Awards Day and Table Topics Funfest Results

Val, incoming President, was our Toastmaster for the meeting and honoured our outgoing President, Kevin, with vote of thanks and a keepsake book.

CTI was pleased to recognize new members, Linda, Ruth and Edgar and welcome them to the club. Linda and Ruth will be presenting their icebreaker speeches at the June 24 meeting.

Table Topics Funfest was led by Marc who challenged the speakers with interesting questions that sparked a lot of humour and stories. The funniest one was by Laurie who regaled us with tales about going to the dentist as a child. Winners of the funfest were: First - Laurie, Second - Darlene, and Third - Ruth.

The most UMs award went to Edgar - our new member. It won't be long before Edgar will be able to pass the dubious award on to some other member.

Club of the Year ribbons were awarded to:
Best Gestures - Marc
Best Humour - Laurie
Most Improved Table Topics Speakers- Gaoming and Mary Jane
Most Enthusiastic Toastmasters - Chris, Rosario and Darlene

Val was awarded two prestigious awards: Toastmaster of the Year and President's Choice
Congratulations to all our winners!

Important Events Coming Up!

Here are some important dates to mark in your calendars. Be sure to come and join in the fun!

May 12 and 13 -- Talk up Toastmasters table in open area

May 13 -- Guest Day

May 20 -- Find out what the Executive does. Hear some entertaining speeches

May 27 -- Guest Day and Cookie Day. Bring your favourite cookies to share!

June 3 -- Elections and Table Topics Fun Fest

June 17 -- Year End Awards and Potluck Lunch

Tip of the Week: Finding a Topic

Speech topics are floating in the air like dandelion fluff in the spring. All you need to do is pay attention, grab a couple, and see where they lead you. Every contact you have at work, every experience that makes you laugh or cry, every action that inspires you contains the seed of a great speech.

It is said that every topic under the sun has already been explored so there is nothing new. The new element is YOU. You bring a new perspective to old ideas. You have a unique way of looking at ideas that others need to hear. We anticipate with great pleasure hearing what you will have to say.

Keep a small notebook of speech ideas with you at all times. Write a few words down when an idea sparks your imagination so you won't forget it. You can look at all the experiences, funny situations, inspiring ideas that you have jotted down later when you are ready to write your speech. Pick one. And sign up for a speech next week.

Be prepared to enjoy the experience of giving your speech. We will!

What a Great Division J Contest!

Six contestants. Six fascinating stories. The Division J International Speech contest was solid gold from beginning to end. Our Mary Jane delivered a speech "Reach for the Sky" with an inspiring message of hope and courage, about her journey with cancer. The audience was in her hands, laughing with her about her bossy husband, in tears at the struggle, inspired by the message of hope.

The results were:
Stu Schultz - First Place
Scott McCrae - Second Place
Mary Jane McGrath - Third Place

Well done, Mary Jane!

Mary Jane wins Area J41 International Speech Contest

CTI's International Speech contest winner, Mary Jane McGrath, won the Area J41 speech contest with her moving story, "Reach for the Sky and Fly". CTI members present could definitely be heard cheering wildly for her after the win was announced.

Mary Jane goes on to the Division J contest on Friday April 16.

Congratulations to our champion!