Peace Speakers Meet and Enjoy Two Speeches

With Earth Day around the corner from our April 18th  Toastmasters meeting, Perry took this photo of the Ohio River and used it on our Peace Speakers agenda for the day.   The beauty and serenity of this shot is astounding.   What is shared in this image is truly a paragon of  God's great creation.

Our Toastmaster for the Day, Perry, became a viable source for Rhonda, our Joke Master.  She shared a previous experience in the elevator with Perry where she noticed and complimented his excellent level of fitness.  He replied that he'd been working out at home for some time using sacks of potatoes.  He began his physical regime with 5-pound sacks in each hand, then 10-pound sacks and finally 50-pound sacks.  Impressed with his strength and resolve, Rhonda asked, "What more can you do?"  Perry replied, "Next week I'll add the potatoes!" 

First of all, I love that Rhonda took a joke and inserted one of our members into the fray.  It made for a better visual as she shared the tall tale with us.  I also commend her for adlibbing it, as though she had bumped into us and was casually relaying what had just occurred.  No notes takes courage, Rhonda.  I like that!

TWO DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT SPEECHES

We enjoyed two unique speeches during our club meeting today.  Our first was given by Becki, who chose Project #1 from the Interpretive Reading Program.  Her task was to select a reading so enthralling that the listeners would get swept away by it.   Becki admitted that it took her 4 months to make this selection, wanting her story to have broad appeal and a useful message.  She succeeded on both accounts!

Now Becki may appear to have the expression of pain on her face, but this depicts the despair that the main character in her story exhibited as she repeatedly carried a leaky pail to and from her garden.  The sheer determination of Lauren is noted in Becki's facial expressions and voice as she narrates the short story, Lauren and the Leaky Pail. 

In the story, Lauren wants to win a gardening competition, but her leaky bucket barely helps her water the target, her garden.  Despite trying a variety of seemingly useless means to plug the holes in her pail (like gum or "duck" tape), most of the water is lost along the trail before she makes it back to her garden.  Despite her discouragement and a feeling of defeat, she none-the-less wins the competition due to the inadvertent watering of the trail and the stunning wild flowers that spring up all along it.  All efforts were not in vain!

Joelle, who evaluated Becki's speech, expressed that the listeners were brought into the story in the manner it was told.  Using a lot of vocal variety, effective pauses, and speaking in the character's voice helped us experience the exasperation of the child.  The spiritual emphasis of persevering in the face of repeated obstacles made the story's message meaningful.  What a refreshing presentation!

Our second speech was delivered by Eric, who completed Project #8 from his Competent Communication  Manual.  With the focus on Getting Comfortable with Visual Aids, Eric titled his speech "Homebrew the Easy Way:  Extract Brewing on the Cheap."   (As one who is always looking for a good deal, you had me at easy and cheap!)

Homebrewed beer is better tasting and less expensive, a knockout benefit Eric claimed.   Pictured above are some of the required materials to brew beer. Eric utilizes an old beer keg as his brewing vessel. The process, which was accidently discovered in Ancient Greece, just takes water, a special malt or fermented sugar, hops or grains, and yeast. 

Eric gave us a number of beer-making tips, to name a few:

• Choose a recipe for your skill level.
• Buy ingredients locally.
• Use dry or canned malt (rather than trying to make it at home). 
• Sterilize all materials.
• Store in a dark place.
• Ferment for a week.
• A funky growth on top makes for a funky tasting beer (which is still safe to drink).

At the conclusion of Eric's speech, he allowed us to enjoy the fruits of his labor by sharing a taste test of two brews he'd created: a rye and a raspberry beer.

Despite the recipe Eric handed me for brewing beer, I think I'll wait until Eric perfects a dark chocolate beer before I dive into this hobby! 

Betsy evaluated Eric's speech and noted the clear, colorful and vivid pictures and the well-orchestrated information on his PowerPoint presentation.  She liked  the step-by-step instructions given on his recipe handout.  She added that he spoke confidently because of his personal experiences with brewing.  (Now this is a man who is well-researched and accomplished in seemingly anything he decides to pursue!)

THE INVOCATION

Now I know that the Invocation comes at the onset of the meeting, but it's timely to remind people of the quote I shared today by Dale Carnegie, a paragon for personal growth:  

"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy."

Consider this your invitation to take action and confront your own doubts, fears or desire to expand your communication and leadership skills.  We have each been entrusted with unique gifts, and how to develop them becomes more apparent in a group of individuals who are on the path of growth. 

Take action and join us for our next  Derby week meeting, Wednesday, May 2nd.  Get busy and reap the benefits!

Peace Speakers Toastmasters Club

Presbyterian Center

1st and 3rd Wednesdays

1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

100 Witherspoon Street

Downtown Louisville, KY

Respectfully submitted,

Kay Chambers 

VP of Public Relations for Peace Speakers

Peace Speakers - There's Nothing Fugacious about this Enduring Toastmasters Group!

SNIPPETS FROM OUR APRIL 4TH MEETING

Our April 4th meeting brought us a word probably none of us had ever heard: fugacious, which means fleeting or transitory.  Eric even admitted it took him 20 minutes to find one in the dictionary that was completely novel to him yet seemed worth practicing for the Word for the Day.  I like the way it rolled off my tongue, and obviously others did as well, since it was used 4 different times during our 1-hour meeting today.

Kim, leading our Invocation today, based her sharing on John 14, verses 15-21. She asked that our hearts be open to the love God has for us and that we open our minds to the truth, which is recognizing God's presence among us...in all things and all people. 

Our president of Peace Speakers, Betsy, referred to her 11-year-old grandson, Dylan, who visited our club back on March 21st.  He admitted to her that he wasn't nervous standing in front of us when he served as our Joke Master.  After all, the school he attends requires children to do public speaking on a regular basis. 

I wish I'd been primed in this manner at an early age!  However, I am grateful to be where I am now and learning communication and leadership skills with these beloved Peace Speakers.

 OUR JOKE MASTER SPINS A TALE

Hoping to evoke smiles and laughter, our Joke Master, Bethany, shared a personal experience she had throughout her school years.  Growing up, the name "Bethany Furkin" evidently posed a problem during roll call for many adults, who repeatedly botched her first and last names.  Tired of correcting adults who butchered the pronunciations, she began answering to just about any name they said that was remotely close to the sound of hers. 

One day in a new class Bethany replied, "Here!" to a name that kind of sounded like hers, and then the next name called was actually hers!  Saying "Here!" to a second name back to back, everyone turned and looked at her like she was crazy.  I can't recall if Bethany bothered to tell them the reason why...or maybe it's just better to let them wonder! 

I loved Bertha's, I mean, Bethany's humorous anecdote. I hope more members share their amusing life stories as the Joke Master.

 OUR TOASTMASTER FOR THE DAY



Joelle, our Toastmaster, ran the educational part of our meeting today.  Placing an April Fool's Day graphic at the top of our program, she shared that her father liked playing tricks on her classmates.  One year he brought her class some Oreo cookies that he'd altered, replacing the creamy white center with Crisco.  It backfired, though, when one child exclaimed, "This is the best Oreo I've ever eaten!"  (Obviously, this child is not a Super Taster.  His taste buds are few and far in-between!!!!) 

  SPEAKING TO INFORM: 
A FACT-FINDING REPORT

Eva's speech, called "A Sunday School Survey," was created for the 4th project in her Speaking to Inform manual from the Advanced Communication Series.  Being a member of the Nurture Council, an educational program at her church, she and her committee members wanted to understand the reasons for the decline in Sunday school attendance.

The Nurture Council developed a 40-question survey of mostly multiple choice questions and a few open response. Several of the questions posed were as follows:

• What keeps you from participating in Sunday School classes?
• How interested are you in following the given time options for Christian education classes?
• What was the best Christian education class you ever took at this church or anywhere else?

What the Nurture Council learned was that their own methods had limitations. A lot of data was inconclusive and their survey was too long. Besides that, next time they would target specific age groups individually, so they would know what each group preferred.

None-the-less, the council was encouraged by the support for an educational program, especially by adults. This led them to believe that they needed to follow up with one-on-one conversations with people for more reliable answers.  They decided to think outside of the box, considering the possibility of nurturing people in the faith in less common locations, like coffee houses, restaurants and bars.

Eva's speech makes me think of the church I love to attend, and one of the primary reasons is the vibrant Sunday School class I've been a part of for nearly a decade.  The studies are broad reaching and deep, the people are open, honest and engaging, and the beliefs expressed are progressive, inclusive and loving.  Discussions can get lively and emotional, and in what better environment than among friends who respect a wide-range of opinions and experiences.

  

     TABLE TOPICS SESSION

For our 1-2 minute extemporaneous talks today, I was the Table Topics Master.  Hence, no pictures or notes were taken during these short speeches while I walked around the room looking for volunteers to draw my questions posed about April events.  However, I will share with you the exact questions that were asked, in case you are new to this blog and want a sampling of what might be posed during this fun and informative part of our program.

·       April is “Jazz Appreciation Month.” Share your feelings about jazz if they’re strong, or choose another type of music you’d like to endorse or trash and why.

·       April 1^st is notorious for pranksters pulling April Fool’s Day jokes. Share a joke that was played on you in the past or one you conjured up to fool someone else. How did it turn out?

·       “International Trombone Week” is celebrated in April. Tell about your own experiences learning to play an instrument, and if you never did, which instrument would you like to play if music was a big part of your life?

·       “April showers bring May flowers.” Describe a delightful (or terrible) experience you had with a drenching downpour. It can be from your childhood or one you had more recently.

·       “National Poetry Day” is celebrated in April. Are you a poetry lover or hater? What reading or writing experiences have you had with poetry that’s brought you to this conclusion?

·       “Earth Day” is celebrated in April. Thinking about our planet, what is a grave concern you have about our natural environment and why? (Some suggestions: Climate change, clean water, air pollution, ozone depletion, pesticide use; endangered species/extinction.)

All of the volunteers for Table Topics, some of whom were guests, answered these questions with ease.  They even had smiles on their faces as they searched their memories for tidbits to share.  The winner of the trophy for this week went to one of our visitors, Geoff, who shared the many nuances of jazz music that he appreciated. 

EVA'S SPEECH EVALUATION

Robin, the evaluator for Eva's speech, found the background information and research methods helpful in understanding the Sunday School survey that Eva detailed.  Using good volume and gestures, she paused after questions to allow the audience time to think.  Handouts sharing the data made the information easy to understand.

Towards the end of Eva's speech, she came from behind the podium to answer questions from the audience.  She was very approachable and prepared to answer a broad scope of questions.  I noticed how comfortable and confident she seemed to be in the face of the unknown.  Knowing that Eva's a "detail person" and very accomplished, I still cannot wrap my mind around how long it must have taken to develop the 40-question survey with her council, compile the results, and create that speech.   Very impressive, Eva!

    TIME TO THINK ABOUT OUR NEXT MEETING!

If you're visiting my blog today, consider coming to our upcoming Peace Speakers meeting. We are warm and engaging people who are seeking ways to grow ourselves in our communication and leadership skills. 

Toastmasters is participation driven and could positively impact your personal and professional relationships. Our next meeting is April 18th in Room 1203, which is a change from where we usually gather.

Peace Speakers Toastmasters Club

Presbyterian Center

1st and 3rd Wednesdays

1:00 - 2:00 PM

100 Witherspoon Street

Downtown Louisville, KY

There will also be an Executive Committee meeting at 2:00 on April 18th, which immediately follows our club meeting at 1:00.  I hope to see everyone at our regular club meeting as well as even more visitors!  This is hardly a fugacious request!  It's one I make every blog.

Respectfully submitted,

Kay Chambers

VP of Public Relations for Peace Speakers