Trillium Toastmasters is celebrating it's 30th Anniversary in 2006.

Fellow Toastmasters,

Trillium Toastmasters is celebrating it's 30th Anniversary in 2006.

We are planning to have a special 30th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, April 1st 2006. It will be exactly thirty years to the day that our club's charter was granted!

Over the years we have made many friends from other Toastmasters Clubs in Mississauga. We have visited each others clubs on numerous occasions, graciously accepted to be target speakers for each other's contests and chatted it up at District Conferences. I would greatly enjoy the opportunity to drop by to invite your members to attend our special evening. After all, what fun is a party if we can't invite our friends!!

Tim Fuchs
President
Trillium Toastmasters

A new manual on leadership and a new leadership award.

The 10-project Leadership Program manual will help you develop leadership skills while serving in various club meeting roles. The manual debuted in January 2006 and will be included in the New-Member Kit, which all new members receive. Other members may purchase the manual (Catalog No. 265) for $6.00 (U.S.) plus shipping. Members completing the manual will receive the new Competent Leader award. Toastmasters International will begin issuing the new award in July 2006.

Q: The new leadership manual has 10 projects. Will I be evaluated on each of these projects, just as I am in the current Communication and Leadership Program manual?

A: Yes. For each leadership role you complete as a project requirement, your club vice president education will assign an evaluator who will provide a written evaluation. However, a verbal evaluation is optional and at the club’s discretion. Many clubs have limited time available during meetings; adding verbal evaluations for those serving in meeting roles may not be feasible. If you want a verbal evaluation in addition to the written evaluation, and if the meeting cannot accommodate it, the evaluator should give it privately after the club meeting.

Q: How will the Competent Leadership manual affect my club?

A: The new manual allows members to join your club and immediately begin working on developing their leadership skills. As mentioned in the previous question, the club vice president education assigns an evaluator who will provide a written evaluation. However, most clubs won’t have the meeting time to allow verbal evaluations of a leadership project. In these cases, if a member wants a verbal evaluation, the evaluator may provide it outside of the club meeting. More information about how to incorporate the manual into your club and its activities will appear in the December issue of this magazine. Club officers also will get information during their district’s upcoming club officer training.

Q: Do I have to complete the Competent Communication and Competent Leadership manuals in any particular order?

A: No. You may work in both manuals at the same time if you wish, or work in one at a time. If you complete the Competent Leadership manual first, you may apply for the Competent Leader award. If you complete the Competent Communication manual first, you may apply for the Competent Communicator award. If you finish both at the same time, you may apply for both awards at the same time.

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Excellent presence at Open House

more to come...

Invitation to OPEN HOUSE on Wednesday, February 22

Invitation

Sheridan Park Toastmasters Club is pleased to invite you to our Open House Wednesday, February 22, 2006.

We will be serving Coffee, Tea, Soft Drinks, Cake and Pastries and look forward to seeing all of you!

Our Meeting starts promptly at 7:15pm at

2774 South Sheridan Way, Oakville, ON L6J 7T4

(QEW and Winston Churchill)

If you would like a role in advance, please call or email Clive

Sheridan Park Members: You are welcome to bring your spouses and other family members!

Please let me know in advance who from your family is coming!

Arabella Benson, World Champion Speaker,
and Fraser McAllan, World Class Coach
will honour us with their presence.

With Regards ....

Clive Milton
Sheridan Park Toastmasters

President

905-309-9666

Minutes of the Meeting of Sheridan Park Club Toastmasters – February 15, 2006

Fellow Toastmasters, Dear Friends and Honoured Guests!

The theme of the meeting of Sheridan Park TM Club of Feb 15, 2006 was “Competition”. Jeff Peters, CTM as the Chairperson demonstrated that he is still “competitive at Math”, overcame all challenges and announced some changes in the agenda. 17 members and 2 guests were present.

General Toast was delivered by one of the first runner in our Club, Kris Ravuvari, ATM-S, who always is ready to help.

Simona Cheoreanu, CTM – presented “COGNITION=NOESIS” as Word For the Day.
Bill Gillies delivered again one of his great jokes and seems that he is challenging Bob Skakie for the Joke For the Day monopoly!

Our President, Clive Milton, CTM, CL brought a fresh twist in Table Topics and challenged us with his Olympics Pictures theme. Tough competition, but the Best Table Topics was awarded to Agota.

At 7.45pm Jeff opened the floor for the business meeting and conducted it very well thru minute’s adoption and the new business announcements. The Speech Contest will be on March 8th!
He also was pleased with his performance, about how he dealt with different aspects and that all discussions were addressed “thru the chair”, as Parliamentarian!

Alice Xie as Toastmaster introduced the speakers and their prepared speeches using the name of the speaker followed by the speech’ title and then repeating the speech title followed by the name of the speaker.
Niv Mann started as a WFF2 champion her Ice Breaker and introduced very well herself to the Club. We are looking forward to “compete” with such a good performer.
Sherry Parnell, CTM, CL evaluated Niv’s speech pointing out particular parts of the speech that she really liked and encouraged Niv for her delivery.

Eileen He, CTM our VP-PR with her ATM#2 “Magic Lights” prepared speech introduced us to the photography emotions and interesting facts.
Kris Ravuvari our seasoned member evaluated Eileen’s speech in a professional manner – good example for all of us.

The third speaker was Daniel Cheoreanu with speech no. 9 – Subscribe me! – and he tried with all his efforts to persuade the audience to subscribe to the Club’s blog. If the result was achieved, we will see soon, if not he will compete again at the next Olympics.
Kai Chan, CTM evaluated with sharp insights Daniel’s speech and won the Best Ealuator award.

Eileen was awarded with Best Speech award.

Simona Cheoreanu, CTM as General Evaluator was a sharp evaluator of anything and everything that took place throughout the meeting. She thanked the evaluators for their efforts and Jeff for the well conducted meeting.

Rudy presented a very precise Timer report.
Alice Xie was sharp as Grammarian and with List. Quiz.

Niv got the Spark of the meeting for her perkiness and presence.
Ted Schuster “seized the moment “ and with his Thought of the Day he encouraged everyone “TO CARRY ON!”

Members attending: Rudi, Simona, Ross, Bill, Daniel, Eileen, Carter, Kai, Vivian, Bob, Jeff, Frank, Agota, Krish, Sherry, Ted, Alice. Guests: Niv, Raj
For those of you who were not able to attend, we missed you and hope to see you at future meetings.

Minutes of the Meeting of Sheridan Park Club Toastmasters – February 8th, 2006

The Sheridan Park Toastmasters Club meeting from 8th February 2006 was a great success with 16 members and 3 guests!
Daniel Cheoreanu chaired the meeting of the Evaluation Contest 2006.

Vivian Li delivered an inspirational toast and then Bill Gillies proposed two "Word For the Day", which if I recall right, were used only once - by the Secretary, who wanted to FLAUNT (show off) and not FLOUT (double-click the word for explanation).
Simona Cheoreanu, CTM “shuffled the deck” as Table Topics Master and as many coincidentally things in life, everyone who participated got the … right card! Not only this, but Simona won the Best Table Topics.

During the unconventional business meeting, Clive Milton, CTM-CL announced the Speech Contest for 8th March 2006.

After the brake, Lori-Ann Jakel, DTM was introduced by Daniel as the guest speaker and Kai Chan, CTM the Chief Judge read the judging rules.

With five contestants, we all enjoyed both the Lori-Ann’s speech titled “Angels among us” and the evaluation session.
Finally, Phil, Jeff and Eileen won the first three places in this order.

We adjourned the meeting with “Smiles” on our faces and with great interest for the Speech Contest.

For those of you who were not able to attend, we missed you and hope to see you at future meetings.

Kudos Phil, Jeff, Eileen!

Excellent participation at Evaluation Contest 2006. Lori-Ann Jakel, DTM as our guest speaker from the club "Confidently Speaking" delivered the speech titled "Angels among us" and Clive Milton, CTM, CL; Simona Cheoreanu, CTM; Eileen He, CTM; Jeff Peters, CTM and Phil Taylor, ATM-B, CL in this order presented their outstanding evaluations.

Kai Chan, CTM - Chief Judge nominated the winners: 1. Phil Taylor, ATM-B, CL 2. Jeff Peters, CTM 3. Eileen He, CTM

The SPEECH CONTEST will be held on March 8th!

Toastmaster of the Month

Winners of the Toastmaster of the Month award - in the race for the Toastmaster of the Year Contest - the winner will have their name engraved on the magnificent President's Trophy to be presented at the 2006 BBQ.

January: Eileen He, CTM

November/ December: Carol Townsend, ATM-S

October: Rudi Dacorte

September: Kai Chen, CTM

August: Abdullah Ozdemir, CTM

July: Daniel Cheoreanu

Welcome Dear Friends!

With the pounding of the gravel, the Toastmasters experience begins......

Meeting Time

Every Wednesday, 7:15 p.m.

Meeting Location

Hilton Hotel

2774 South Sheridan Way Oakville, ON L6J 7T4

Sheridan Park Toastmasters Club 628, District 60 was formed on March 1, 1974.

The mission of our club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.

At Sheridan Park Toastmasters, we provide an environment conducive to your growth and development. Our members are enthusiastic, supportive and FUN!

Come out and be apart of the experience, see how you can become a member of our dynamic team. To our success!

What FreeMind is good for

Last meeting Eileen recommended to use mind mapping for organizing and writing speeches. Herewith is a free program for your use. I am using it for some time and I really like it. Enjoy!

About Mind-Mapping

Main Page - FreeMind - free mind mapping software:

Current users of FreeMind use it for the following purposes:

* Keeping track of projects, including subtasks, state of subtasks and time recording
* Project workplace, including links to necessary files, executables, source of information and of course information
* Workplace for internet research using Google and other sources
* Keeping a collection of small or middle sized notes with links on some area which expands as needed. Such a collection of notes is sometimes called knowledge base.
* Essay writing and brainstorming, using colors to show which essays are open, completed, not yet started etc, using size of nodes to indicate size of essays. I don't have one map for one essay, I have one map for all essays. I move parts of some essays to other when it seems appropriate.
* Keeping a small database of something with structure that is either very dynamic or not known in advance. The main disadvantage of such approach when compared to traditional database applications are poor query possibilities, but I use it that way anyway - contacts, recipes, medical records etc. You learn about the structure from the additional data items you enter. For example, different medical records use different structure and you do not have to analyze all the possible structures before you enter the first medical record.
Commented internet favorites or bookmarks, with colors and fonts having the meaning you want.

Contest Judging

Working Through the Judge’s Guide & Ballot

There are three basic judging categories: Content, Delivery, and Language. Let’s take a look at each category.

Content Content is defined as “That which gives substance, meaning, and purpose to a speaker’s message.” This category has the largest number of qualifying statements and represents 50% of the value of the speech. Here you determine how well the speaker communicated a message. Areas to consider are:

• Speech Development


• Was the speech structured to have clearly defined opening, body, and conclusion?


• Was the speech organized so that the speaker’s ideas were clear and easy to follow? Were they presented in logical sequence?


• Did the speaker move from point to point smoothly, using effective transitions?


• What support material did the speaker use? Were facts, examples, and illustrations used well?
  

• Speech Effectiveness


• How did the audience react to the speech?


• Was the speaker’s purpose clear and well defined? (To entertain, inform, persuade, or inspire)


• Was the subject matter relevant to the audience?


• Was the subject matter presented clearly?


• What did the speaker intend to accomplish? What did the speaker actually accomplish?

• Speech Value


• Did the speaker have something to say? A clearly defined message?


• Did the speaker’s message have substance and logic?


• Were the speaker’s thoughts original or a rehash of old ideas?


• Was the speech in good taste?


• Did the speaker’s message contribute to the listeners’ knowledge? Their growth?

Delivery This is the second category. Delivery is defined as: “The mechanics of delivering the message.” This represents 30% of the value of the presentation. Areas to consider are:

• Physical -- Look and Observe


• How does the speaker look? Neat? Sharp? Is he or she properly attired? Or, an “I don’t care” look?


• Do his or her facial expressions reveal the “emotional” side of the speaker’s message?


• Is eye contact sharp and direct? Does it cover the entire audience?


• Do gestures have purpose? Do they complement words and message? Are they effective?


• Do body movements have purpose? Do they add to, or detract from, the speaker’s message?
  

• Voice -- Listen Carefully


• Does the speaker’s voice have a good quality? Is it firm to show strength, assured to show confidence, warm to convey friendliness, and pleasing to win the audience?


• Is the rate compatible with the message?


• Is the volume adequate, and were words spoken with clarity?


• Is the speaker’s voice flexible, to show feeling and emotion?


• Did the speaker’s style and pace build a strong contact with the audience?


• Did the speaker speak with enthusiasm for the message?

Language
The last category is language. Language is defined as: “The speaker’s word choice and grammatical skill.” This represents the final 20% of the points value.
Areas to consider are:

• Appropriateness


• Is the speaker’s language compatible with the speech and the audience?


• Do his or her words accurately convey the message?


• Has the speaker chosen words that will “sell” the message?

• Correctness


• Has the speaker used correct grammar and good enunciation?


• Do these reflect preparation?


• Is the speaker “master” of the words he or she has chosen to convey the message?

Do You Criticize or Evaluate?

When was the last time you accepted constructive criticism without resentment?
Most people see constructive criticism in a negative light, and for good reason. All too often, such criticism is delivered with little foresight or is down right vengeful. Even where criticism is well meant, it can be perceived as a personal attack and the outcome is resentment. This approach is virtually always unsuccessful, lacks empathy and is not to be confused with effective evaluation.
Criticism comes easier than craftsmanship. Zeuxis 400 BC

Since Ralph C. Smedley founded Toastmasters International in 1924, Toastmasters worldwide have practiced and shared their evaluation skills and techniques. This sharing has resulted in Toastmasters becoming the architects and practitioners of effective evaluation skills. The outcome is that Toastmasters developed the challenging art of delivering empathic and effective speech evaluations, in a supportive club environment, with the sincere intention of helping every Toastmaster grow.

How do Toastmasters develop effective evaluation skills?

Effective Speech Evaluation Tips
(Condensed from an evaluation article published in recent toastmasters newsletters)

The Friendly Evaluation by Vuong Vo

Employee Morale & Confidence Tips

Employee Morale & Confidence Tips
The Confidence Center Newsletter
January 31, 2006 - Vol.6- Issue 5
Written by Harriet Meyerson and Published every Tuesday

Q. Since I am the most knowledgeable about our newest product, my boss has assigned me the task of giving a crucial presentation to a group of prospective clients.

It is a wonderful chance for me to advance, but I am terrified of speaking in public. Help - how do I overcome this fear?

A. Since you know all the information about your topic, in order to present it well, you will need one special ingredient - Courage. These are some ideas to help you gather your courage:

1. Visualize yourself presenting your program and also visualize the audience loving it. See them attentive and responding with nods of agreement.

2. Visualize yourself at a time when you accomplished something that made you feel very confident and successful. Be-that confident
person- when you give your speech.

3. Eye contact will help you connect with your audience. Rehearse your speech to several different chairs in an empty room.

In other words, say one sentence to a chair on the right, the next sentence to a chair at the back on the left side, and the next sentence to a chair in the center front of the room.

* When you are giving your presentation, only make eye contact with those people who appear interested as they will create positive energy for you that will radiate back to your audience.