most important part of a funny story is the pauses. Give your audience time to digest each step of the story. Never interrupt yourself in the middle of a funny story with sidebar comments, as it ruins the flow.

7. Make Eye Contact, With Everyone - Eye contact suggests sincerity and engages your audience, but don't focus on ONE person as that will make them feel uncomfortable and the others will feel left out.

8. Choose Your Voice Wisely - Unless you can do an accent perfectly, don't try. If the joke requires an accent, check it for ethnic suitability. Funny voices need to be used with caution.

9. Don't Laugh At Your Own Joke - A deadpan presentation often adds to the humour, while laughing will detract.

10. Believe in Yourself - Once you have screened the joke for the criteria above, have confidence in the humour and your ability to communicate it. Tell it with confidence.

SPEECH CONTEST RESULTS

2009-02-03T15:50:00.001-08:00

On Monday, February 2, the Stoneroad Toastmasters gathered to celebrate their club members' abilities and select their representatives to move on the to Area Speech Contest.

In the "Evaluation Contest" Andrew Isaak was selected to represent the club. In this category the contestants heard a speech from a visitor to the organization. Each in turn then gave a detailed and supportive evaluation of the speech. Contestants were not allowed to hear their predecessor's comments, but were able to listen to the evaluations that came after them.

Marion Reidel was selected to represent the club in the International Speech contest. This involved giving a 5 to 7 minute speech on any topic, which could be humorous, but needed to have a purposeful message as well. Marion spoke on her experience as a member of the "Sandwich Generation" stuck between raising adult children and assisting aging parents.

Andrew and Marion will represent the Stoneroad Toastmasters on Friday, March 13th in the Guelph city wide competition. Watch for location and time details to be posted soon.

BENEFITS OF A TOASTMASTERS CONTEST

2009-01-18T06:26:00.000-08:00

(excerpts from District 26 Toastmasters, serving Colorado, Wyoming, and W. Nebraska)

The benefits to club members:

1. Forces members to step beyond their comfort zone.

2. Offers a forum to speak outside of the club.

3. Provides members with an opportunity to test their skill against others.

4. Injects a large dose of pride and confidence in contestants.

5. Illustrates that there's more to Toastmasters than the weekly meeting.

The benefits to the club:

1. Creates an opportunity to invite outside guests.

2. Increases membership when guests enjoy the event.

3. Helps current members set goals and rejuvenate their enthusiasm.

4. Providers a unique leadership opportunity to run the contest.

5. Contributes to attaining "Distinguished Club" status.

How to Conduct Better Evaluations

2009-01-18T06:07:00.000-08:00

The trademark of an Toastmasters meeting is that each speech is formally evaluated by another member of the club. The scheduled evaluator typically has only 10 minutes or so to prepare an effective evaluation, and that is a 3 minute mini-speech in itself. In terms of speaking, the evaluation is the step between Table Topics and a prepared speech.

With the Evaluation Contest coming up, here are some tips from District 26 Toastmasters, in Colorado, on how to make your evaluation more fluent and inspiring.

1. Contact the presenter and review your manual prior to the meeting so that you are familiar with the objective of the speech.

2. Have the philosophy that every speech can be improved, no matter how good it is. It does not help advanced speakers to hear, "that was great". Challenge yourself to come up with at least one suggestion.

3. Plan to make 3 to 5 positive comments to balance each suggestion for improvement.

4. Don't overwhelm novice speakers with advice. Limit your suggestions to 3 things or less, and focus on the biggest problems.

5. It's good to use concrete examples form the speech, but don't recap the whole thing. You too must work within your time limit.

6. Always preface your comments with "in my opinion" or "I suggest that" to acknowledge that others might not share your viewpoint.

7. Don't read from the Toastmasters manual. You are going to hand them the checklist in the book, so reading it to them is not the best use of your time.

8. Conclude your evaluation with a summary of your suggestions, and then follow with the positive comments. A humourous statement, or insight to end is fun.

Evaluations give you an exciting opportunity to help shape the future skill of an associate speaker. Don't take this task lightly.

PLANNING FOR THE NEW YEAR

2008-12-30T17:56:00.000-08:00

January invites us to make a new start in many aspects of our lives. As a current Toasmaster, or someone considering joining, you're encouraged to remember your personal goals and set a realistic timeline in which to move towards the success you are capable of achieving.

American poet Edith Lovejoy Pierce once said, "We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."

If you're a Stoneroad member, review your manuals, talk to your mentor or mentee and email Terri with your January plans. If you're not a member, drop in to see what we're up to.

SERVICE THROUGH LEADERSHIP

2008-12-19T14:46:00.000-08:00

"We is stronger than me." - Baldev Arora

It was a husband and wife duo on Dec. 15 with Baldev Arora as chairman and wife Bani presenting the Education portion of the meeting. Bani drew the members' attention to the Leadership Manual and highlighted the fact that developing leadership skills is an important aspect of the Toastmasters Program. To illustrate the leadership style the Toastmasters philosophy promotes Bani compared Authoritarian Leadership, which is focused on ego, to Team Leadership, such as Toastmasters, which is focused on Team Goals.

AUTHORITARIAN TEAM

controls everything encourages participation

makes all decisions facilitates problem solving

discourages comm. facilitates communication

tells people what to do persuades people to act

punishes mistakes tolerates mistakes

discourages growth helps members grow

The benefits of Team Leadership can apply to work situations as well as volunteer organizations. The efficiency and positive nature of Team Leadership increases productivity, and reduces costs. It also improves the quality of the produce or service, the work atmosphere and the company or community.

Members were encouraged to focus on meeting the goals in their Leadership Manuals and ere reminded that their responsibility as Toastmasters is to;

- attend meetings regularly

- take on roles at meetings

- bring a friend

- give a constructive evaluation

- help create a supportive environment

RENEW YOUR COMMITMENT TO YOURSELF

2008-12-01T19:05:00.000-08:00

"There's a difference between interest and commitment.

When you're interested in doing something,

you do it only when circumstances permit.

When you're committed to something

you accept no excuses, only results."

This inspirational quotation is attributed to Art Turock, a highly regarded motivational speaker who specializes in business issues. His insight, however, can readily be applied to Toastmasters membership.

We all joined Toastmasters for a reason, take a moment to revisit your motivation. Has it changed? Have your expectations been fully realized? Are you acting upon it? If you find that the consistency of your meeting attendance is slipping, analyze the causes. Life does get busy, other obligations demand your attention, but can you set aside some time for your personal growth?

Remind yourself what Toastmasters offers you. Recall the laughter and how the day's worries are forgotten. Review the many indicators of your skill development, and the hopes you held for further enrichment. Recall the warmth of support that permeates Toastmaster's meetings.

Check your calendar and mark in Mondays at 7:00 pm. The Stone Road Toastmasters will continue their meeting schedule, without interruption, through the holiday season. Make a New Year's resolution to fill your seat at the Toastmaster's table.

SETTING GOALS

2008-11-24T18:31:00.000-08:00

"Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible visible." Anthony Robbins

Bani Arora presented an inspiring educational session on goal setting. She explained that goals should be:

- specific, clearly defined and precise

- measurable, so you can tell if they have been accomplished

- action oriented, focus on what you plan to do

- realistic, make sure it's achievable given the specific situation

- time bound, you need to set an exact time frame

Bani explained that once goals have been set, then next step is to make an action plan clarifying how to achieve the goals. Such a plan makes leaders future oriented. It also enables leaders to coordinate their decisions and reinforces their focus on the goals. A clear plan ensures efficient use of resources. The Planning Process involves the following steps;

1. establish strategies, who? what? when? how?

2. set a timetable

3. assign responsibilities

4. anticipate obstacles

5. modify the plan as you proceed if necessary

The session was concluded with Bani reviewing the criteria for the Distinguished Toastmasters Club Program. She reminded members of the goals our organization has been working towards and updated our progress status. For example we sought at least four new members and have attracted eight. We expect to reach the goal of two members completing their Competent Communicator's manual by spring. We also expect to have one or two complete an Advanced Communicator's manual. Our dues have been collected on time, and Terri reminded the members present to consider attending the officer training which is coming up in February.

Gestures: 50% of your message

2008-11-18T19:15:00.000-08:00

On Nov. 17 Stone Road Toastmaster Alan Cook presented an Education session on the use of gestures. In his usual, highly entertaining manner, Alan offered some useful insights into this important aspect of public speaking. He pointed out that only 50% of communication is transmitted through words, the other 50% is the result of body language and gestures. Alan recommended that club members read their handbook titled "Gestures: Your Body Speaks", and in particular he highlighted page 23 which is a self-evaluation checklist.

Alan demonstrated that good posture not only demonstrates confidence, enthusiasm and positive energy, it also helps speaking mechanics. An upright posture allows for better breathing and smooth movement. A strong stance not only looks confident, it grounds the speaker thus helping to overcome and anxiety.

Hand gestures are essential for emphasizing a point or providing a visual representation of a concept, according to Alan. A good gesture can get the audience's attention and keep it. He explained that it is important to be more than a "talking head."

Alan did caution the group that gestures which are not conscious or controlled can be a distraction when speaking. Any hand or body movement must look natural, but be deliberately undertaken. Movements should be purposeful reported Alan. He advised club members to take a step when changing the topic of their talk, rather than randomly pacing. It was also pointed out that the size of gestures should be scaled to fit the room. Grand gestures may look appropriate in an auditorium, but seem over-the-top in a smaller venue.

Alan ended his comments by pointing out the importance of eye contact. A speaker should never stare off into space, Making, and briefly sustaining, eye contact with specific people engages the whole group.

Stone Road Toastmasters Newsletter

2008-11-13T16:59:00.001-08:00

The Stone Road vice president of public relations, Bani Arora, proudly announced the outcome of a recent contest to name our club's upcoming newsletter. Betty-Anne Ouellette suggested the winning name "The Stone Tablet." The selection was made by a team of non-partisan judges which included; Sue Lebrecht, past Stone Road VP-PR, Gary Jones, past area Governor and Danve Castroverde, Town & Gown members and area Table Topic Champion.

The quality and quantity of suggestions made this a difficult decision reports Arora. Honorable mention go to Alan Cook for "Stone Road Speak Easy", Jennifer Percy for "Toasty Times" and Baldev Arora for "New Bright Beginning." Members eagerly await the first publication.

PHASE II OFFICER TRAINING

2008-11-11T19:15:00.000-08:00

This special training program is geared for Toastmaster Executive members and anyone who might wish to consider a leadership position in the future. It is an opportunity to discuss club challenges with colleagues from other areas, and to get new ideas to keep our club enriched. Having members take the training also scores points towards our Distinguished Club status.

When: Sat., Feb. 7, 9:00 am to noon

Where: AGFA Cheers Club, 455 Phillip St., Waterloo

Cost: $8/person, or $40/club

Light refreshments provided.

Contact: Georgina Green

gggreen@rogers.com

1-519-743-7655

Youth Leadership Program

2008-11-07T14:21:00.000-08:00

The Stone Road Toastmasters Club sponsored its second Youth Leadership Program this fall. Linda Neff hosted the meeting at St. James High School. The activity was open to senior students, and representatives from all three of Guelph's Catholic High School attended. Shown above are (left to right) Jon DeLallo from Bishop MacDonell, Brian Cass from St. James and Emily Stewart from Our Lady of Lourdes. During this 8 week program the participants learned the roles involved in running an efficient meeting. They each presented one ice breaker speech and a second 5 minute speech. Table Topics was a very popular activity as were the education sessions presented by members of the Stone Road group. Linda was assisted by Marion Reidel, and their hope is to run a program at Lourdes for grade 9/10 students in the second semester.

Congratulations to Linda for leading this important outreach program.

The Mentor/Mentee Relationship

2008-11-03T18:41:00.000-08:00

VP of Education, Terri Miller, has carefully reviewed the list of current members and is matching a "mentee" to each of our experienced speakers. She explained that not all Toastmaster Clubs undertake this approach, but the Stone Road group is a new and rapidly growing organization so this sort of partnership should prove useful.

This relationship does not involve any extra meetings. It just identifies someone for new members to contact if they have questions about the various roles or procedures at Toastmaster meetings. The mentor can also assist with feedback on speech writing, or provide an opportunity to practice a presentation prior to standing up at a formal meeting.

Terri will email members with their partner's name and contact information. Mentors are encouraged to reach out to their mentees, while mentees are advised to reflect on their goals to determine how the mentor can help.

TERRY EMAILED THE MENTOR/MENTEE LIST ON NOV. 11, CONTACT HER IF YOU DID NOT RECEIVE THE INFORMATION.

True SRTM Pride!!

2008-10-25T11:47:00.000-07:00

Stone Road Toastmasters is proud of all of its members...current and past...new and old (or, should I say, "experienced")...and especially proud of the extremely supportive atmosphere that borders on a type of "family away from home" feeling.

And it is with immense pride that SRTM acknowledges a member that has recently brought attention to both herself and the club...attention not only from Guelph Toastmaster clubs, but from those in the surrounding cities as well...attention in (what I consider) one of the most flattering forms - that of stomach-clutching, tear popping, gut-rumbling LAUGHTER!

Marion has had us laughing all the way from our club, over to Area 62, and on to Division W, with her hysterically witty and insightful Humour Contest speech! A huge HIP! HIP! HOORAY!! to Marion for her wonderful and impressive accomplishments throughout these rounds of contests! A huge offer of thanks to all of our SRTM Fall 2008 Club Contest contestants and volunteers, without whom the contest could not have been held! And a huge group hug to all of those SRTM members that showed up at the Area and Division contests to cheer on Marion, our very own Humour Contest champion! (Marion shown holding her trophy in the photo above [at left] at the Area 62 contest, alongside Neelu [Chief Judge] and Glen [Area 62 Governor]).

Fellow Toastmasters, let's follow Marion's lead and keep the laughter coming!

Proudly,
Mina McCluskey, President
Stone Road Toastmasters

Check out these Testimonials about Toastmasters!

2008-09-18T17:14:00.001-07:00

(source: Toastmasters International website)

Hear from people whose lives were changed by the Toastmasters program! The following testimonials are less than 1 minute each, and are organized by topic. Click on one or more of the topics that resonate with you, and see how the speaker has benefitted in this area from the Toastmasters program (and how you could, too!):

Ned: Toastmasters Changed My Life
Erika: Evaluations Helped Me
Eduardo: Practice, Practice, Practice!
Jaya: Building Confidence
Dionne: Supportive Environment
Wendy: Overcoming Shyness
Trisha: Getting Past Fear
Collin: Self Improvement
Elizabeth: Becoming a Leader
Hannah: Personal Growth
Sheila: Work Presentations
Sarah: Impromptu Speaking

Tip of the Week: Setting Goals!

2008-09-01T10:11:00.000-07:00

(courtesy Gary Jones, DTM, President, Grand River Toastmasters)

The Toastmaster year runs from July 1st till June 30th of each year. Each new Toastmaster year offers us the opportunity to sit down and do some thinking about what we'd like to accomplish in the coming 12 months. We can ask ourselves "What does my Toastmaster experience look like as of June 30th of the coming year"?

This is an opportunity to sit with our Mentor or another club member, establish speech goals and set other personal goals.

Ask yourself:

How many speeches will I complete by June 30th?
What roles will I commit to?
Will I organize a club event?
Will I attend other Toastmaster Club meetings?
Will I attend the Fall and / or Spring Conferences?
Will I compete in a Club contest?
Will I complete my CL manual?
Will I mentor a new Member?
Will I contribute to the Club Website?

It is possible to "Begin with the end in mind" as writer Stephen R. Covey suggests.

Once you establish these personal goals it is important to write them down. Share them with your Mentor and perhaps another club member. Submit these to the VP of Education so that the VP of Ed may schedule you as required to meet your goals.

This exercise in goal setting can be a useful system that not only enhances your Toastmaster experience but assists with goals outside of Toastmasters. If you have any questions about setting realistic achievable goals please meet with your Mentor or one of your Club Officers.

Tip of the Week: The Power of the CL Manual!

2008-08-25T13:44:00.000-07:00

(courtesy Gary Jones, President, Grand River Toastmasters)

In July 2006 Toastmasters launched a new Manual to further enhance the Toastmaster Program. The Competent Leadership Manual is now an intricate part of the Toastmaster jourmey and should be an intricate part of each Toastmaster meeting. As you may know I have completed this manual three times and am a huge advocate of the manual!

You might ask why would someone do this manual repeatedly or perhaps why would someone do this manual at all? The answer is simple! This manual provides the glue to each meeting. It facilitates discussion between the person conducting the designated role and the person providing feedback. It engages those who may not have a role at the meeting. It ensures that the roles are being conducted effectively and that any areas of growth may be addressed.

For instance, imagine Fred is the Timer at the weekly meeting. Perhaps Fred has in the past been forgetting some aspects of this role. The person giving the feedback can use this interaction to highlight the aspects of the role that Fred did well and can offer suggestions where Fred may do the role even better In the future Fred will be able to pass on this advice to new members. The overall result is a stronger more effective weekly meeting.

Some of the projects in the manual are conducted outside the Club environment. For instance a member may want to organize a club picnic or special event. You will see in Project ten of the manual a section where this activity can be used towards completion of the CL designation.

The manual also offers a vehicle for Mentors to challenge Mentees to complete a task or role. The guidelines and content of each project in the manual provides valuable information on various aspects of Leadership The feedback questions gives precise areas to help the participant develop.

I would encourage all members new and experienced to use the manual at each meeting!

"Perspectives" - Toastmasters Tip of the Week

2008-08-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

(courtesy Gary Jones, President, Grand River Toastmasters)

This week's Tip is.....

Building and Maintaining a Strong Club.

It has been said that it takes 6 to 8 months to get a new club up and running and 6 to 8 meetings to kill a vibrant club. Why is this?

A Toastmaster's meeting must always be a safe space to experience. This means that each participant is experiencing a role or activity that is not overwhelming or too far out of their comfort zone,

We have seen some members distance themselves from meetings and sometimes drop out due to the expectations fellow members place on them.

For instance we once had a member who joined as they wanted to build up their confidence level. They were comfortable doing timer, invocation and such roles. When performing these roles everyone who witnesses the results were blown away by how well they conducted themselves.

The group response was to encourage the person to start doing speeches and other roles as soon as possible. What they didn't know was that the person's Mentor was actively working to maintain the person in the club. They were dealing with the Fight or Flight response the person was struggling with.

This new member actually left the club as it was easier to quit than to stand upon to the group pressure to move ahead.

Let's always allow room for appropriate involvement. Let us leave the filling of roles to the VP of Education so that the dynamics of member growth can be a safe and pleasurable experience for one and all.