Silver Spring Toastmasters Meeting Summary December 15, 2010 by Pauline Brown

The December 15^th meeting was a singularly special and festive occasion.

All five senses were called into action by the delectable array of potluck-style food on the one hand (well, on the large table right up front), and on the other, by true Toastmasters-style speeches and leadership.

Among the 30 special attendees were: Jaci Pasley – District 36 Governor, Jim Cline – Division D Governor, Bill Aley – Area 43 Governor, and Merlyn Kettering – Area 62 Governor.

The epigrammatic responses to Ellen Segal’s well prepared questions based on the Table Topics theme, “The Many Reasons for the Season,” set the tone for the festivity.

Eniola Olowofoyeku, Toastmaster of the Evening, led the program in her usual confident and organized style. As a special treat, she introduced “Bobo.” If you missed meeting this special guest, you will probably be lucky to meet him at our next meeting.

Una Kettering’s speech titled, “My Brother in the Hood,” captured the theme of the meeting. Like a skilled painter, her word picture on the Holiday canvas started with a baby born in Trinidad, an area of Washington D.C under underprivileged circumstances. With Una’s grasp of various elements of speech craft and delivery, we could almost reach out and touch that baby. As she continued on her path of imagery, the Baby born in Nazareth over 2,000 years ago evolved—and the real reason for the season was clear.

Well done Una!

Eldon Ralph’s “Tribute to Mother Teresa” was as intriguing as it was stimulating. Known for his adeptness at story-telling, Eldon took us with him as he verbally “mapped” Mother Teresa’s journey from Macedonia, her birthplace, to Calcutta, India. Among the many valuable nuggets of her character traits that we picked up along the way were:

a) Mother Teresa’s life bore witness to the virtue of humility

b) Her life was an enduring symbol of man’s humanity to man

c) She was the incarnation of charity

Then it was back to Toastmasters basics with the Clarence Featherson.

His energetic and interactive delivery of the A B C’s of Toastmasters protocol, while educational in nature, was entertaining. Can you visualize the Do Si Do—the exchange of positions at the podium between the leader and the next speaker? Do you know that the handshake is symbolic of the passing of power, and that in practice it helps with the smooth transition from one role to the next? Do you realize that in some places you need to step up onto the podium in order to get to the lectern? How long should your applause last? Long enough to allow the person who is introduced to get from his/her seat to the lectern or vice versa.

Good job Clarence!

Silver Spring Club 1314 knows best the value of socialization. With much thanks to all, the potluck was a blast! If your sense of taste was not revitalized, then I guess you missed some favorites like Mel’s Eggplant Parmesan and Fiona’s Pumpkin Roll with Ginger Orange.

Yum, yum!

President Mel Bayo exchanged his hat for the Master Evaluator’s hat which he “wore” very well. Like a good teacher, he explained the reason for, and benefits of this all-important aspect of the meeting.

Armed with an abundance of positive energy, the evaluators, David Buresh and Merlyn Kettering demonstrated their advanced evaluation skills as they commented on what worked and provided insight into opportunities for improvement. Highlights from each speech were the effective use of storytelling, and the skillful balance of information and humor.

To help provide indications of the quality of the meeting, Maxine Blanks, Fiona Morrissey, and Marcia Snyder gave the Timer’s report, Grammarian/Ahs report, and Listener’s report respectively. Maxine commented on consistency with respect to starting meetings on time, and that speakers stayed within the designated time for each project/speech. Fiona generously helped speakers identify fillers that potentially rob a speech of its spark. Marcia did a good job of reminding us of details of each speech.

Kudos to you ladies, your listening skills and keen attention to details really enhanced the roles.

Like the perfect icing on a scrumptious cake, Merlyn Kettering’s crafted a festive twist to the Carol, “Jingle Bells”. We sang with much gusto:

“Toastmasters, Toastmasters,

Toastmasters every day

We love to come to our club

We come to learn and play.”

That made for a perfect ending to the memorable December 15^th meeting!

Use Your Club Blog to Get Cooking on Toastmaster Recruiting and Retention! by Mel Bayo

I've been told I bake a great Eggplant Parmesan.

Fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and herbs. The eggplant is peeled, drained, breaded and baked. NOT FRIED.

And of course, two cheeses: Parmesan and Mozzarella.

My wife recently took two casseroles of it to an event she attended with 20 other women.

Only two small pieces survived!

More remarkable were the recipe requests received during the ensuing week. They came through e-mail, phone call, text, and even face-to-face encounters!

That's exactly what a quality Toastmasters club blog should do.

Give everyone a taste.

Let everyone, including current and future club members, experience the magic of your club. Use engaging text, photo and video content to give them a clear picture of what awaits them when they choose to attend one of your meetings.

Offer them a solution to their public speaking and leadership needs that is so compelling, they can't help but take the next step.

They've got to ask you for the recipe.

Be sure to join us next time when we'll talk about how to develop YOUR CLUB'S content recipe!

Silver Spring Toastmasters 2010 Holiday Party on December 15th

Greetings to all Silver Spring Toastmasters:

I trust you are all enjoying the holiday season. We have a great Toastmaster holiday party coming up this Wednesday. Even though we are reducing the number of speakers to three in order to make more time for socializing, we still have some roles to fill. Please let me know if you are available for any of the following roles: Three evaluators, Master Evaluator, Table topics master, Timekeeper, Grammarian/Ah counter.

Here's the current line-up

TMOE: Eniola Olowofoyeku

Master Evaluator: OPEN

Table Topics: OPEN

Speaker #1: Una Mae Kettering

Speaker #2: Eldon Ralph

Speaker #3: Clarence Featherson

Evaluator #1: OPEN

Evaluator #2: OPEN

Evaluator #3: OPEN

Timekeeper: OPEN

Grammarian/Ah Counter: OPEN

Listener: OPEN

I look forward to celebrating with all of you on Wednesday!

Welcome, Jim and Andy!

We have two new members, Silver Spring Toastmasters Family!

JIM CLINE is a very active and experienced Toastmaster--Advanced Communicator Bronze (ACB) and Competent Leader (CL)--who belongs to other clubs and in fact is currently Division D Governor! Though that's not even our division (we're F) and though he lives in Kensington, Jim couldn't resist visiting given what he'd heard about us--and then couldn't resist joining!

ANDY JACOBS, on the other hand, is brand new to Toastmasters--and does live right in the Four Corners neighborhood. He had decided to take his public speaking skills to the next level, and found us through an Internet search. He visited once, and then came back to join Club 1314!

Andy and Jim, it's been great to get a sense of you through your intriguing Table Topics comments and other remarks. We look forward to getting to know you as we hear more--soon! Thanks for deciding to come soar with us!

Silver Spring Toastmasters November 17, 2010 Meeting Summary by Pauline Brown

Like runners in a relay, Silver Spring Club 1314 members understand very well the importance of passing the proverbial baton.....transitioning from one speaker/leader to another..... well and on time. Our November 17th meeting, with the theme, "A Time to be Thankful", was another well run race toward excellence in communication and leadership.

Sergeant at Arms, Louise Janus set the pace, then passed the gavel over to our ever enthusiastic President, Mel Bayo. He reminded us of three key elements in the race for Toastmaster excellence:

1. Sign up for speaking and leadership roles regularly.
2. Become a club officer.
3. Compete in contests.

Toastmaster of the Evening, Robin Bradshaw brought her calm, but confident and focused leadership style to the lectern. Her well prepared introduction of each speaker functioned much like an invisible propeller...it stirred up energy and blew away any noticeable trace of nervousness.

Each of the four speakers represented very well the quality, both in preparation and delivery, for which Silver Spring 1314 is known.

Kim Crews, with the speech title, "When the Whistle Blows", surprised us with her athleticism. She skillfully juxtaposed the fundamentals of organized sport with growing and succeeding as a Toastmaster. Can you identify with these three fundamentals?

• Come ready to play......Practice
• Keep your eye on the ball....stay focused on your goal
• Exude confidence.....Allow your dreams to take flight

Fiona Morrissey's title, "Deadly" was brought to life in her characteristic bold and pragmatic style. Her writing skills, coupled with rich substance, stood out as she revealed the "eighth deadly sin".... Toxic Politeness/Radical Honesty. Have you noticed that in a particular store you are referred to as a guest instead of a customer?

And the highlight of the evening was the achievement of the highest Toastmasters award of excellence. What a great honor it was to have been part of the audience when Eldon Ralph delivered his qualifying speech for the Distinguished Toastmasters (DTM) award. All 23 attendees gave a standing ovation after he unbundled all the elements of competent communication, most noticeably, vocal variety. In his "off the cuff" delivery the moral of the story was "Look Before You Leap".



Here is a photo of the whole group that night except for the member who took the picture, Oz Ortega.


Clarence Featherson graciously volunteered to highlight the DTM achievement by emphasizing the award is a symbol of dedication and excellence. This meant that Eldon had previously achieved the Advanced Communicator Gold and the Advanced Leader Silver awards.

District 36 Lieut. Gov. of Education and Training, Barry Piatt, DTM gave yet another sterling speech... a hip pocket, mind you! this was an editorial for television titled, "The Death Penalty".

The word of the evening, "gratitude", became a more useful during our 10 minute break. Ellen Segal and Shirley Jarvis generously facilitated this time of socialization.

Maxine Blanks, Table Topic Master, recaptured the momentum with her stimulating questions that provoked responses revealing several other reasons for which participants were thankful.

As if the finish line was in sight, Master Evaluator Louise Janus led with confidence. It was hard to believe this was her first time in this role!

It was now up to the four evaluators, Yen Le, Mel Bayo, Joan Phillips and Desiree Payne to make the right strides by giving highly deserved and excellent feedback to the four speakers. and of course they came through! In what seemed like almost a team effort, all the elements of speech evaluation were collectively expressed very well.

Did I mention "right timing" earlier? Well, Tiffany Montero's Timer's Report confirmed that almost all speakers observed the timing rules. This was Tiffany's debut Timer's Report!

David Buresh's Grammarian/Wizard of Ahs Report was a neat balance between creativity and diligence. He enumerated the Ahs and Ums within his own established ranges of excellent, very good, good, or needs work. This was welcome twist in style. David also gave credit for proper word usage.

The Listener's Report given by Marcia Snyder served both to test our listening skills and as an on the spot recap of the highlights of the meeting. Great listening skills Marcia!

The TMOE and Master Evaluator agreed that the meeting was yet another great experience in communication and leadership for Silver Spring 1314. To crown it all, we added one more new member, Andy Jacobs, and one more distinction.

After getting the overwhelming and positive vote in favor of a fun way to wrap up the first half of the Toastmaster year as a family that soars together, President Mel Bayo announced our December 15 Holiday Party.

I say, if you bring up the topic of a well-run and fun meeting I will remind you of one where Toastmaster stalwarts such as Clarence Featherson, Mike Nolan, Merlyn Kettering and Una Kettering were in attendance. November 17th was just such a meeting!

Talk about REPRESENT!!

That's what these two gentlemen did fabulously last night in the District 36 Conference Table Topics Contest: CLARENCE FEATHERSON (okay, yes, *officially* representing another of his clubs . . . ) taking FIRST PLACE!! and MEL BAYO, representing Silver Spring Toastmasters Club 1314!!, taking THIRD!!

The Table Topics question: "What person, excluding members of your immediate family, has had the biggest impact on your life?" It was a dream question to this autobiography/biography aficionado . . . a love I imagine many of us in Toastmasters share. All six respondents were eloquent, interesting, moving. But Clarence regaled, in his inimitable fashion, with his account of his first supervisor, who taught him ATTITUDE--Attitude is all! No matter how down, down, DOWN (to the platform he was, last night, remembering it--can't you just see him?) you can pick yourself up and emerge victorious! And Mel, in his own irrepressible fashion, told us of Father Aloysius, I believe ("Society of Jesus, no less!") who, in teaching Mel he could bring his Freshman Algebra grade from barely passing to excelling, taught him that with PERSEVERANCE he could excel in anything he put his mind to.

Guys, your performances--and your very presence--in that contest last night (and all you do in and outside Toastmasters) demonstrate how well you've carried those lessons with you throughout your lives. BRAVO!!

Be a Judge? A Fun Opportunity to Pass It On!

Silver Spring Toastmasters family members:

You are invited to volunteer your time as a judge at the Frederick Douglass Oratorical Contest for D.C. and other schoolchildren, taking place Thursday-Saturday, Dec. 9-11, 2010, 9:30 to 4:00, at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site (in the Visitor Center auditorium).

The contest, which has been held annually for decades, will have four divisions: Grades 1-3, Grades 4-5, Grades 6-8, and Grades 9-12. This year, in addition our metro area, it is expected to draw kids from New York, New Jersey, and maybe Texas.

Contestants' objectives are similar to those for "The Oratorical Speech" in our Interpretive Reading advanced manual: Memorize a speech, or portion of a speech, by Frederick Douglass (ranging from 1-3 minutes for the little ones to 6-12 minutes for high schoolers). Give a speech, not a dramatic presentation (no costumes or props allowed in this case). Focus on "delivery, accuracy, and emotional appeal to the audience." No notes allowed!

Laura and I visited the Frederick Douglass house recently, and somehow it came up that I was a Toastmaster . . . hence the invitation. Braden Paynter, the National Park Service staff member organizing the event, says we can volunteer for one day, all three days, or just half a day. Toastmasters from the Red Cross chapter and a Capitol Hill chapter will be volunteering also. Sounds like the more, the merrier/the better!

The Frederick Douglass National Historic Site (house and visitor center) is located at 1411 W Street, SE, Washington, DC 20020. If you'd like more information, let me know, or call Braden Paynter at 202.426.5961.

Silver Spring Toastmasters November 17th Meeting Announcement

Greetings to all Silver Spring Toastmasters:

Before you start your Thanksgiving preparations, come out and enjoy another entertaining Club 1314 meeting on November 17th. We have a full line-up with the following volunteers:

TMOE: Robin Bradshaw

Master Evaluator: Louise Janus

Table Topics: Maxine Blanks

Speaker #1: Kim Crews

Speaker #2: Fiona Morrissey

Speaker #3: Eldon Ralph

Speaker #4: Pauline Brown

Evaluator #1: Yen Le

Evaluator #2: Mel Bayo

Evaluator #3: Joan Phillips

Evaluator #4: Desiree Payne

Timekeeper: Tiffany Montero

Grammarian/Ah Counter: David Buresh

Listener: Marcia Snyder

Snacks: Ellen Segal

Drinks: Shirley Jarvis

We look forward to seeing you next Wednesday!

Silver Spring Toastmasters November 3, 2010 Meeting Summary by Desiree Payne

We soared to another exciting and memorable meeting as our Club President , Mel Bayo, transitioned from his Presidential role to his speech project for the evening, from the Advanced Communication Series Storytelling Manual.

He told a historical story and captured our undivided attention as he enlightened us about Sir William Osler, one of the greatest icons of modern medicine who organized the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and later became Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford.

Mel’s speech (taken from Dale Carnegie's "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living") entitled “Day-Tight Compartments”, was a story telling lesson on how to live one’s life worry-free by preparing for the future by doing your best of today’s work today.

Oswaldo Ortega, one of our newer members, is definitely soaring through the Competent Communicator's Manual without missing a beat. Oswaldo’s speech, entitled “Emotional Intelligence, It's All About Your EQ Not Your IQ” took us on an emotional journey and encouraged us to be honest with ourselves. He touched on social awareness and relationship management. It was a teachable moment.

David Buresh, Club Vice President of Education, presented “A Hat, A Coat, A Chair: How to Mix Topics, Skills and Audiences as You Move Through the Toastmaster Communication Series” Project #3 from the Technical Presentations Manual in the Advanced Communication Series.

WOW! By literally moving completely around the room, donning and removing jackets and hats AND changing his view of the audience by alternately standing on chairs and the floor, David actively and cleverly demonstrated how to use various speaking skills and tools to accomplish our Toastmaster speech goals.

Talking about creativity, we have that too at Club 1314. Barry Piatt, our District Lieutenant Governor of Education and Training and club member, presented “The Talk Show” which was a project from the Advanced Communication Series (Communication on Television).

The topic of Barry’s Talk Show was the Annual District 36 Fall Conference. He detailed the itinerary for the two day event and aroused everyone’s interest and curiosity . Barry was interviewed by Joan Phillips and videotaped by Mike Nolan who transitioned from Toastmaster of the Evening to do the taping. We are multi-talented and we multitask expertly.

Three of our speech evaluators for the evening were Fiona Morrissey, Merlyn Kettering (Area 62 Governor) and Maxine Blanks. Each did an outstanding job as they put the icing on the cake.

Marcia Snyder was excellent as our Table Topic Master for the evening. She appropriately selected Autumn and Halloween as the theme for Table Topics.

And to round out yet another fantastic Silver Spring Toastmaster meeting Bill Aley was Master Evaluator. He actively conducted the evaluation process as he cheerfully moved us toward the meeting conclusion.

Bolster Toastmaster Club Recruiting and Retention Through Blogging by Mel Bayo

Hey there Silver Spring Toastmasters!

In the screencast you received recently we talked about blogs and the benefits our club will enjoy by becoming actively involved with them and ESPECIALLY this site.

You'll remember we discussed growth potential for individuals and for the club as a whole.

As an individual you can grow through blogging by eventually becoming seen as a subject matter expert. You can learn how to develop that skill now by publishing content on Silver Spring Toastmasters blog and transfer that skill onto your own site or job eventually if you like.

The club can grow because it is a collection of subject matter experts. Whether it's in your business, your personal life or in your time in Toastmasters, you are the expert of your own experience and, believe it or not, there are people out there right now looking to learn from your experience.

Some of them are inside our club and some are outside of it. So your experience can be utilized to support club member recruiting and retention through content creation.

Content creation is what a Toastmasters club is all about. Every time you write a speech, do a table topic or evaluation you're creating content and that content can be used to fulfill someone's needs or solve their problems.

Hey, isn't needs fulfillment and problem solving the core of sales and marketing?

Yup, you bet it is. And in upcoming posts we'll discuss marketing personas, content marketing and how those concepts can be used to bolster our club's recruiting and retention efforts.

So Silver Spring Toastmasters, until next time remember,

Come Soar With Us!

Silver Spring Toastmasters: You've GOT to be at the District 36 Fall Conference!

You were at the Area Contest in DROVES on September 19th!

You made us the most visible club at the Division Contest on October 24th!

Now it's time for the BIGGEST EVENT of the Fall, you've GOT TO BE THERE!

It's time for the District 36 Fall Conference: two days full of learning, networking, fun and laughter.

Silver Spring Toastmasters has a rich history of involvement with and success in past District 36 Conferences. Our club is home to past District Governors AND past District Speech Contest Winners.

This year the stage is once again set for club #1314 to showcase its excellence. Club member and District Lieutenant Governor of Education and Training Barry Piatt has worked hard to organize and promote the event.

Club Treasurer and District Conference Videographer Mike Nolan will be there capturing every moment on film.

And by virtue of winning the Area Governor Speak-off, our very own Area 62 Governor and club member Merlyn Kettering will be weaving his magic spell as Contest Master.

We hope that all this Silver Spring Toastmaster involvement will help conjure up the very best performances from all the contestants, ESPECIALLY Mel Bayo and Clarence Featherson, who will represent #1314 in the Table Topics and Humorous Speech Contests respectively.

That's right Silver Spring Toastmasters: OUR CLUB WILL BE REPRESENTED IN EACH OF THE CONTESTS!

And now all we need is for YOU to top off the MOJO so..........

Register for the Conference NOW!

You can attend the whole event or do it a la carte.

Just be sure to save November 19th and 20th on your calendar so you can join us at the Silver Spring Hilton on 8727 Colesville Road for all the FUN!

Come Soar With Us!

Call for November 3rd Meeting Volunteers

On the night after election day, we'll have a lot to think about. What better place to take a break from the political overload than Toastmasters Club 1314. We still have a lot of open roles, so I hope you'll be able to volunteer for something if you haven't already. Thanks for all you do to make our meetings so enjoyable and productive!

Here are the role assignments as of now:

TMOE: Mike Nolan

Master Evaluator: TBD

Table Topics Master: TBD

Speaker #1: Mel Bayo

Speaker #2: Oswaldo Ortega

Speaker #3: David Buresh

Speaker #4: Eldon Ralph

Evaluator #1: Fiona Morrissey

Evaluator #2: Mary Olowofoyeku

Evaluator #3: Maxine Blanks

Evaluator #4: Anonymous Member

Timekeeper: TBD

Grammarian/Ah Counter: TBD

Listener: TBD

Snacks/Drinks: TBD

Please email David Buresh or reply to this blog if you available for any of these roles.

Thanks!

The Club 1314 Bandwagon Rolls On!!!

It's exciting! It may even be unprecedented! The Silver Spring Toastmasters Club Contest Bandwagon rolls on! Today, Club 1314's Mel Bayo and Clarence Featherson teamed together for dual victories in District 36, Division F's Humorous Speech & Table Topics Contests.

If you think that was easy, you should have seen the formidable competition. But Mel and Clarence both excelled in the eloquent crafting of their words, physical use of the entire stage, humor, storytelling, gestures, vocal variety, etc. And they made it look easy -- a thing of beauty.

And our own Merlyn Kettering did his usual outstanding job of leading the event as contest master, while Barry Piatt faithfully served as a judge!

It's not too late to get on the bandwagon. I know you won't want to miss seeing Mel and Clarence at the District 36 Fall Conference on Friday, November 19th and Saturday, November 20th. The Table Topics Contest is on Friday and the Humorous Speech Contest is on Saturday.

Thank you Mel and Clarence for making us proud and representing us so well!

Silver Spring Toastmasters October 20, 2010 Meeting Summary by Mel Bayo

Our Sergeant at Arms, Louise Janus, started us off precisely at 7:30pm with the Pledge of Allegiance and an opening citing the autumnal changes surrounding us in the Washington D.C. area. Images of the pastoral scenes of baseball and the rough and tumble moments in football filled this thoughtful beginning and set the stage for a transition into the business portion of the meeting.

The recap of club business had three focal points: the Toastmasters Distinguished Club Program (DCP), the upcoming Division F Humorous Speech and Table Topics Contests and the welcoming of our guest, 2010-11 Division D Governor, Jim Cline.

The baton was then passed to the Toastmaster of the Evening, our Vice President of Education, David Buresh who strode to the lectern with his characteristic energy and enthusiastic smile. We were treated to pumpkin colored programs as a foreboding of the last day of this month. David's introduction of our Table Topic Master led us into the first speaking portion of the evening which began with a feeling of "Trick" but in the end was all "Treat".

Fiona Morrissey's Table Topics theme "Getting to Know You" had a fun, tongue-in-cheek opening that had club members thinking, "I wonder what she's going to ask me?" The respondents' answers had the room rolling in laughter. Thanks Eldon, Jim, Una and Mary for the fun responses and GREAT JOB Fiona!

Then quick as a flash, it was time for the prepared speeches.

Kim Crews let Silver Spring Toastmasters know "What Really Goes On In the Man Cave" during her speech about Fantasy Football. Did YOU know it all began in 1962, and currently has 30 million participants in North America who invest an average of $134 per person per year on their sporting passion? Outstanding work Kim and yet another step closer to that Competent Communicator's designation!

Next, our Vice President of Membership, Joan Phillips answered the question, "Was All That REALLY Worth It?". Her story told of a training contract she was involved in that eventually landed her in the Beverly Hilton at the AFI Lifetime Achievement Awards. While it's best to have her tell it since you'll enjoy it more, the core of her answer to the question posed in the speech title rests in a single letter: "D".

"The Rent is Due", delivered by Maxine Blanks, began with her singing a piece of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On". Her speech reminded everyone attending that activism is not only our right but our responsibility. A stirring call to action and fantastic job on your second project Maxine!

Finally, our very own Area 62 Governor and club member, Merlyn Kettering treated #1314 to the speech that earned him the role of Contest Master at the 2010 District 36 Fall Conference. Influenced by two of the greatest speeches ever delivered on American soil, Merlyn entreated us all to Make Our Dreams Take Flight.

WOW, break time was ELECTRIC! The chatter, laughter and smiles engulfed Room 204 while everyone enjoyed the fare provided by Merlyn and Una Mae Kettering.

In playing Master Evaluator for the evening, I had the pleasure of introducing our Evaluators. Each was effusive in their praises of the speakers' efforts while being particularly helpful with the specificity of the suggestions for improvement. EXCELLENT evaluations were delivered and 3 of the 4 Evaluators were Una Mae Kettering, Tiffany Montero and our Treasurer Mike Nolan.

Also, outstanding examples of a Timer's, Listener's and Grammarian's Report were provided by Oswaldo Ortega, Eldon Ralph and Louise Janus respectively.

With EVERY meeting Silver Spring Toastmasters continues to gain more and more momentum. Because of the heartfelt contributions of members looking to improve themselves and help others do the same, this truly is a club on fire.

You can feel the connection, the excitement when you enter Room 204 at Marvin Memorial Methodist Church on the first and third Wednesdays of every month.

Whether you're already a member or visiting us online, we invite YOU to......

Come Soar With Us!

Silver Spring Toastmasters and the Distinguished Club Program by Mel Bayo

Hey there fellow Toastmasters!

Did you know our club has 17 meetings left in the 2010-11 Toastmaster year?

Wow, it snuck up on me too!

And that means we'll need to be just that extra bit focused, communicative, strategic, industrious and INSPIRED in order to reach our club's collective goal of earning the top distinction in the Toastmasters Distinguished Club Program, the President's Distinguished designation.

Okay, so what's the Distinguished Club Program (DCP)?

It's a set of 10 communication, leadership, training and membership goals meant to challenge a club and its individual members to grow each Toastmaster year.

First off, in order to qualify for any award, by June 30 of 2011 our club must have either:

• At least 20 members, or
• A net growth of at least 5 new members

The GREAT news is that with over 40 members, Silver Spring Toastmasters is all set on that requisite.

So the 10 goals are as follows:

1. Two Competent Communicator (CC) awards given to club members
2. Two more CCs
3. One Advanced Communicator Bronze (ACB), Advanced Communicator Silver (ACS), or Advanced Communicator Gold (ACG) recognition given to a club member
4. One more ACB, ACS, or ACG
5. One Competent Leader (CL), Advanced Leader Bronze (ALB), Advanced Leader Silver (ALS), or Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) recognition given to a club member
6. One more CL, ALB, ALS or DTM
7. Four new members added to the club
8. Four more new members
9. Minimum of four club officers attending district-sponsored club officer training (TLI) during each of the two training periods
10. One dues renewal report and one club officer list submitted on time

Now, how does a club attain recognition in the DCP? Below are the three distinctions possible for a club and the number of completed goals required for their attainment.

• When we reach five of the ten goals: Distinguished Club
• When we achieve seven of the ten goals: Select Distinguished Club
• When we attain nine of the ten goals: President's Distinguished Club

In designing a strategy for becoming President's Distinguished this year, it's safe to assume that Goals # 9 and 10 will easily be reached since dues have consistently been taken care of and if all 7 officers attend the Winter TLI sessions (they did so this Fall) we will again have our Dream Team.

Note also that Goal #5 has already been attained so in essence we'll have three goals spoken for by early Spring.

By the way, we are currently at the halfway point (or better) on Goals # 1 and 7.

Club Challenge

Taking into account the time allotted to reach our collective goal I propose the following time-line to spur us on as individuals and a team:

1. Attain Distinguished status by January 19, 2011 (complete at least two more club goals within the next 7 meetings).
2. Reach Select Distinguished by March 16, 2011 (complete two additional club goals in the 4 February and March meetings)
3. Become President's Distinguished by May 18, 2011 (complete the final two club goals in the 4 April and May meetings)

Why complete 9 goals by the end of May when we have until the end of June?

• First off, because we CAN if we focus on it and work together as a team.
• Secondly, because the extra time will allow us to shoot for a PERFECT 10 of 10 goals.
• Thirdly, because don't you just LOVE a challenge?

We have a fair number of members who are 5 projects (or less) away from achieving that next level of recognition. So take some time before our next meeting on October 20th and look at how close YOU are to your next speaking and leadership designation.

After doing so, contact David Buresh to let him know how many projects you need to complete and schedule your next few speaking and/or leadership roles so you can be that much closer to your individual Toastmaster Goals.

I challenge you to STRETCH yourselves Silver Spring Toastmasters.

YOU CAN DO IT!

And when you win, our club will win as well.

LET'S GET THAT PRESIDENT'S DISTINGUISHED!

Silver Spring Toastmasters Line-up for October 20th Meeting

Greetings to all Silver Spring Toastmasters,

We have a strong line-up for the October 20th meeting, with five speakers. We still need a Listener and we have room for a Hip Pocket speech.

Here is the current lineup:

TMOE: David Buresh

General Evaluator: Mel Bayo

Table topics master: Fiona Morrissey

Speaker #1: Kim Crews

Speaker #2: Joan Phillips

Speaker #3: Maxine Blanks

Speech #4: HIP POCKET

Evaluator #1: Anonymous

Evaluator #2: Yen Le

Evaluator #3: Tiffany Montero

Evaluator #4: Mike Nolan

Timekeeper: Oswaldo Ortega

Grammarian: Merlyn Kettering

Listener: OPEN

Snacks & Drinks: Merlyn & Una Mae Kettering

Please respond to this blog or email David Buresh if you are available for one of these open roles.

Also, for those who have leadership roles, please be sure to bring your Competent Leadership Manual to get credit.

The Lectern Speaks by Clarence Featherson

"Fake it till you make it!"

(Original Source Unknown)

Public speaking consistently rates as one of the top fears if not the #1 fear for most people. Just thinking about speaking in public (also called stage fright) causes panic attacks, sweaty palms, heart palpitations and knees that often get to shaking. The great news is that with practice, feedback positive expectations and a few tips, tricks and techniques most people can not only reduce or even eliminate the fear of public speaking but begin to see it as something fun and enjoyable! Below are some tips to make public speaking more fun and less scary. Try the techniques below and see if they make you feel more comfortable and confident. They may not at first but eventually they will. Until then use them often and if necessary......

"Fake it till you make it!"


15 Speak Easy Tips to Reduce the Fear of Public Speaking

1. Arrive early when speaking. Also confirm the date/time location and physically visit the location if you have not been there before.
2. Call before speaking to find out the dress code. Being dressed appropriately reduces stress.
3. Know your material inside and out before speaking.
4. A few minutes before speaking, close your eyes and see yourself enjoying talking to your audience.
5. Practice deep breathing to calm down and reduce tension.
6. Physically stretch before speaking and walk around the speaking area.
7. Avoid caffeinated drinks and dairy products before speaking.
8. Always have room temperature water available while speaking.
9. For cases of extremely dry mouth, apply petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to front teeth before speaking.
10. To eliminate sweaty forehead or palms, apply antiperspirant to those areas before speaking.
11. Do verbal warm ups like tongue twisters before speaking (Peter Piper patiently persevered at picking pretty purple petunias).
12. Look at friendly faces when talking.
13. Always prepare a back up low tech presentation in case your Power Point or other technical presentation equipment fails. Also prepare a condensed version of your speech in case you have less time than expected.
14. Focus on the information you want to share with your audience, not on how uncomfortable or nervous you feel.
15. If you make a mistake (everyone does) just do what the professionals do......"Fake it till you make it."

Doing all of the above helps you to be relaxed, confident and enjoy the experience of speaking to an audience.

Be Sure to Attend the District 36 Division F Humorous Speech and Table Topics Contests!

Want to have a TON of FUN in just one afternoon?

The District 36 Division F Fall Contests is where you want to be!

• Clarence Featherson will compete in the Humorous Speech Contest AND....
• Mel Bayo will compete in Table Topics!

Come out and contribute to the Division's efforts while cheering on our club's competitors.

The Date and Venue are.....

Sunday, October 24, 2010 from 2pm-4pm Doors Open at 1pm

Montgomery County Council Building Auditorium
100 Maryland Avenue
Rockville, Maryland

Let's show the Division what Silver Spring Toastmasters is all about!

We look forward to seeing you there!

Ever Made a Fortuitous Mistake? by Mel Bayo

OOPS!

This might just be one, but your help is needed to figure it out.

Club Members received an RSS screencast by email today. While previously trying to fit it on our blog, a mistake was made.

I was playing with previews of blog templates and our original template went *POOF* then disappeared into thin air (I actually overrode it by accident but *POOF* sounds much better, doesn't it?).

Try as I might to recover the old template, the one you see remains. Before experts are brought in to diagnose and right the situation:

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS TEMPLATE?

Should we keep it or (if possible) bring the previous one back?

Please let us know in the comment section and we'll respond accordingly.

Thanks in advance for your replies!

The Lectern Speaks by Clarence Featherson

"Laugh and Grow Strong."

St. Ignatius of Loyola

Once upon a time when I was a beginning Toastmaster I was a very passionate but extremely serious (and stationary) speaker. One night I was given feedback by two very experienced Toastmasters that completely changed my speaking style and helped me become a more effective speaker.

I was told to put humor in my speeches and give only humorous speeches for several months. I did as suggested and the proof is in the pudding! Today I wouldn't dream of doing a presentation or training (at work, for TM or anywhere) without using humor.

I have used it at a memorial service for a close family member. Because I always use humor in my presentations (including table topics and evaluations) I'm often asked if humor is necessary in a speech.

My answer is always:

"No, it's not.....UNLESS you want to keep your audience interested, awake, engaged and focused on your message."

Audiences have a very short attention span. Humor helps keep people interested for several reasons (emotional and physical). Humor reduces tension, which is extremely important when dealing with conflict, very serious issues, very technical issues or children.

Humor helps people relax and have fun, makes them more open (think open fist versus closed fist) and receptive to information you're sharing. Humor makes people more likely to remember your message or to quote James C. Humes:

"What entertains endures."

It also helps people retain your message better because when people laugh they consume more oxygen and some of that oxygen makes its way to the brain and revives some of the brain cells the humorless speaker before you put to sleep (yeah for you)!

Humor also makes the speaker (particularly in job interviews and work settings) more likable (and for single people who are interested in making good impressions on dates.....it makes you more interesting, attractive AND super sexy).

Many people tell me they can't include humor in their speeches because they are not funny and can't tell jokes.

One super important point I always tell people is-humor does not have to include jokes or stand up comedy or a deliberate effort at being physical. Humor is anything that is amusing or information presented with a different twist (or facial expression, body language, exaggerated pause) or perspective.

You don't have to be funny to use humor. You just have to be willing to not take yourself too seriously and practice it every chance you get.....until you get better and you will (based on feedback from others). Using humor makes your speech more fun for you and your audience (and most people want to have fun).

Another question I hear Toastmasters ask frequently is, "Do I have to have humor in my International Speech?"

The answer is:

"No you don't.....UNLESS you want to win!"

All winning International speeches have humor in them (watch the winning speeches from the Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking if you don't believe me).

My challenge to you is to use as much humor as possible in your speeches (all types), evaluations, table topics, job interviews, passionate discussions with spouses, children, family or friends for two months (or longer).

You be the judge of the results. If humor doesn't help you connect better with your audience I'll give you not only a complete refund but I'll give you double your money back (that's supposed to be an example of humor)!

Line-up for Silver Spring Toastmaster's October 6th Meeting

We have a great group of leaders and speakers signed up for our first Autumn meeting on October 6th. The roles are as follows:

TMOE: Merlyn Kettering

Master Evaluator: Joan Phillips

Table Topics Master: Kim Crews

Speaker #1: Yen Le

Speaker #2: Maxine Blanks

Speaker #3: Oswaldo Ortega

Speaker #4: Mel Bayo

Evaluator #1: Louise Janus

Evaluator #2: Craig Schaar

Evaluator #3: Clarence Featherson

Evaluator #4: Pauline Brown

Timekeeper Jim Phillips & Ellen Segal

Grammarian: David Buresh

Listener: Dorothy Jefferson

Snacks: Tiffany Montero

Drinks: Marcia Snyder

Come out and join us for an entertaining evening!

Silver Spring Toastmasters September 15 Meeting Summary by Pauline Brown

Acting Sgt-at-Arms for the evening, David Buresh got the meeting to a bright and energetic start at 7:30pm. President Mel Bayo capitalized on the momentum as he announced the recently received President's Distinguished award for club 1314. Immediate past President Merlyn Kettering was recognized for his outstanding leadership that helped our club maintain its high standards.

Table Topics provided a 30 foot view of Toastmasters and was a tribute to our visitors. Participants shared the various means by which they showcased their effective speaking and leadership skills in the workplace.

Fresh from his hiatus, past Club President Craig Schaar with much confidence and mastery of the role of TMOE, set the stage for "Dreams to Take Flight". Bill Aley and Clarence Featherson ensured that there was no shortage of energy to fuel the flight.

The evening's speeches were as varied as they were thought provoking.

Eldon Ralph's Interpretive Reading project entitled "Gray Matter" was a perfect choice. The vocal variety in delivery saw the characters come alive, as the audience learned about how bonds between people, even of disparate backgrounds, can be formed. Move over Robin Williams,Eldon does voice much better!

Dorothy Jefferson, with her characteristic poise and confidence, in rare pedagogic style, and with visual aids, delivered Project #8 from the Competent Communicators Manual, entitled "The Care and Feeding of the Soul". She emphasized that, "The longest journey one will ever take is the journey from the heart to the soul." Where are you on your journey to the soul?

Remember how you reacted the last time you shook shook a can of soda then popped the top? Then you'll get what I mean when I say Bill Aley took the speaking area like a storm!

Judging from the title, his hip pocket speech entitled "When You Intend to Fly, It's That First Step" seemed innocuous, but then he unleashed his full complement of energy and in real Bill Aley fashion, leaped from the floor to the top of a chair, and with the vocal variety and gestures to support each move. Yes indeed, we journeyed with him through his dream as he realized the mantra "Make Your Dreams Take Flight!" And then....we all exhaled!

Speech evaluators Mel Bayo, Clarence Featherson and Marcia Snyder did justice to the speakers' efforts as they provided valuable feedback.

As with every successful meeting, the supporting roles of Timer's Report, Grammarian/Ah Counter and Listener's Report were done with keen attention to details. Commendations are in order for David Buresh, Maxine Blanks and Ellen Segal.

Many thanks to Joan and Jim Phillips for the tasty treats! Mingle, mingle was a great time of fellowship and meeting our first time visitor Tony and returning visitors Tara and Tasha.

To crown it all, Master Evaluator Robin Bradshaw did a superb job as she conducted the review and analysis of the entire meeting. In just a few words, the meeting was fun filled and productive.

Our Club President's concluding remarks were filled with satisfaction and optimism. Optimism because Club 1314's contestants were set and ready for the upcoming Area 62 Contests!

Yowsa! We're surrounded by winners!

Club 1314 is full of winners. . . even outside of our club meetings! At last Sunday's Area 62 Humorous Speech and Table Topics Contests, Club 1314 proudly walked away with both 1st place finishes: Mel Bayo for the Table Topics and Clarence Featherson for the Humorous Speech.

Congratulations Mel and Clarence!

And three Club 1314 leaders served as officials for the event: Merlyn Kettering as Area 62 Governor, Sandra Coles Bell as Contest Master, and Una Mae Kettering as Contest Coordinator. Thanks for representing us well!

Be sure to come and cheer on Mel and Clarence at the Division Contest. More details to follow.

The Lectern Speaks by Clarence Featherson

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step."

Confucius

I became involved in Toastmasters in order to become a more effective communicator and improve my performance at work.

But, once I became active in Toastmasters I realized I had embarked upon a lifelong journey of personal development and improving my communication skills was just the tip of the iceberg.

This journey is in many ways equivalent to the Knights of the Round Table and their quest for the Holy Grail or Jason and the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece.

Toastmasters cannot guarantee my quest will be successful.

But I am certain, if I attend meetings regularly, actively participate in meetings and make Toastmasters a priority, I will improve my speaking, listening and leadership skills.

The communication and leadership skills I've acquired in Toastmasters have helped me in all areas of life. Joining Toastmasters was my first step on a journey with adventures and rewards that are limited only by my imagination and vision!

I've taken the first step - what about you?

How to Post a Comment on Our Club Blog

Three years ago I didn't even know what a blog was.

I'd never written a post and I'd DEFINITELY never posted a comment on a blog either. One of my favorite facts I've learned about them since is.....

The best thing about blogs is they aren't a one way form of communication.

Because it is possible to comment on the content presented, future presentations improve AND more importantly, a sense of community develops among those who regularly submit comments and the blog contributors.

Because a few members wanted to know, here is how YOU can submit your comments on a club blog post......




Once you've clicked on the post from the home page or clicked on comments, you are taken to the comments field for that particular post. Just enter your comment then click "Post a Comment".




Once you do this your comment goes live on the blog under that particular post. If you have a Google account, since Blogger is a Google app, your comment will go live immediately if you're signed in.

If you're making your first comment and don't have a Google account I suggest you create one (future RSS Reader related posts will explain why).






When selecting your profile choose Google from the dropdown menu then click "Post a Comment. You'll be taken to the screen below.





Click on "Create One Now" and you'll go to the following screen to get you started with a Google account.







Once this is done all you'll need do is make sure you're signed in to your Google Account when you'd like to post a comment. If you are, your comment will immediately go live.

Remember your first Toastmasters meeting?

I felt a little intimidated in a room full of accomplished speakers and leaders. Yet over the past three years, by doing what I feared and receiving feedback on every effort, my speaking and leadership skills have grown.

By regularly contributing your comments on blog posts your content creation and evaluation skills will grow. Not only that, but we'll also create an even deeper sense of community among our members and those searching the web for a way to improve their speaking and leadership will be drawn to us. That's how our community will grow.

So, what do you think? Are you ready to comment now?

SEE YOU AT OUR SEPTEMBER 15th MEETING!

We're all set up for Silver Spring Toastmasters' September 15th meeting. We still have room for a hip-pocket speaker for anyone who is interested.

Here is the current lineup for this meeting:

Toastmaster of the Evening: Craig Schaar

Master Evaluator: Robin Bradshaw

Table Topics Master: Paulie Brown

Speaker #1: Dorothy Jefferson

Speaker #2: Eldon Ralph

Speaker #3: HIP POCKET

Evaluator #1: Mel Bayo

Evaluator #2: Clarence Featherson

Evaluator #3: Marcia Snyder

Timekeeper: David Buresh

Grammarian: Maxine Blanks

Listener: Ellen Segal

Refreshments: Joan and Jim Phillips

BE SURE TO BRING YOUR COMPETENT LEADERSHIP BOOK WITH YOU IN ORDER TO GET CREDIT FOR ANY ROLE YOU PERFORM!

Learn How the First Update on Our Blog Can Save You Time and MORE!

Ever wanted to stay on top of the latest developments in a certain field of expertise?

Let's say on an ongoing basis you want to know what experts are saying about something like.......

PUBLIC SPEAKING!


Well, you could easily use a search engine like Google and type in the words "Public Speaking". This makes lots of sense because many resources would be made available to you. All you'd need to do is visit the most relevant sites to gather your information. Also, you could bookmark your favorite sites and make a mental note to visit them regularly.

The challenges though, are:

• The bookmarking solution proves difficult if you have to keep up with lots of sites.
• You have to do all the work.
• Life gets busy and you just don't have the time to visit each of your bookmarked sites every day to see if there are any updates on them. So you miss content.
• If the sites you picked don't update frequently you waste time seeing the same content over and over.

Enter the world of RSS and solve your problem.

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) allows you, as a web surfer, to subscribe to sites relevant to your interests and automatically receive updates from them. This way you can stay on top of the latest and greatest on Public Speaking and enjoy these additional benefits:

• You don't have to give any personal information to subscribe.
• It's 100% opt in, meaning you have control of the information you get so there's no SPAM and you can unsubscribe at any time.
• You can easily locate information and quickly scan it.
• You can classify and categorize your information.

While you're a web surfer gathering information, as a Toastmaster you're also a content producer. Here's how content producers can benefit from RSS.

• It allows you to distribute relevant information to a targeted audience.
• It helps you increase your exposure.
• Over time you can position yourself as a thought leader in your area.

Also, believe it or not, the club benefits from RSS too! Check this out:

• Because of the constant updates on the blog, search engines crawl it more frequently and improve the chances of it being a Top 10 search result for the term "Toastmasters Silver Spring".
• Because of this the club reaches new and broader audiences.
• RSS is easier than email and gives us an additional way to communicate.

So....have you sold yourself on RSS yet? If you have, you'll need to get started with an RSS Feed Reader.

Would you like to know how to do this?

If so, type a quick reply in the Comments Section and you'll get the information SOON!