Club 1314, we made a great contest happen!

Thanks again to EVERYONE who made our Silver Spring Toastmasters Club International Speech and Evaluation Contest last Wednesday evening a resounding success.

• We put into play all the practices and protocols proven to make for a fair, valid, and exciting Toastmasters competition. Thanks again, Fiona Morrissey, for stepping up to the role of Contest Chair and preparing thoroughly for it. Thanks again, Merlyn Kettering, for stepping in to provide coaching and assistance, and Una Mae Kettering, our Division Governor and club member, for your leadership in acting as our Chief Judge.

• We had great participation . . . bold participation! We had just about everyone in the room playing one role or another, including new member Assegid Habtewold as Timer and new member Barbara Sahli as Sergeant at Arms. We had Five Evaluation contestants--Desiree Payne, Maxine Blanks, Marcia Snyder, Renee Davis, and Ignatius Cobb--each of whom was competing in this contest for the first time, if I'm not mistaken (and Ignatius, stepping up to the Club 1314 lectern for the very first time in any capacity!) We had Four International Speech contestants--Renee Davis, Drew Kolody, Andy Jacobs, and Shirley Jarvis--all of them also throwing their hats into this ring for the first time. Hats off to all of you!

• We had a terrific test speaker for our Evaluation contest. Thank you again, Pamela Copeland, Area 61 Area Governor, for giving us your time, treating us to an informative and enjoyable speech, and being a wonderful meeting guest.

• And, yes, we had two excellent competitions . . . and we have our winners! CONGRATULATIONS to our Club 1314 Evaluation Contest winner: MAXINE BLANKS! CONGRATULATIONS to our Club 1314 International Speech Contest winner: SHIRLEY JARVIS! And CONGRATULATIONS to our runner-up in BOTH categories: RENEE DAVIS!

Again, thanks to everyone who made this contest meeting the great learning and growth experience a Toastmasters contest is meant to be.

Please mark your calendars, everybody, for Sunday, March 11th, 2 til 5 p.m.. Come out to support our contestants in the AREA 62 CONTEST taking place at Takoma Park Presbyterian Church!