All meetings at School Board Offices, 4351 Ontario Avenue, lower board room
Please print out the schedule, highlight your name on it, and post it by your calendar.
CLICK HERE for the screen AND printer-friendly version.
Let Barb as VP Ed and the Toastmaster know ASAP if you aren’t available.
Posted in Schedule updates
What a fabulous meeting we had on November 12! Thank you to Max Cameron Theatre Manager Jacquie Dawson for the opportunity to hold our meeting on the big stage at the theatre and for teaching us how to use the various microphones. It certainly stretched us as speakers and everyone learned a lot from this fabulous experience. Susan Biagi was a gracious Toastmaster and she did a wonderful job of running this special meeting. Our speakers, Irene Robinson gave her second speech about shoes while Tony Papa had us mesmerized with his melodic voice while he spoke about his father and his childhood. The story about driving to the States to pick up bread and milk and saving a few pennies on these items and then buying fireworks and having to figure out how to get them home had us in stitches! Shannon Behan regaled us with her adventures in cooking before revealing that she now teaches cooking for the School District! Watch out kids…we’ve heard about the mango brownies!
Kevin Wilson looked very professional and gave a flawless report as a news commentator on transportation. Tabletopics was lots of fun and everyone got a chance to speak on the big stage including our five guests. Tabletopic master Ken Shannon handled his role well and explained to everyone just how the game was played. Congratulations to our 10-year-old guest Alexander Southcott for winning Tabletopics. What a little ham!
Posted in Uncategorized
We can count on our club to have fun but especially when we have an excuse to dress up. Recognize anyone?
Posted in Fun meetings and news | Tags: fun, halloween, speeches
Oct.22, 1924 Ralph Smedley gathered a small group of business men to improve their speaking skills.Here we are 85 years later, over 252,000 strong and growing! In our happy club we have attracted many more people pushing our numbers to 39. WOW!
Isabelle brought the cake and we celebrated TI’s anniversary as well as Neil and Jim’s 10th with the club. They are the longest standing members in Powell River, and I’m right behind them with 9 years. Small we were last night but the energy and laughs was huge. Just look at theses photos.Do you know that if you hold the cursor over a picture the caption shows up? Isn’t technology wonderful?
Oct.29: Newbie 101 at 6:00 before the meeting. If you’ve not attended this orientation, please do so. Barb
Posted in Fun meetings and news, Uncategorized
What’s that you say? My oh my our resident “guerilla grammarian” Susan Biagi would surely take issue with such bad grammar. But having been away from keeping sharpened up I beg your patience while I rave about what an outstanding club I have the privilege to come home to.
For the seventh year in a row Sunshine Speakers has earned the Distinguished Club Presidents award and ribbon. There are 10 points or goals the club strives for in order to maintain a healthy atmosphere. We work hard as a team so all will benefit. And topping that off, once again we have won the Smedley Ribbon for bringing 5 new members on board Aug./Sept: Sean, Jasmine, Diana, Jeff and Irene. Welcome!
While I’m tossing kudos out, how about the best club contest we’ve ever had? Did you know that I purposely came home a week early because Isabelle said I wouldn’t want to miss such an amazing contest? She did an outstanding job of being contest chair for the first time. Everything went smoothly. I’m so happy I was there, but the toughest part was judging when everyone gave outstanding speeches or table topics.
How about newbie Ryan entering both contests when he hasn’t even given his Ice Breaker yet? Brave! Sean who comes from a Toastmaster background in Edmonton gave us a very funny rendition of what it means to be TM president. We heard Neil’s hilarious hair story and I loved it even more this time. Deb told us about her ill-fated road trip as a kid, and Ernalee gave all us mothers ah-ha moments and laughter.
Congratulations winner of the humorous speech contest Susan Biagi. She was the “Gorilla Grammarian” complete with uniform and machete. She will be a tough competitor at the Area Contest in Courtenay Oct.10. We’re walking on the ferry to be picked up, so how about joining us for a day of fun and inspiration? Deb Calderon won Table Topics in her usual funny style. Unfortunately she can’t make it to the Area contest so stay tuned as we figure out who will represent our club.
This week I attended my first noon meeting in over four months to give my first speech in five months. I was nervous all over again but excited to be in the saddle again. I was even more excited to see four guests n attendance.
As your VP of Education my role is not just to keep the schedule current, but also to help you with your goals, and if you want a mentor to make sure it is handled properly. I am here to serve you as I follow in the very big shoes Kevin left me last year(and over the summer while I was gallivanting around the north).
In conclusion, let’s work together to achieve our individual goals. Above all keep having fun!
Barb
Posted in Uncategorized
Hi folks, here are some resource links for information I mentioned in my Peak Oil speech on Thursday 11 June.
Peak Oil introduction
Future Scenarios – possible responses to Peak Oil and Climate Change
Transition Initiatives general WIKI
Transition Powell River
ASPO – Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas
The Oil Drum | Discussions about Energy and Our Future
There’s lots more out there. You’ll find lots of different opinions on when Peak Oil might occur (ranging from it already has, to about 2030), and lots of different opinions on the effect it will have on us and how we ought to respond. The important thing, as I see it, is to make people aware that this problem exists and needs to be discussed and addressed, in the same way that climate change mitigation has finally reached the mainstream in the last few years.
Comments and questions welcomed.
Kevin
Posted in Further Resources for recent speeches | Tags: climate change, peak oil
A new schedule has been posted with meeting roles and speeches for June. There have been several changes compared with the last published schedule, so please make sure you check your commitments and let me know if you have conflicts.
The new schedule is on the regular Meeting Schedules page, or you can CLICK HERE for the printer-friendly version.
Upcoming Ice Breakers:
Jennifer Salisbury, as soon as we can squeeze her in
Irene Robinson, July social meeting (date and location TBA)
Upcoming Toastmasters:
June 4th – Isabelle
June 11th – Bonnie
June 18th – James
June 25th – Kevin
Let me know ASAP if you have any conflicts or problems please.
Kevin
Posted in Schedule updates
Another schedule update, folks – click on the “Meeting schedule” link over to the right to see it. Changes are in RED this time to make them easier to see. Please do take a careful look – your speech date might be earlier than you think!
The only change for this week, the 21st May, is I have tagged Donna to do table topics.
Posted in Schedule updates
WOW! That was some Speakathon last night! It was the most inspiring meeting I’ve ever been to thanks to Kevin for organizing it. We’ve never made use of the 5th Thursday in a month. We usually just take the week off but with so many of us wanting to give speeches Kevin came up with this idea…and what a success it was!
Seven speakers brightened the room as shades of deep red swept the outside landscape. There seemed to be a theme going(even though there wasn’t one given.) It was one of seeing the good in life.
We started with Susan Biagi “Two DINCs and a Dog” telling us her warm and funny stories of raising kids and a husband. Most of us could relate. Susan is starting on her ACB. She also won the Most Improved Evaluator ribbon for the night. Way to go Susan!!
Laurie Marshall followed with “Life Changing Challenge” and introduced to wrist bands for changing our attitudes: Gratitude Attitude Challenge…GAK for short. The gist being not to focus on the negative and how to train ourselves out of negative mode. Laurie won the Most Improved Speaker ribbon. Yeh Laurie, you’ve come a long way!!
Linda Wegner used her whole body to describe “The Case of the Dancing Machine,” and trying to carry on a business conversation while her washing machine thumped and banged its way across the floor….sounds like mine at times. Such great sound effects Linda!!
Ernalee Alde got our attention with “Life As A GPS.” Setting our intention for the day or life will surely bring better results. 1) Keep positive 2) Know where you’re going 3) Know who to get there. For only a 3rd speech you gave a very smooth, inspiring talk Ernalee. Great!!
Ken Shannon wove a beautiful story “Haida Creation Myth” telling the tale of how the raven stole the light. Although only his 3rd speech, Ken exhibited poise and confidence. Keep up the good work Ken!
Marjorie Harding taught us how to make small talk at a gathering “How To Talk To Anyone.” We learned about sticky eyes and big smiles. I’m one of those who hates walking into a room full of strangers and trying to make small talk, so this helped. Very good for someone who was so scared not long ago Marjorie!!
And I got to follow all those amazing speeches with “What You Focus On.” While I was listening to them I was thinking how serendipitous that I chose that topic this particular night. I even deleted one story because Laurie had covered it so well. With the fulffillment of my dream to have my flight paid into Tuktoyaktuk in July, I wanted to inspire others to focus on their dreams, on positive things .I accomplished that and will continue to do so as I travel. This was my 10th speech in the CC manual(for the 3rd time). I learned more the third time than ever before. Probably tackle an advanced manual I’ve never used before in the fall. No more speeches until the fall for me. Only 30 days and we’re on our Great Northern Tour. If anyone wants to sign up to “follow” us on our adventures, you can sign up at: http://mytripjournal.com
Next week at noon, Isabelle is TM. Let her know if you’ll be there to take care of your role.
Happy sunny weekend! Celebrate all we have and are!
Barb
