Friday, November 16, 2012

Our Allegiance Strengthens as Peace Speakers Meet on November 7, 2012

IMPORTANT NOTE: These are archived Peace Speakers blogs ending on November 20, 2012. Current blogs can be accessed at this new address: http://peacespeakerslouisvilletoastmasters.blogspot.com/

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

Our President, Ada, reflected for a moment on the late hours most of us kept the night before due to the hotly contested 2012 presidential election. She reminded us that whether our candidate won or not, we are all in this together...united and committed. She asked that we recite the Pledge of Allegiance with more fervor and passion than ever.

Four visitors graced us with their company at our club meeting today, each expressing varied reasons for looking at Toastmasters as a way to build confidence and speaking skills. From left to right, our guests were Ashley, Pat, and Fred.

One more visitor to our club today was Randy, sitting to the left of Bethany, the Secretary of Peace Speakers. Our recent Membership Drive, held at the Presbyterian Center on October 31st, brought us 3 of our 4 guests today, all whom we warmly welcomed!

OUR TOASTMASTER FOR THE DAY

Eva, our Toastmaster for the day, began the educational part of our program. In reference to the quote atop our agenda today, she reminded us, "There is always, always something to be thankful for." Let us be in gratitude for all of our provisions in this lifetime, which are abundant and limitless.

THE INVOCATION

I shared a poem that related to a speech I gave back on October 3 about moving out of our comfort zones. If we are really honest with ourselves, until we move OUT of our comfort zones, we aren't growing. Here's my sister's poem:

Come
By Lynn Bleemel

What does it mean, to come, when you're called,

To shift into drive, when you've been stalled.

To step out in faith, your cross to bear?

It means that you have to leave "somewhere".

"Somewhere" is a place of comfort and ease,

An existence where you are easily pleased.

It's safety that's been through your efforts created,

But the adventure of life is sadly belated.

"Somewhere" is an isle where you may have gone

To escape the pain of someone's wrong.

"Somewhere" serves a purpose to give us rest,

But in "somewhere" you cannot receive God's best.

God's best for us happens when we begin to respond

To a call to extend ourselves beyond

The borders of our comfort zone;

The walls that protect, also keep you alone.

Fear not little flock, it's your Father's good pleasure

To give unto you His Kingdom's great treasure.

Take courage, my friend, and step out where He leads,

He is willing and able to meet all your needs.

THE JOKE MASTER SPINS A TALE

Eric, our Joke Master, shared that in middle school his youth minister used to take his youth group on road trips. He implemented the rule that the teens could not sleep while he drove the long, tiresome miles. So, Eric admitted, they drove him nuts. The minister returned the favor by playing a tinny stereo, music which the teens despised. Fortunately, they always arrived home safely.

Later in life, Eric implemented the same rule on long drives with his own friends. Everyone talked the first hour, but one buddy in back drifted off to sleep. Eric suggested they play a cruel joke on their slumbering friend. Counting down, "3, 2, 1..." Eric slammed on the brakes and they all screamed in unison, startling their slumbering friend, who thought they were in the midst of an accident.

Eric recommends implementing this practical rule on long drives (no, not terrifying your family or friends) but insisting on riders staying awake and engaging the driver to keep everyone safe when traveling.

TABLE TOPICS SMACK-DOWN

Our area governor was scheduled to speak today but had to cancel at the last minute. Therefore, a longer version of Table Topics was implemented. Two rounds of questions given to two teams would yield two winners, who would then face-off in the end.

Bethany created a series of questions pertaining to Thanksgiving and asked the first team of 4 to respond. Each of us had up to 2 minutes to talk extemporaneously on the topic we drew from her cup.

(No, Geoff didn't just arrive with his coat in hand. Not able to get a good shot of him when he was speaking, I asked him to pose at the end of the meeting.)

What do you like about Thanksgiving?

Geoff particularly enjoys gathering with his family. It's a time to catch up with different relatives, which is really positive and uplifting. It's also an opportunity to recall or learn about family history and traditions that are memorable and meaningful.

Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving food?

Eric loves his grandmother's hand-rolled noodles. He remembers her lining them up on a huge ceramic bowl. Swimming in a savory gravy, he claims the noodles have a spectacular taste. He admits he needs to learn her secret so he can continue the tradition in generations to come.

What book/movie are you most thankful for this year?

Because I'd just seen Tim Burton's movie Frankenweinie and loved it, I shared why. It was a 3-D clay-motion movie about a lonely boy and his adorable dog. Borrowing ideas from Frankenstein, the movie was quirky though heartwarming. Burton's morose expressions on the children and pets were creative and endearing. A sweet and highly entertaining story, my husband and I laughed and cried while enjoying this film.

Do you have a Thanksgiving tradition you enjoy?

Ken handed me the stopwatch to time his response, and I lost note-taking time trying to figure it out. I only recorded "football growing up" and "early meal", which left me wondering what to write for today's blog. Emailing Ken for more details, he replied, "I don't remember what I said. Create something, and make me sound good." SO HERE GOES:

Growing up, Ken enjoyed playing football in high school, college, and professionally. Nicknamed Kinetic Ken, he was infamous for his unstoppable moves down the field. His family traditionally ate an early meal on Thanksgiving so they could watch Ken's game and cheer on his magical moves and countless wins.

This concluded the first round of Table Topics responses, and when the votes were written down and tallied, I had come out on top. At this point, the second team stepped up to the bat to answer a round of questions posed.

(The first pic I took was out of focus, so I grabbed this one from a recent meeting.)

What would you do if you had time off over the holiday?

Ida replied that she'd prefer to serve people less fortunate than herself on a mission trip if she had time off from work. She especially likes helping others and does so whenever she can. However, she has to be mindful and watch herself, as she gets caught up in their suffering and sometimes needs to step back and regroup.

Do you participate in any charity events for Thanksgiving?

Eva said it is not the Thanksgiving events she participates in but the Christmas charity events that keep her busy. One year, she helped at the Presbyterian Community Center collecting, organizing and wrapping gifts for those less fortunate. She always tries to contribute in some way or another.

After Thanksgiving dinner, will you be watching football or doing something else?

Ashley doesn't care to watch football and instead prefers to spend time enjoying her family members. They don't get to see each other often enough for her liking. Thanksgiving is a time when they connect, share good times, and enjoy lots of laughter.

How do you feel about Black Friday?

Fred had us laughing right off the bat. "It's a day you can go broke!" he exclaimed. He personally stays home and does odd jobs and other things around his home. He asserted that people often buy things they simply don't need. However, he can enjoy the celebration that others experience on that day of buying.

After these last 4 speakers concluded, a 2nd round of voting produced a majority of votes for Ashley, who next faced-off with me.

TWO WINNERS COMPETE

Kay, what personal accomplishment are you most thankful for this year?

The first thought that comes to mind is the speech I delivered last month in full costume, called "The Comfort Zone Blues". But that isn't what I'm most grateful for at this time. A dear friend of mine was going through a crisis recently, and rather than get all caught up in the fray, I stayed calm and objective. I helped him see the situation from a different perspective, helping him move to solution rather than into vengeance. I'm most thankful that I was able to support him through that emotional upheaval.

Ashley, what is your favorite/most memorable Thanksgiving memory?

Ashley shared that her mom would usually cook a big dinner for the entire family but one year decided to do something different: instead they drove to the Newport Aquarium. After enjoying a fun day there, their car broke down heading home. Once the car was up and running again, they pulled into a Cracker Barrel and ended up eating their Thanksgiving dinner there. That particular holiday was definitely her most memorable, fun, and adventurous!

In today's final Table Topics smack-down, contestants Ashley and Kay ended up tying! One of the voters chose to write the word TIE as their vote. Now both of us get to enjoy a trophy until Peace Speakers meet again.

THE MEETING ADJOURNS

With our Word for the Day being "allegiance," it's easy to see that our loyalty to Peace Speakers and devotion to growing as communicators and leaders is strong. As Eva suggested at the onset of our meeting, "There is always, always something to be thankful for," and we remember this especially as we move towards the Thanksgiving holiday.

We are an open Toastmasters club,

so please pay us a visit!

OUR NEXT TWO MEETINGS:

NOV. 28 - Conference Room A
DEC. 12 - Conference Room B

(We took a vote at today's meeting for these dates,
which work better around the holidays.)

Peace Speakers Toastmasters Club

Presbyterian Center

1st and 3rd Wednesdays (usually)

1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

100 Witherspoon Street

Downtown Louisville, KY

Respectfully submitted,

Kay Chambers

VP of Public Relations for Peace Speakers

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

A Spooktacular Membership Drive & Robin's Baby!

A HALLOWEEN DAY EVENT

On October 31, members of Peace Speakers decorated the Mezzanine in anticipation of Presbyterian Center employees dropping by for some information about Toastmasters. Rhonda and Becki set up the area in grand Halloween fashion. Most of the decorations were brought in by Rhonda, who thoroughly enjoys the holiday. Scroll down the page for a few images!

These nasty-looking "witch's fingers" cookies were made by Kay (pictured below holding the batch). They were actually whole-grain almond cookies with blanched almonds for the nails. Painting them with red food coloring evidently spooked a few people so much they hesitated eating them. I was told they were delicious, along with the yummy pumpkin cookies, spiced apple cider, and other treats members contributed.

My mother-in-law, Boo, had this '70's dress made for her one Halloween, making for a perfect Halloween costume for me today. (I'm really getting my money's worth out of this cheap red wig!)

Rhonda and Becki humor me as I snap more pictures before guests arrive. Cute ears, Becki.

Eva and Bethany greet and talk with visitors.

Betsy and Bethany chat with those seeking more information on Peace Speakers and its benefits.

Pictured on the left, both Ashley and Randy ended up winning one of our door prizes that Ada provided. So did Jerri and Bill, others who work at the Presbyterian Center and visited our table today.

By the conclusion of this Membership Drive on Halloween, about 30 people stopped by to inquire about Toastmasters. One person indicated she wanted to join our Peace Speakers group in January. Others expressed interested in coming to our next meeting, November 7th.

A special thank you goes out to Bethany, who created a delightful and creative flyer to notify Presbyterian employees about our membership drive. I am also grateful that Joelle agreed to take the leadership role for this drive and rallied the troops together. Additionally, I really appreciate all who donated their time, money, props, creativity, and energy to making it a success.

BABY ALERT!

And now for a special treat - Robin's newest edition to her family is Jonathan William, which explains why she's been carrying a little extra weight the past nine months:

Two beautiful babies!!!!!

The look of innocence and contentment.

Ada has that special touch, evoking a genuine smile!

Jonathan, you little bundle of joy, we wish a looooong and happy life. Looks like he's already taking after his mother in hopes of become a Toastmaster someday.

Respectfully submitted by Kay Chambers

VP for Public Relations of Peace Speakers

Monday, November 5, 2012

A Blissful Meeting on October 17, 2012

Our President, Ada, opened our Peace Speakers meeting warmly welcoming everyone with thoughts about autumn. She hoped everyone was enjoying the brilliant fall leaves, colorful pumpkins and other benefits of this fall season.

After gathering with friends at several bonfires the previous weekend, our VP of Education, Joelle, shared a fall-themed Invocation that was written long ago by poet, Robert Louis Stevenson:

Autumn Fires

In the other gardens

And all up the vale,

From the autumn bonfires

See the smoke trail!

Pleasant summer over

And all the summer flowers,

The red fire blazes,

The grey smoke towers.

Sing a song of seasons!

Something bright in all!

Flowers in the summer,

Fires in the fall!

Robert Louis Stevenson

THE TOASTMASTER FOR THE DAY

Our Toastmaster, Becki, reminded us that December 7th is Staff Development Day at the Presbyterian Center. She asked that members who are willing to help her with the 3 classes Peace Speakers will conduct that day to please send her an email.

JOKE MASTER SHARES

A HUMOROUS EXPERIENCE

Our Treasurer, Perry, relayed a personal story for our enjoyment as our Joke Master of the day. He shared that recently his family traveled up to the cold north while he trekked down south to Georgia where it was warm. He regretted it almost immediately. Why?

Perry had managed to find a place at the North Shore of Lake Superior for his wife and two children to stay. The Outpost Motel sounded cozy, with little cabins next to a lake and large white Adirondack chairs for lounging. He learned that his family arrived there late, hungry, and tired. When this was expressed to the owners of the motel, they offered pizza, which sounded great until they pulled out tiny frozen pizzas and popped them in the toaster oven.

Inside their chilly room, Perry's wife felt the need to crank up the heat. Later that night, near 3 A.M., their dog began vomiting violently. The hotel's radiant heat had warmed their room above 80 degrees! Perry's family rushed outside in the dark of the night fanning themselves wildly to cool themselves off. At 3 A.M. on a chilly October morning, the three of them sat in their pajamas in the Adirondack chairs gazing out at Lake Superior. (For you animal lovers, the dog did survive.)

The next day Perry's wife and two children drove to a state park where lots of hiking was in store. At one point, his wife urged the kids down a hill, but their son stopped, sat in the middle of the trail, and bawled. His sister remarked, "It’s downhill." But her brother blurted out, “If there's a downhill...then there's an uphill!"

Picturing these entertaining memories that Perry missed of his family during a wintry Minnesota weekend makes him wish he'd been there to share them.

TODAY'S PREPARED SPEECH

Ada’s speech today was from Project # 2, a Special Occasion Speech called “My Pink Clay Pot - Praise and Remembrance”.

She hooked me right away with, “How many people have you met who you know without a shadow of doubt that your paths were destined to cross?” One of those people in Ada’s life was just laid to rest: Gwendolyn D. Berry, or affectionately called “Mamma Gwen.” She played a major role in Ada’s life and in her church family’s life at Bethel Baptist Church.

Mama Gwen was a small petite lady, but her integrity carried the weight of steel. Retired from Phillip Morris, her employer contributed to her 15-year smoking dependency. Regardless, Mama kicked the habit the last 5 years of her life, a proud accomplishment and feat!

Mama Gwen “lived her life" according to several Bible passages: Psalm 84:10, where Mama chose to be a doorkeeper in the house of God rather than dwell in the tents of the wicked, and Galatians 5:13, where Mama insisted on using her freedom to serve others in love rather than satisfying any sinful nature. Her service consisted of the following (a partial list):

· For years Mama trained all ages interested in becoming church ushers and was the 2012 president of the adult ushers at the age of 80, just months before her passing.

· Mama kept up with the sick and the shut-ins of the church, making phone calls to them, sending greeting cards with inspirational readings; comforting grieving families who’d suffered loss.

· Mama also served as a member of the Missionary Society under Ada’s leadership for 3 years. Doing whatever she could to make Ada’s job easier, she was the phone tree specialist, served dinner to bereaved families, and kept the church house fresh and clean.

Whereas Mama Gwen’s homecoming has left Ada deeply saddened, she will not be forgotten. She gave Ada the pink clay pot bouquet several years ago, and this sweet arrangement reminds her of the profound gift that Mama Gwen was to her. Her integrity and well-lived life has encouraged Ada to be a doorkeeper and a servant of God as well.

TABLE TOPICS RUMINATIONS

Our Table Topics master, Ken, asked members to ponder and share experiences related to Trick-or-Treating. Looks like you're all set for October 31st, Ken!

Halloween: love it or hate it?

Rhonda shared that she looooooves Halloween, a favorite time of the year for her. She's into the color orange and always decorates to the hilt for this holiday. She has playful Mickey Mouse jack-o-lanterns and a miniature village with a haunted house and other spooky elements, which is just the tip of iceberg when it comes to the fun she conjures up for Halloween.

What is your favorite pumpkin experience?

Perry shared that as a child, he grew up in Florida where they don't grown pumpkins. But now his family regularly goes to Huber's Farm in Indiana where they have the tractor-drawn carts. Huber's has a great deal where you only pay $5 for all of the pumpkins you can carry, which is not only amusing to watch but oftentimes painful.

Do you believe in ghosts?

Eva admitted that she has not had personal experiences of her own but has heard tales from others. They mention things like shadowy visions or furniture moving mysteriously. But does she really believe in the supernatural or the spirit world? Eva concluded by saying she does believe in the supernatural, but how that is manifested in the natural world (in ghosts, spirits, answers to prayers) remains a mystery.

Growing up, what was your favorite Halloween costume?

Joelle shared that her dad made her a very creative costume one year where she was a Hershey Kiss, using a Hula Hoop to shape the base of it. It was so unique that she won a contest at the mall. The following year, she wore a costume she'd picked out of a magazine, and someone else wore it to the party she attended. After that, she realized she preferred her dad's creativity and original ideas for costumes.

What's your favorite scary movie or story?

Becki admitted she loves The Final Destination movies, a series of low budget (and some would say "stupid") movies that follow the theme that a group of people have cheated Death, which catches up with them later on. In one, Death comes after those who didn't board a plane that ends up crashing. Becki says the movies build genuine suspense and she knows something's coming, but it slams her none-the-less.

Here Perry sits enjoying Table Topics and taking a few shots of his own of the speakers. When the votes were casted, there was nearly a 3-way tie, but Joelle and Becki ended up tying with the most votes. Each one enjoys a trophy and bragging rights until we meet again on November 7th.

Perry's expression exemplifies what members often feel at the conclusion of another Peace Speakers meeting. Knowing that we are supporting one another in our growth and gaining communication and leadership skills is fun and satisfying. If you're a visitor to this blog, please consider joining us for an upcoming meeting!

We are an open Toastmasters club,