Smedley Saturday Restart

We had a rousing restart of our NPS monthly speech-a-thon, "Smedley Saturday." This is a speech-only meeting that gives members an opportunity to advance in the manual when it has been difficult to get on the regular meeting speaking schedule.

Seven members were in attendance, and three speeches were given. Unfortunately none were video taped, so you will just have to use your imagination. Our VP Education Tito DeJesus served as TMoD for the event as well as being a speech evaluator.

David Perez gave his #4 speech One Step at a Time and was evaluated by Tito DeJesus.

Art Testani gave speech #4 from the advance Manual "Public Relations" entitled Financial Crisis and the Global Economy, and was evaluated by Arnie Buss. This advanced project consisted of a presentation followed by question-and-answer period.

Margaret Stevens kept us all on track with her skillful timing.

It was another awesome - and joyful - NPS Toastmasters event. The breadth of information and topics by members of our club is inspiring indeed.

If you are itching to give a speech and have been unable to get on the regular schedule, then you have at least two options:

1. Have your speech ready to go and step forward if a speaking slot opens the week of the meeting.
2. Plan on giving your speech at the next Smedley Saturday.

Reunions

Having just returned from a reunion with professional colleagues and with family in San Diego, TMoD Fred Sadler chose the theme "reunions". The dictionary emphasizes "reuniting" in its definition - a major reason why each meeting of Club # 2032 is filled with joy as well as learning. The meeting was attended by seventeen members and one guest.

Area A1 Governor Ralph Villar was welcomed by Acting President Tito DeJesus. Nick Harlambakis was inducted as our newest member - welcome Nick! Bruce Lim skillfully presented Opening Remarks.
Art Testani led Table Topics and newest member Nick Harlambakis was voted
Best Table Topics speaker:


Jim Burlison volunteered at the eleventh hour and presented a beautifully organized #2 speech entitled 10,000 for which he was voted Most Improved speaker:


Jim was ably evaluated by Kate Daniels, who was selected Best Evaluator by GE Arnie Buss:


Emilie Staryak began her #9 speech "Not the Big Bad Wolf" by channeling The Big Bad Wolf and then proceded to pursuade us that wolves aren't really so bad after all. She tied with Jim for Most Improved speaker and was also voted Best Speaker:


Emilie was evaluated by David Perez:

Childhood - and Twos

Christina Hicks returned to club #2032 following her maternity leave and handled her TMoD role skillfully in a well-timed meeting (we finished early) with the appropriate theme of Childhood. It was also a meeting of "twos" - since it was Christina's second child plus there were two #2 speeches given - and one being on the second time though the CC manual! We elected our new slate of club officers for the July-December time period - they are listed in last week's blog. Congratulations to the new leadership team. Cate Anderson was inducted as a new member - welcome Cate. Eighteen members and two guests were present.

Tonya Holloway delivered opening remarks:


Moyara Ruehsen was voted Best Table Topics Speaker:


Bruce Lim's informative #2 speech, Korea, earned him a well deserved Most Improved Speaker:


Bruce was evaluated by Arnie Buss, who was selected Best Evaluator by General Evaluator Art Testani.


Joe Tacker, moving through the CC manual a second time, gave his #2 speech, Discombobulated, and was voted Best Speaker (do you know the many meanings of biannual? etc):


Joe was evaluated by John Armstrong:

The Month of May

Our May 15th meeting was attended by 15 members and two guests as Arnie Buss once again "set the standard" as TMOD, in a warmup for his role as Toastmaster the next day at the District 4 Spring Conference's International Speech Contest (where he also did a tremendous job!). The day's theme was "the month of May".

Natalie Laudier's Opening Remarks


Moyara Ruehsen's #2 speech earned her "Most Improved" - entitled A Tutorial on Money Laundering:


Fred Sadler's evaluation of Moyara's speech; Fred was selected "Best Evaluator":

Tito DeJesus' #9 speech about giving up your cell phone for a day earned him "Best Speaker":


Cathy Lee evaluated Tito:




"Best Table Topics" was won by visiting Toastmaster Wendy Goody, ACB/CL, who is a member of two clubs in District 57 (East Bay). Wendy is relocating to our area and we hope she will join us here at NPS!


The nominating committee chair, Carl Thormeyer presented the report of the nominating committee for the upcoming club elections, which will take place next Friday May 22nd. The following members have agreed to run, and serve for the July - December 2009 term if elected:

President: Art Testani
VP Education: Cathy Lee
VP Membership: Tonya Holloway
VP Public Relations: Karen Woodson
Secretary: Moyara Ruehsen
Treasurer: Craig
Sgt-at-Arms: Khalid "KJ" Woods


Anyone who is interested in running for an office is encouraged to do so - please let Carl know before May 22.

Engangered Species

With a strong attendance of 20 members and two guests, Club VPE and TMoD Tito De Jesus led a spirited meeting on the theme of "endangered species".

Margaret Stevens evoked a strong visual of a California Condor in her opening remarks:


Tonya Holloway's response to Craig's question won her best Table Topics speaker:

Natalia Shilova gave her #2 speech Drives Behind Success. Motivation:


Natalia was ably evaluated by veteran Carl Thormeyer:


David Perez was voted best speaker for his #3 speech RVing:


Elizabeth Mitchell was selected Best Evaluator by GE Art Testani:


Natalie Laudier was voted Most Improved speaker for her spot on #2 speech Why Your Kids Should Play Sports:


Cathy Lee gave Natalie excellent feedback in her evaluation:

Kentucky Derby!

You'd never guess that our TMOD this date was from Kentucky! With only 15 members in attendance, Elizabeth Mitchell ran a well-planned, well-structured meeting which, even with three speakers, ended on time! Good job, Elizabeth, with your theme of "Kentucky Derby", the cool hat, and the tremendous improvement in your TMOD skills!

We also had a surprise visit from Past President Angi Anderson, who was visiting Monterey from Santa Maria! Good to see you again, Angi... Angi told us that she and Brian are going to re-build a weak club down in their area in the image of NPS TM! What a compliment! Welcome back!

Elizabeth leads us as TMOD....



Lacey Raak won best Table topics speaker (again!), telling us all about Kentucky even though she'd never been there:



Moyara Rueson's Icebreaker speech Political Naming Conventions garnered her Most Improved Speaker:



Moyara was evaluated by Tito DeJesus:



A J Woods also gave his Icebreaker speech:



A J was evaluated by Karen Woodson:



Tonya Holloway won Best Speaker for her #5 speech The Ecstasy and the Agony, an expose of her experiences with childbirth:



Kate Daniels was selected Best Evaluator for her evaluation of Tonya's speech:



Acting President Tito DeJesus was enthusiastic and welcoming: