MARS - Here we Come!

A small but enthusiastic group of Toastmasters attended our meeting on Monday 10^th October to hear a wonderful speech about colonising Mars from James. The plan is by 2023 to have this underway and after James’ efforts we are all raring to go!! Our Toastmaster for the evening was Emma (first time) and what a great job she did in the role, with an excellently set out program (after several last minute changes) that filled in the two hours with energy, education and excitement.

Paul read the Mission Statement (should know it of by heart now!) Craig introduced his team as General Evaluator, Sally (Grammarian) and Fiona/Graeme (Timekeepers) and we were underway. Sally’s word of the night was 'ebullient' and she introduced it extremely well. The word was well used during the evening (some in fact overused it!!) and the it turned out that the meeting fitted the meaning of the word precisely.

Kate introduced Table Topics, and we were all relegated to our childhood for memories of “things back then”. Topics ranged from ‘Benefits of being an only child’ to ‘Describe the town you grew up in’ ,‘Most embarrassing moment as a child’ ‘What did you want to be when you grew up’ and one other that was mostly use of the word of the night!! Emma, Craig, Amy and Graeme had the opportunity to speak and then the Table Topics master gave herself a topic and we found out all the things Kate was going to be when she grew up - started out no way was she going to be in insurance and what does she do now- you guessed it!! An excellent, humorous session with good topics, well answered. Funnily enough Kate received the accolades for the "Best Table Topic"!! 

Amy - "Most embarrassing moment as a child"

Craig - "Describe the town you grew up in"

Next up we went to Mars (and we came back) with James. This was a Research Your Topic assignment and James had certainly done a great deal of research. With graphics on the whiteboard to show the way and to help take in some of the information parted, we learnt about plans to colonise Mars, the costs, the benefits and the many, many, many trips that will be needed to have the material for a base. For every 100 people that fly to Mars, 10 trips of equipment will be required that’s 100,000 trips of between 3/5 months (each way) to accommodate the aimed for 1 million people. It will not happen tomorrow! A very interesting and educational speech, well presented by James and obviously something that our younger members can look forward to in the future.

Amy introduced and evaluated James, and gave him due credit for the research he had done, the graphics on the board and the interesting way he presented the information. She was also able to give him a couple of worthwhile suggestions that she felt could improve the speech, including speech rate, use of pause and the ‘space’ between the audience and the whiteboard. Well done Amy and James - great work both.

Craig then presented an Education session utilising a mini version of the Moment of Truth Module when the members present had a quick look inside the Club to seek out what we could do better. Some good information came out of this for further discussion by the Executive.

After a tea break (and lovely chockie bickies) Ashley evaluated Table Topics and was praiseworthy of the efforts of all the speakers even his daughter the Table Topics Master, who he also had some suggestions for to assist her to improve. After all what are fathers for if it is not to improve their children along the way? A well presented evaluation from Ashley with plenty of humour to help the medicine to go down.

The business session gave us the results of the Rotorua Division Convention attended by Steve, Christine, Ian & Craig and we were pleased to hear that Laurel from Pania Club won the Table Topics Contest, now, funds willing, she will be off to Invercargill next month. A reminder about Toastmaster’s Week (24/10 to 6/11-2 weeks!!) and for members to utilise the personal invitation cards they have.

Craig then wrapped up the program with his General Evaluation assisted by the very capable Grammarian, Sally, with her ‘ebullient’ word and some excellent word pictures that she heard together with Timekeeper Fiona who succinctly gave us the times that people spoke for, Emma handed out the Awards for the evening; Table Topics, Kate; Speaker, James; Evaluator, Amy; and Contribution, Craig and we finished bang on 9.00pm!!

Do not forget that as our next meeting is scheduled for Monday 24th October and this is Labour Day, we will be meeting on MONDAY 31^st October instead. See you all there apart from Sally, who unfortunately (for us) has to return to the deep south and has been with us for far to short a time. Good luck with your future Toastmaster-ing at Gore Club, Sally and thanks to all those that made this meeting possible (and entertaining).