Read Those Manuals!

When I first joined Toastmasters I was absolutely positively overwhelmed by the new terms and acronyms that I was hearing. I thought, "My goodness, I have entered another culture with a completely new language! No one told me it would be THIS difficult!"  And so began my journey, with a HUGE learning curve. Then I found my two best friends, The Competent Leadership Manual and the Competent Communicator Manual. Yes, I CAN do this, I THINK I CAN,  I THINK CAN!!

Fellow Toastmasters, are you taking the time to read your manuals? Be honest  now, are you really? Have you began at the beginning of your manuals and then do you read your instructions as you prepare for each project? Are you keeping good records of your accomplishments and having them signed by your club's Vice President of Education? Did you know that you were suppose to do that? Ah ha! I thought so. You were as confused as myself when I first started. Okay then, now that we are being honest with each other, here is a little help for the weary and possibly overwhelmed new Toasty.

A simple guide to assist you on your learning journey:

1. Get out your Competent Leadership Manual and turn to page three. Here you should find the Table of Contents. Listed first is the Introduction, then the ALL IMPORTANT Project Completion page. Go there! 

2.The Project Completion page is very important to pay attention to. Please note that EACH project has certain roles that need to be completed in order to get your CL, Competent Leadership Award, and each project needs to be signed by your VP of ED, Vice President of Education, for this award to be given to you. NOT all roles need to be done in each project. For example, in Project One you only need to complete 3 out of 4 to finish that project, Yay!! Of course you can do them all if you like, but that is not necessary. I have more than one CL manual that I work out of so that I can get credit for all the roles I fill. Good advise right? Yep, a great mentor suggested that to me and I am more than happy to pass this advice along to you!

3. Turn to your first Project. Read how to be a good listener. Take the exercise and see how you feel about your listening skills. Each project has suggestions and guidelines to assist you in fulfilling these roles in an effective way. Remember, the Leadership projects do NOT have to be done in order. In my CL manual I have all projects done except for 4, 6 and 9. Once these are completed, I will have earned my third CL award. Cool  huh? You can too, there are limitless opportunities for you to lead and grow!

4. Get out you Competent Communicator Manual. Again, you will have a Contents page. Go there! In the book I am currently using, my Project Completion Record is in the back of the book. 

5. The Project Completion page is important to pay attention to in this manual as well. Remember, make sure that all your speeches get evaluated and you record them on this page. Get credit for all that you do in Toastmasters. They want to honor you with your job well done and so do the rest of us! Keep good records, have your Vice President of Education sign this, and help your club achieve their goals too. It's a win win situation for everyone. 

6. Now, turn to your first speech "The Ice Breaker". Read how to do this, know your objectives. The objectives are listed in the blue box to the right on the first page. They are to: 1. Begin speaking before and audience, 2. Discover speaking skills you already have and skills that need some attention. That's it. But that is good enough. Not only is there valuable information for you in this project, but at the end of the project there is a Speaker's Checklist  telling you what to do and reminding you to have the VP of ED initial the Project Completion Record. Easy as pie, right?

Okay fellow Toasties, now you know the important stuff and it's time to go forth and accomplish our mission! What is our mission? It is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which EVERY individual member has the opportunity to develop oral communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth. Yes, we can do this! I KNOW WE CAN!!

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Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at 

Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome.

 For more information call Laurie Rangel at 928-300-1130 or Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638

How to Be a Successful Mentor

In Toastmasters we have mentors. What is a mentor? A mentor is someone already familiar with and an active member in a Toastmaster club, who is assisting a new member. When a new member joins, lets admit it, they are usually scared. I know I was. I was completely overwhelmed with the acronyms, functionary roles, and the "clicker"! Then you add to that fearful feeling the fact that you somehow agreed to do a speech in front of a group of people you barely know! Are you kidding?

New members need someone to lead, guide and direct them. They need direction in learning about how the meetings are run, and help in becoming familiar with the Competent Communicator and Leadership Manuals. So, how do you mentor someone? Here are a few ideas: 

1. Make sure they are welcomed and you introduce yourself as their club mentor. Explain to them that you are there to assist them with all their questions and anything they need concerning their assignments and goals.

2. Sit by them at the meetings and keep in contact with them either by email or by phone. Whenever they have an assigned role, explain to them what that commitment involves. When I get a new person to mentor, I recommend that they start easy with doing a thought or a joke. Then, the next step would be to participate in a Table Topics. I let them know that they can say no at anytime and it's okay!

3. After they perform a role or give a speech, celebrate! They have broken through a wall of fear! This is one of the most exciting things a person can accomplish! I wish I could jump up and down when I see this happen. It takes a lot of self control for me to not hoot and holler! Oh, okay, lets let them know how we really feel, hoot and holler away! They need it. The applause in Toastmasters is one of my favorite things to do. I love the look on peoples faces when we do this. What a fantastic way to show our support.

4. Next, guide your person into setting some goals. Help them know that the Vice President of Education is a person that they can go to with getting their goals fulfilled. This officer's role is to make sure they get on the agenda. Communicate well with the VP of ED. I send my VP of ED an email each month outlining my desired goals and I let him know how close I am to achieving those goals. He always gets excited for me and does everything he can to get me on the agenda.  

5. Send your person links to the international web site. Send links that may interest them, or assist them in an upcoming assignment. Also, urge them to read the magazine. Each month I browse through to see what grabs me. I don't always have time to read the whole magazine, but there is almost always something that grabs my attention. 

6. Be their friend. My mentors, I have two, are both now my dearest friends. I love their suggestions, appreciate their support, and want to serve them as they serve me. Our club is one of laughter, support, and friendship. Wouldn't you want to make sure your people feel welcome and free to express themselves while learning? I sure do.  

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laurie Rangel at 928-300-1130 or Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638

A Mentoring Moment

We have had an exciting week with our Toastmaster duties. One of our club members has assisted a group of people in the Cottonwood City government to start their own Toastmasters club. This is always exciting! Today we held our first demo meeting with this new club. A demo meeting is one in which we go through all the functionary roles, describing each responsibility while assisting the new members to fill those roles. We had two very brave first time speakers, and two new club members do the impromptu table topics. I must say, the meeting was a success and we all had a lot of fun! 

Learning public speaking skills and developing leadership abilities is a great asset to a person. I have seen people change from stammering speakers to speakers with confidence and passion. I have witnessed timid leaders rise in power to fill their functionary roles, leaders who once were afraid but who now fear nothing! If you are struggling with your confidence and need a little helpful and friendly support, find a local Toastmasters near you and JOIN in the fun, be the one!

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laurie Rangel at 928-300-1130 or Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638

Interpretive Reading

The Interpretive Reading Manual is part of the Advanced Series in Toastmasters. Once you have completed your Competent Communicator Manual you can go on to choose from a variety of other manuals. In the Interpretive Reading Manual you have the following projects:
1. Read a Story: Your goal as reader is to enthrall your audience with a story that the audience isn't even aware of the reader.
2. Interpreting Poetry: Share a poem that people will enjoy hearing as you read it aloud.
3. The Monodrama: This project is where the speaker appears to be talking to an unseen person or perhaps only to their self. This should be a highly emotional presentation.
4. The Play: This is a project where you read parts of all the characters distinguishing them by different voices and actions.
5. The Oratorical Speech: In this project you select, rehearse and present a famous speech.

In my last project I did project number two, Interpreting Poetry. I decided that I wanted to have a little fun while bragging on my husband. He is an author and a poet. Whenever he reads a book he writes down key words or phrases that impressed him the most, puts these words or phrases into poem form, then sings them to a song. His favorite song to do remembering poetry with is "The Battle Hymn of the Republic". Here is one of his song poems that he made after listening to a recent Wayne Dyer PBS presentation. We all had fun singing this in our club. I hope you enjoy it too!

I feel extremely confident, good, healthy, strong and free.
I feel energetic, masterful and grateful to be me.
And it's all because I'm naturally connected, like the sea,
Fused with Divinity.


I can do it if I see it.
Focus energy and free it.
Make my mind up and I'll be it.
Fused with Divinity. 

Enjoy your day and remember, you too are "fused with Divinity"!
Thanks for reading,
Laina

We meet every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laurie Rangel at 928-300-1130 or Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638

Tips for avoiding GM crops

I love it when our Toastmaster speakers share information that helps in creating a better life. This past Monday we had part two of our last weeks part one speech on Genetically Modified foods. Our speaker, Merle, handed out a little pamphlet, which I will now take with me everywhere I go, titled "True Food Shoppers Guide" by the Center for Food Safety. They have an excellent web site if you would like to learn more about them.

In the booklet we are given a few tips:
1. Buy Certified Organic foods
2. Look for "Non-GMO" labels
3. Avoid at risk ingredients: corn, soy, canola, cotton
4. Buy products listed in the shoppers guide


For his speech, Merle brought information in the form of pamphlets, fliers and web links to help us on our learning journey.  A little Toastmaster's tip is to have any handouts on the chairs ahead of time or have a helper pass them out during a speech. This will assist in a good speech presentation and be less distracting. Then your audience can stay focused on your topic. After all, you do want to be the center of attention when giving a presentation. I personally don't want to miss a thing! Especially when Merle speaks to us. 


Thank you Merle, you are awesome!


Laina

This picture was taken from the "Center for Food Safety" site at

www.centerforfoodsafety.org

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Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laurie Rangel at 928-300-1130 or Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638

Signs and GMO's???

What an education it is belonging to a Toastmaster's club! This past week we learned about "Signs, Signs, Signs" and "Genetically Modified Organisms" or what we all know as GMO's. Attending a Toastmasters club is certainly an education. Not only do we learn and gain skills in leadership and public speaking, but we are also enriched by the speeches that are given.

This week we learned the following:

Merle, our Master Gardener, taught us that a genetically modified organism is created in the lab, not a natural occurring organism. GMO's contain artificial gene units from viruses, bacteria, plants and animals.

We learned that the main goal in creating these organisms was to help better the environment, reduce uses of herbicides and insecticides, increase crop yields, and that they would be safe to eat and more nutritious.

Research has shown that the original indications of such claims fail to live up to their desired effects. Instead we are finding out that the GMO's can be toxic, allergenic or less nutritious than their natural counterparts, they disrupt the ecosystem, damage vulnerable wild plant and animal populations, increase chemical inputs over long term, deliver yields that are often worse than conventional crops, and cannot be recalled from the environment.

This was part one of a three part speech by Merle. I am already upset with the information he presented to us Monday. I will probably be up in arms by the time he is done. Urgh!

You see this picture of the sign suggesting we buy GMO free foods? Good message, right? Well our next speaker, Lou Rangel,  inspired and taught us about a few other signs, signs that are a benefit to all of us, whether we are from English speaking countries or countries of other languages. With all the ease of travel and the internet, our world has become a much smaller place. We need to learn to communicate and respect each other. He taught us that through the use of signs we can learn about one another, share and respect each other. He even told us that there is an international sign for marriage! I am not sure which sign he was referring to but I found a few on the internet that were amusing. Thank you cyber space!

There is this one

or this one

And my favorite is this one

We hope you can join us and enjoy the learning moments that make our lives richer and definitely more interesting!

From your Toastie Laina

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village

 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome

 For more information call Laurie Rangel at 928-300-1130 or Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638

Cottonwood Toastmaster's New Officers for 2012-2013 Year

We just had our club installments this past Monday and would like to congratulate those who are the new officers for the 2012-2013 year. First we would like to thank the outgoing officers for their service! Everyone has busy lives and taking the time to serve in our club means a lot to all of us! Thank you!

Our new officers for this Toastmaster year are:
President Laurie Rangel
Vice President Education Dave Ellison
Vice President Membership Laina Lloyd
Vice President Public Relations Pam Miller (absent)
Secretary Lou Rangel
Treasurer Denise Gaff
Sergeant at Arms Merle Herrick

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the 

Cottonwood Village  201 E Mingus Ave. 

Guests are welcome. 

For more information call Laurie Rangel at 928-300-1130  

or

 Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638

How is Your Attire?

Recently in our Cottonwood Toastmasters club we had an evaluator tell the speaker that he liked  her state of presence, it drew him to her. Concerning this comment, he was referring to her attire. Have you considered that the way you dress, the jewelry you wear, and the way you present yourself have an effect on others?

One of the things my mentor told me when I first began my speaking moments in Toastmasters was to leave my name badge off  because it would distract from my speech. She also mentioned to avoid wearing loud jewelry and distracting clothing, clothing that would be too busy and colorful, or too immodest. 

In an article titled "Who Am I Now" by Karen Hudson CL, Karen states the following:

How Do You Choose the Garments?
Always consider three important guidelines when choosing what to wear for a presentation:

1. The clothes should not take focus from you, the speaker.
2. You need to be able to perform comfortably and effectively in the costume and accessories.
3. The costume should not tell more story than you have time to present.

Karen states that there are many ways your clothing and jewelry choices affect your presentations. She challenges us to look in the mirror and ask "Who am I now...What is my story? Am I projecting the image of a person who is qualified to speak on this subject...Do I convey the story I want to tell?"

This is a great article and worth taking the time to read. Karen is the founder of the Mindful Communicators Club in Woodland Hills, California. She is a retired costumer in the film and TV industry.

Have fun and remember who you are!

Laina Lloyd ACB, CL
VP PR
Area Governor N5

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Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina at 928-300-8638 or Dave at 634-6540

The Three Sisters of Agriculture

One of the things I enjoy about attending Toastmasters is the knowledge you gain from the speeches given. The learning is priceless. For example, this past Monday in our Cottonwood Toastmaster's club  Merle spoke to us about "The Three Sisters" which are "Corn, Beans, and Squash". Who would have guessed those plants are sisters! From the web site titled "Bird Clan of East Central Alabama" Merle shared with us the story of the three beautiful sisters who lived together in a field. These sisters were different from each other in size and dressing. The little sister was young and could only crawl at first. She was dressed in green. The second sister wore bright yellows and had a way of running off by herself when the sun shone and the wind blew in her face. The third sister was the oldest and always stood very straight and had long yellow hair. The three sisters were the "Corn, Beans, and Squash".

We learned that when these three crops are planted close together the corn creates poles for the beans to crawl up, eliminating the need for poles. The beans provide nitrogen to the soil that the other plants utilize, and the squash spreads along the ground blocking the sunlight which helps prevent the growth of weeds. 

The following is taken from the web site "Bird Clan of East Central Alabama" 

The Iroquois Legend of the Three Sisters

Erney, Diana. 1996. Long live the Three Sisters. Organic Gardening. November. p. 37-40.The term “Three Sisters” emerged from the Iroquois creation myth. It was said that the earth began when “Sky Woman” who lived in the upper world peered through a hole in the sky and fell through to an endless sea. The animals saw her coming, so they took the soil from the bottom of the sea and spread it onto the back of a giant turtle to provide a safe place for her to land. This “Turtle Island” is now what we call North America.

Sky woman had become pregnant before she fell. When she landed, she gave birth to a daughter. When the daughter grew into a young woman, she also became pregnant (by the West wind). She died while giving birth to twin boys. Sky Woman buried her daughter in the “new earth.” From her grave grew three sacred plants—corn, beans, and squash. These plants provided food for her sons, and later, for all of humanity. These special gifts ensured the survival of the Iroquois people.

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Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

Our Club's First Speech-A-Thon

One of our amazing club members, Laurie Rangel DTM, organized a "Speech-A-Thon" for our Cottonwood Toastmasters members who wanted to get a few speeches accomplished FAST. At our event we did the following:

Opening remarks by Speech-A-Thon Chair person Laurie
First speech introduced by their evaluator
Speech
Next!

It was so fast, easy, and FUN!! We had refreshments to nibble on while we listened, then we had a short break half way through the meeting. Our meeting lasted for two hours. Were we bored? Not in the least. And here is why:

1. We have a supportive group
2. We have respect for each other
3. We have amazing talent and speakers who teach us as they grow and learn
4. We enjoy being together and have become friends

Some of the things we learned about from the speakers were:

1. The importance of alkaline foods and Kangen water
2. Things we don't know that we don't know! Great speech about learning from topics speakers speak about, and acquiring leadership skills.
3. Things seem big when we are small and small when we are big!
4. Rainbow herbicide and the Vietnam war: fascinating speech by one of our own Cottonwood Toastmasters Veterans. We applaud and honor you Merle!
5. Animals, their fears and need for loving care.
6. Walmart through the years
7. Healing after 35 years: the healing process and return to Vietnam.

Applause, Applause, Applause! 

Well done Cottonwood Toastmasters!

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina at 928-300-8638 or Dave at 634-6540

Five Basic Public Speaking Tips

New to Toastmasters? Long time member to Toastmasters? Check out this video on "Five Basic Public Speaking Tips" and learn or freshen up on your public speaking skills:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AykYRO5d_lI



Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

The Distinguished Toastmaster

Did you know that the highest honor Toastmasters awards is that of Distinguished Toastmaster, commonly known as the DTM? Members who have achieved both the Advanced Communication Gold and Advanced Leader Silver awards are given this recognition. To achieve this award usually takes five to eight years of dedicated service and leadership! Of the 4 million past and present members of Toastmasters fewer than 12,000 members have achieved this elite DTM status. Members who have earned their DTM are usually honored and presented with a medal at a district conference following their achievement.

 At Cottonwood Toastmasters we have two members who have achieved DTM status. Our most recent DTM is Laurie Rangel who  received her medal at the past conference. Laurie, we congratulate you and honor you as one of our clubs DTM's and say, "Way to go Laurie. You make us proud!"

In a recent email I received from Laurie she says "Becoming a DTM was a long road, however I did not take that road alone. I could not have achieved this without help from all of you." At our last meeting Laurie shared with us how it felt to receive this Distinguished Toastmaster award, encouraged us all to do the same, and told us her next goal is to get a second DTM. And she will too!

Here you see a surprised Laurie at our Toastmasters meeting.

We surprised her and dedicated the entire meeting to her!

This is Laurie, Denise our "ah"counter, and Dave our timer

 Laurie, serving as our General Evaluator, shared with

us how she feels about accomplishing this award and what her future goals are

Paula, our current VP of ED

and

Laurie

Laurie cutting her cake. YUM!

This is Lou, Laurie's husband. He created his speech around Laurie 

and her amazing accomplishments and growth from being 

a Toastmaster

This is me and Laurie, Merle is in the background. He is a valued

new member of our Cottonwood Toastmasters club!

To view pictures of the recent District 3 Conference go to: 

 http://toastmastersdistrict3.shutterfly.com/

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

Earthworms and Public Speaking

In our Cottonwood Toastmasters Club we are fortunate to have a Master Gardener. He recently gave us a speech on "Earthworms the Living Soil". He even brought some of the little wiggly creatures for us to see. Did you know that earthworms are major decomposers of dead and decomposing organic matter and get their nutrition from the bacteria and fungi that grow upon these decaying materials? Did you also know that there are over 7,000 species of these little creatures?

Charles Darwin calculated that earthworms can move large amounts of soil from the lower strata to the surface and also carry organic matter down into deeper soil layers. A large portion of soil passes through the guts of earthworms, and they turn over the top 6 inches of soil in 10 to 20 years. The channels made by deep burrowing earthworms, lined with readily available nutrients, make it easier for roots to penetrate deep into the soil. 

As a child I was always fascinated with worms. After a rainstorm I would run outside to watch them wiggle in puddles of water. I remember touching their slimy bodies, yuck, running in the house to wash my hands, then running back outside to touch them again. Holding an earthworm in my hand was a little too gross, but as I got older I grew to appreciate them and often got excited when I found some in my garden. To me this was a sign of healthy soil. 

So next time you see an earthworm, think of Cottonwood Toastmasters! The place where we provide channels and nurturing for deep personal growth!

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

Mentor Moments - Ah Counter

The following was taken from:

http://www.aztoastmasters.org/ah-counter

Mentor Moments - Ah Counter

District 3 Toastmasters Mentor Moment
Category	Functionaries
Title	Bold 'AH' Counters
Contributor	Nancy Starr, DTM
When you are assigned to serve as the Ah Counter, your job includes counting ahs, ums, and ers. The goal is to make each of us aware that we use these distracting words.   However, just knowing about it after the fact is not very helpful. It's more effective if you provide a signal the moment a person says "ah" or "um."     Whether it's a bell, a clicker or some other noise-making device, the instant feedback trains us to avoid the practice.   Except for prepared speeches, be bold and ding the speaker (including your Mentor) every time you hear the dreaded "ah" words.    You aren't being rude; it's your job!

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

A Welcome To Our Student Guests

We are always excited when we have guests visit our Cottonwood Toastmaster's Club! This past Monday we had the pleasure of enjoying four new guests, what fun! Two of our guests were visitors from a local college business class assigned to speak at our club, and who came even with their nervousness and shakes! Hooray to this teacher who gave the assignment for the students to participate in a Toastmaster Club Table Topics.

For those of you readers who are not familiar with Toastmasters, each week at our meetings we have a fun segment where the Table Topics Master calls on an unsuspecting participant to give a 90 second impromptu speech. The topic in our club is taken from the theme of the day. Our theme for this meeting was "Traffic". I happened to be the Table Topics Master deciding to have some fun with this topic!

 One of my questions was "If you were a stop light in a busy city, what would your thoughts be at rush hour?" To assist our guests, especially our very nervous student guests, I asked one of our best speakers, long time member, and DTM (Distinguished Toastmaster) to go first. She set a great example for the following two speakers.

Question number two was:

"Some towns are so small that the only traffic guide for the entire town is a four way stop sign at the only intersection in town. One day you experience four cars at the same time at your intersection, quite an unusual event. As a four way stop sign, what are you thoughts while experiencing this unusual moment?"

And question number three was:

"On occasion there are reasons for the freeway to shut down. Have you ever been stuck on the freeway in a traffic jam? What did you do and how did you handle your delay?"

I loved question number three because as I was contemplating what questions to ask our participants about "Traffic", I remembered the day my husband, daughter and I were stuck in very slow traffic at crawling speed, coming down Oak Creek Canyon. After a few minutes of this slow speed crawl, my husband jumped out of the car and said "I'll see you at the bottom of the hill! I'm going visiting." and off he jogged, stopping along the way to visit and have a laugh with whom ever would lend him an ear! He is so fun to be married to. I guess in a way, I was  hoping our speaker would relate a similar story, but since he was just a young college boy, he was modest in his answer. I am proud to say that he won the Table Topics Best Speaker award for the day!

I say to you all "Welcome to our Cottonwood Arizona Toastmasters Club where we have a lot of fun! Bring yourself and a guest anytime. You are more than welcome!"

To public speaking and the fun of overcoming your fears, happy day to you and CONGRATULATIONS for getting out of your comfort zone!

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

Member Roles and Agenda In a Toastmasters Club

We have a few new members in our Cottonwood Toastmaster's club which is always wonderful! There are many things that go on during a meeting that I thought it appropriate to do a little post about it to assist our new members and curious readers in their learning.

The first thing that happens when you attend a Toastmasters meeting is to sign in at the front door. If you are a member, wear your name badge. If a guest, get a name tag and sign the guest book. In our club we have a guest packet that we give to our visitors. I love this because our guest packet is full of information that teaches more about what Toastmasters is and how you can benefit from the program. We also have information in our packet about our club web site (http://cottonwoodaztoastmasters.toastmastersclubs.org) and blog (www.cottonwoodtoastmasters.blogspot.com).

After you get signed in and meet some of the members, at the scheduled time the club president stands at the podium and opens the meeting, welcoming members and guests. He/she then turns the meeting over to the designated Toastmaster. The Toastmaster and other roles are preassigned. In our group this is done on a monthly calendar which is very helpful for it gives each club member time to prepare, call other members and remind them of their roles, and also assists with a smooth functioning club.

The Toastmaster then introduces the theme and then each of the following, leading with applause:
Joke Master: who starts our meeting with a joke or humorous story
CL (Competent Leader) Evaluator: who is there to sign any books for leadership roles being fulfilled
General Evaluator: who will give a general meeting evaluation at the end of the meeting

Then the Toastmaster turns the time over to the General Evaluator who introduces his/her team:
Grammarian: Gives a report of their responsibilities and word of the day
Ah Counter: listens for "ah's" ums, you knows, etc..., rings bell when "ahs, or ums" are used
Timer: runs the timer for speeches and evaluations, also Table Topics participants
Speech Evaluators: Evaluates the speakers

The General Evaluator then turns the time back to the Toastmaster who introduces the speakers. After the speakers we hear from the speaker evaluators. Then the Toastmaster turns the time over to the Table Topics Master. The Table Topics master introduces the questions following the assigned theme of the day and calls on club members at random to stand and give a 90 second impromptu speech. After all the Table Topics speeches are done, the Table Topics master turns the time back over to the Toastmaster who then invites the General Evaluator to give their summary including reports from their functionaries. Finally the Toastmaster announces the winners of the day which include the Best Speaker, Best Evaluator, and Best Table Topics Speaker. The thought of the day is then introduced followed by the release of the meeting by the Toastmaster to the Club President who does final announcements and adjourns the meeting until the following week.

All in all, the meeting should only last one hour. There is a degree of protocol to be followed, including the turning of the podium over to the next person in charge, never leaving it unattended; applause after each functionary or speaker is introduced; and the presiding authority of the club president. Each club may do their agenda a little differently, but the basic structure is the same. Toastmasters learn speaking and leadership skills that may assist them in their lives, jobs, and other leadership opportunities they may encounter.

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Mondays theme was "colors" and here was our thought for the day:

"A friend is like a rainbow, they are always there after a storm."

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina at 928-300-8638 or Dave at 634-6540

Tragedy of the Five Sullivan Brothers

This past Monday we had an informative speech presented by one of our members, Laurie Rangel. She did an excellent job on her presentation of a "Touching Story" and the tragedy of the five Sullivan brothers. Laurie taught us about brothers who were inseparable. These brothers, whose names were George Thomas, Francis "Frank" Henry, Jose Eugene, Madison "Matt" Able, and Albert Leo, lived in their home with their sister Guinevere and their parents Thomas and Alleta Sullivan. Growing up these brothers stuck together no matter what! If one got into a fight, they all did. If one got into trouble, they all got into trouble. So it was no surprise that when they  heard the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the death of several of their dear friends, they all enlisted in the Navy, requesting to be stationed on the same ship so they could serve together. Then on November 13, 1942, off the shores of Guadalcanal, the ship sank and all five brothers were killed. 

In a letter sent to Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan by Franklin D. Roosevelt, these brothers were acknowledged as "gallant" men and offered a heartfelt message of condolence and gratitude for their service. He quotes one of the brothers who said "We will make a team together that can't be beat." Mr. Roosevelt stated that it is in this spirit which in the end we must triumph. 

This post is dedicated to all those who have served and are currently serving in the military for the United States of America. We salute you and quote President Roosevelt by saying that you too are "gallant" and we gratefully thank you for your sacrifice and service for our lives and our country. 

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

Contest Winners!

Congratulations to our contest winners! They are as follows:

Dave Ellison CC, CL for best Tall Tale

Laurie Rangel ALB, ACS for best International Speech

You both did a great job and have made our 

Cottonwood Toastmaster's Club PROUD!

Good luck to you at the next competition. 

We are cheering for you!

Cottonwood Toastmasters every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

*A special thank you to the internet world for our often used images! 

February 14th Facts

This past Monday one of our Cottonwood Toastmasters gave a speech as she is working toward her Distinguished Toastmasters award. Her speech was so interesting that I asked if I could put it in this blog. Since it is the 100th anniversary of Arizona's Statehood, I thought it was appropriate. Thank you to Laurie for sharing with us. The following are some of the facts we learned about in her speech:

On February 14, 2012 many of us will be celebrating St. Valentines Day. I started wondering "Who is St. Valentine?" According to the Catholic Dioceses of the United States, Saint Valentine is not one saint, it is the name of several martyred saints of ancient Rome, fourteen in all.

Saint Valenitnes day is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other. This celebration first became associated with romantic love in a poem written by Geoffrey Chaucer . According to his biography, this poem was written to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Ann of Bohemia.

Squidoo states that on Valentine's day, nearly one hundred and fifty million cards are exchanged and fifty percent of these cards are purchased six days before Valentine's Day. They also mention that forty thousand Americans are employed at chocolate companies....

Here are a few more bits of trivia to entertain your mind:
-In 1556 Archbishop Thomas Cranmer was declared a heretic
-In 1778 Stars and Stripes arrive in France for the first time
-In 1794 the first US textile machinery patent was granted to James Davenport of Philadelphia
-In 1848 James Polk became the first president in office to be photographed (by Matthew Brady)
-In 1887 the Cubs sell Mike King Kelly to Boston for a record $10,000
-In 1010 the United Parcel Service was formed, now commonly known as UPS
-In 1929 According to the Chicago Sun Times in a garage in Chicago, seven gangsters and one dog were killed in a gang war between the North side Irish led by Bugs Moran and the South side Irish led by Al Capone. This has become known as the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre
-In 1962 the First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy conducts a White House tour on television
-In 1971 the movie "Ben Hur" was first shown on television
-In 1989 the worlds first satellite skyphone opens


As for Arizona:
*On February 14, 1912 Arizona was admitted to the Union as the 48th state. The state motto, which is on our state seal, is DITAT DEUS, which means God enriches.

Happy Birthday Arizona!

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

Thank you Laurie!

Cottonwood Toastmasters recently held a three week long Speech Craft. We would like to thank Laurie and her committee for doing a magnificent job. We all had a lot of fun! 

 Taken from the Toastmasters International site:

Speechcraft in Brief

Build your Toastmasters team

What is it?

• A short, seminar-style presentation that teaches basic Toastmasters skills: speaking and evaluating

Why do it?

• Toastmasters members build their meeting management skills by leading the seminar.
• It’s a great way to attract members to an existing club or begin forming a new club.

        Participants:

• Get a chance to see what Toastmasters is all about
• Enjoy the camaraderie of a Toastmasters group
• Gain confidence and training in their communication skills
How it works:
You can choose how you want to do the presentation!
• Do sessions in four, six or eight weeks
• 1-2 hours per session
Speechcraft may be:
Presented as part of the Toastmasters meeting which makes it easer for participants to become members at the conclusion of the presentation.
• Invite 5-10 people
• Devote 30 minutes of each meeting to presenting Speechcraft
Presented as a seminar-style presentation (outside of club meeting):
• You can invite more people
• Can be tailored to any group or company
• A great way to form a new club

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540