Central Toastmasters Weekly Bulletin
March 26, 2003
Worcester, MA
President: Peter Hoag Treasurer: Karen Lefebvre
VP Education: Filomena Didiano Sgt. at Arms: Fred Nathan
VP Membership: Rob Koenig Secretary: Roseann Waterhouse
VP Publicity: Joe Bellil Bulletin Editor: Al Wheeler
Attendees: 13 members - Danny Abraham, Peter Hoag, Fred Nathan,
John Capuano, Ray Belsito, Roseann Waterhouse, Kwabena Afriyie,
Paul Anderson, Wayne Dupont, John Keeton, Gerald Groccia,
Helen Valinski, Kathy Simisky - 1 guest
BUSINESS SUMMARY
ATTENTION club members! When you attend, please remember to at least
meet the $5 minimum dinner purchase to maintain the room availability.
The Sergeant At Arms must collect $5 from any member that does not.
(This does not apply to any guest.)
Remember to bring a blank VHS tape, if you want to record and review
your performance of your prepared speech.
Leading role participants, President, Toastmaster, Topicsmaster, and
General Evaluator with undetermined time to speak are asked to be
mindful of tailoring their words to fit the available time.
The meeting starts at 7 PM and ends at 9 PM. All members
in attendance must be accorded time to speak.
There is no exception to this rule.
Dues are due! It is time to think about paying dues again.
Club dues are $36.00 semi-annually, $18 goes to International
and $18 to Central. The dues are due to Central before April 1.
Checks should be made out to "Central Toastmasters".
For additional information, please contact club treasurer,
Karen Lefebvre, at 508-871-7010. 15 members have paid their
dues so far. Please try your very best to get your dues in as
soon as you can. A club gets points toward "Distinguished Club"
status for timely payment of dues by its members.
A nominating committee of current officers and past presidents
will meet after the meeting to discuss nominations
for the upcoming elections.
Stan, our webmaster, will not be returning to the club.
"We can pay him the $36 to continue hosting the website
or he can provide us with the software to do so."
At the close of the meeting, another motion was raised to
withdraw use of the buzzer during prepared speeches. This
issue was deferred until a future meeting due to time constraints.
UPCOMING SPEECH CONTESTS
The Spring Conference will be Saturday May 3rd at Bentley College.
The conductor for the Boston Pops will be one of the keynote speakers.
The attendance fee is $65 if paid before April 26th, after which time
the price increases to $75 per person. Interested parties are asked to
submit a check to Peter Hoag. A motion was made and passed to reimburse
club members for the attendance fee once they have attended the meeting.
TOPICS SUMMARY
The topics of the evening were based on inspirational quotes.
PARTICIPANTS
Meeting Chair Peter Hoag
Toastmaster John Capuano
Invocation Dan Abraham
Topicsmaster Kathy Simisky
Thought Wayne DuPont
General Evaluator Gerald Groccia
Joke John Keeton
Timer Fred Nathan
Grammarian Roseann Waterhouse
Word of the evening: N/A
SPEAKERS
Speaker Paul Anderson
Evaluator Ray Belsito
Speech Title "The Largest Expense of Your Lifetime"
Summary
Paul reminded us that everything we buy and sell is taxed. He suggested that "everyone should have a tax plan." He gave specific examples of ways to reduce our tax burdens including buying a home, making home improvements, using work deductions, making a hobby into a business and voting for people that support low taxes.
Speaker Kwabena Afriyie
Evaluator Dan Abraham
Speech Title "How I Didn't Get to See the Grand Canyon"
Summary
Kwabena told us about his cross-country adventures driving to a new job. After a brief and enjoyable stay with his girlfriend in Las Vegas, they were convinced into changing all of their carefully laid plans to visit the Grand Canyon. Instead of visiting the south side of the Canyon, the couple drove a stick shift in the pitch dark in peril along the winding canyon roads to the north side. Unfortunately, there were no available rooms to get a decent night sleep. The grouchy pair fought and decided that neither wanted to tour the canyon by foot which was the only means to see the Grand Canyon on the north side.
Speaker John Keeton
Evaluator Helen Valinski
Speech Title "Take the Terror Out of Talk"
Summary
John described the "Speaker shakes" and compared them to life's experiences where we have all been afraid of failure. "Stage fright is common to speakers who are concerned about their performance." John listed three points that good speaker use to temper nervousness and create "positive" energy including experience, mental rehearsal and relaxation. He used visual tools, an "assistant" and body language to demonstrate each point.
AWARDS
Best Impromptu Ray Belsito
Best Prepared Paul Anderson
Best Evaluation Dan Abraham
UPCOMING MEETINGS
April 2, 2003 April 9, 2003 April 16, 2003
Toastmaster Paul Anderson Dan Abraham Bill Perkins
508-829-9201 508-755-9246 508-393-1764
Invocation Rob Koenig Al Wheeler John Capuano
Thought Gene Brady Fred Nathan Ray Belsito
Joke John Capuano Helen Valinski Wayne Dupont
Topicsmaster Joe Bellil Ray Belsito Sheila Gant
Gen. Evaluator Peter Hoag Terry Londergan Carl Lakes
Grammarian Sheila Gant Gerald Groccia Kwabena Afriyie
Timer Kwabena Afriyie Sheila Gant Bill Perkins
Speaker1 Bill Perkins Al Wheeler Karen Lefebvre
Speaker2 Carl Lakes John Capuano Kathy Simisky
Speaker3 John Hanlon Paul Anderson Gerald Groccia
Evaluator 1 Kathy Simisky Roseann Waterhouse Helen Valinski
Evaluator 2 Wayne DuPont Fred Nathan Paul Anderson
Evaluator 3 Rob Koenig John Keeton John Hanlon
* We meet every Wednesday from 7-9 PM at the Regency Suite.
Directions are below.
* Members who are interested in speaking outside the club,
please contact Dan Abraham at 508-757-3855 for information
about the "Speaker's Bureau".
* The toastmaster of the evening and the Sergeant of Arms are
responsible for arranging the tables suitably for the meeting.
* Fred Nathan, Sergeant at Arms, will collect $5.00 from any member
who has not met the minimum dinner purchase requirement that
maintains the room availability.
* A 15% gratuity is mandatory to insure proper service.
You may, at your discretion, give more.
* It is a sign of courtesy to be quiet while a
speaker is at the podium.
* Proper dress for the dinner meeting is business casual at a minimum.
* To sign up to receive district 31 headquarters e-mail and news,
go to the WWW and visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/d31tm .
* Notice to all Club Officers - please have a speech ready at all
times so we can replace any no shows. This is a good practice for
all Toastmasters as well - BE PREPARED!
* Be sure to contact Filomena Didiano (VP of Education) if you want
to get on the schedule for a role or speech. Filomena's phone is
978-422-5269 (home) and her e-mail is cardid@telegram.infi.net (home)
or filomena.didiano@genzyme.com (work).
* If you have an e-mail address (home or work) and are still
receiving the Weekly Bulletin via regular mail please contact
Al Wheeler ("Alfred.J.Wheeler@Verizon.net ") so we can add you
to the e-mail distribution.
Directions to our location at the Regency Suites:
From 290 East bound
Exit 13 Kelly Square: Take a left off the exit ramp to Kelly's Square.
Take a left onto Madison St. (between the two gas stations).
At the second light turn right and you are there.
It is next to the Registry of Motor Vehicles.
>From 290 West bound
Exit 13 Kelly Square: Take a right off the exit ramp to Kelly's Square.
Take a left onto Madison St. (between the two gas stations).
At the second light turn right and you are there.
It is next to the Registry of Motor Vehicles.