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
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
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:
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
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
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
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Mentor Moments - Ah Counter
The following was taken from:
http://www.aztoastmasters.org/
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
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
A Welcome To Our Student Guests
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
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
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.
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 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.
****
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
Thursday, March 1, 2012
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
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
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!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
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
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
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
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
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
- Do sessions in four, six or eight weeks
- 1-2 hours per session
- Invite 5-10 people
- Devote 30 minutes of each meeting to presenting Speechcraft
- You can invite more people
- Can be tailored to any group or company
- A great way to form a new club
How it works:
You can choose how you want to do the presentation!
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.
Presented as a seminar-style presentation (outside of club meeting):
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)