Mid Winter Holidays

Fantastic to have three guests along to the meeting on Monday night.  A big welcome to Helen and Gayle and also to our return visitor, Geoff.  Hope you all enjoyed your toastmaster experience and that we see you back soon.  Also a special welcome back to Lana who is keen on becoming a new member! We look forward to hearing more about you in the coming months.

It was a marvellous meeting with Sarah H leading the way as Toastmaster.  A number of apologies were noted along with a re-juggle of the agenda ……always a challenging part of the Toastmaster role, but well done to Sarah for handling it with such calm and ease.

 

Sheryl introduced her General Evaluator Role and her team.  James Kan did a splendid job of being Grammarian and presented his word of the night ANNIHILATION.  Amy was our energetic time keeper although no bells were needed.




   

Table Topics was presented by Peter Manson with a timely mid- winter holiday theme.

• Craig was not so keen on going to Rarotonga for 7 days, he would rather adventure off somewhere else where he could see and do new things than relax on the beach.
• Chris was keen on spending a week at the Mt Cook Hermitage where he would get in a spot of ski-ing.
• Steve would visit a Spa in Rotorua, after detouring to the Chaeatau for some skiing.  The hot pools would sooth his muscles, the sulphur would clear his sinus and get the taste buds going for a romantic few days.
• James K only really briefly got off the plane in Fiji where the 31 degree heat was too much for him.
• Amy went to Phuket where she sweated out a few pounds in the Spa, then took plenty of selfies while riding an elephant and experimented with eating grasshoppers.
• Our guest Gayle decided on a Pacific Island Cruise where she visited Atolls and drank coconut juice while resting and enjoying the views.
• Lana stayed at home and annihilated her $5k budget on heating after biking and walking and enjoying the sights of Hawkes Bay.
• Sarah H had a horrific boat trip to Chatham Islands, with the stewards wearing gum boots and passengers all ill, she was cold and bored and endured the worst trip of her life!

Well done to all table topic participants, especially to guests Lana and Gayle for jumping in there and having a go.  Peter did a fantastic job of prompting and supporting the table topic speakers, and had a good range of destinations that he was able to mix and match to come up with something to suit each speaker.  Table topics were ably evaluated by the duo of David Grant and Wayne Bickers.

We had two terrific formal speakers.

Christine’s speech entitled “the Polly Anna  Principal” gave us the insight that positive thinking is useless without action and that negative thinking helps to spur us to action.  A very expressive and enthusiastic use of vocal variety and tone made this a very well received speech.

Dee gave us her debut speech – the Ice Breaker Project.  Dee recounted the story of why she left home.  This incorporated the great use of humour, as well as the clever us of a map of the England which she used do demonstrate where she came from by using the location of various well known UK Soap Operas.

The speeches were introduced and evaluated by Chris and Steve respectively.  Both evaluations provided an excellent balance of commendations as well as recommendations that gave clear examples of what could be done differently and why it may improve a speech.

 The business session was presented by Craig and included

• Awards dinner at Breakers is on the 29^th July.
• Trophies awarded last year need to be returned to Craig at next meeting
• Email from District regarding a radio campaign
• Graeme and Craig had presented a table topic type toastmaster session at Greendale Scouts.
• David’s’ Competent Communicator Certificate was presented to him
• Steve promoted the Aug 2014 International TM Conference in Kuala Lumpur
• Lana received her new member pack

Voted best for the evening:

Best Table Topics:            Amy Edwards
Best Speaker:                    Dee Ford
Best Evaluator:                 Steve Tutbury
Best Contribution:           Peter Manson

Congratulations and well done to you all.

Well sadly this is my last VP Ed report.  For the coming year these will be in the capable hands of your new incoming VP Ed – Chris Heath.

Next meeting is 8^th July 2013

Sheryl Mackie
VP Ed