Internet workshop

Division A will be holding a workshop on Toastmasters & internet usage for club officers on Thursday 24th November 19;00-21;00 at Cork Airport.
Topics covered will include using the District 71 and Toastmasters International site, using Freetoasthost 2 for club site hosting, and using internet facilities such as Facebook, Twitter, Tweetdeck & Blogs for club publicity.

Questions and Answers with Division A.

All your questions about Toastmasters are answered!  The question and answer session is included thanks to John Finn, Midleton Toastmasters, who created the original version for the East Cork Journal.

Questions and Answers with  Division A Toastmasters.

Q. When I googled the definition of ‘Toastmaster’  I got ‘An official responsible for proposing  Toasts, introducing speakers and making other formal announcements at a large social event’. I sthat what Toastmasters is about?

A. Not at all! Our organization’s aim is to develop the ability to communicate confidently in public, something that most of us will have to do at one time or another;  for example  giving a presentation at work or a wedding speech.

Q. Speak in public! That’s enough to frighten the living daylights out of most people. How can Toastmasters help?

A. We introduce people to public speaking in a supportive environment. Everyone learns at their own pace and is given help and encouragement along the way.

Q. If I went to one of the meetings I might be asked to speak. I’d be mortified! Why  should I attend?

 A. Guest will not be asked to speak (unless they wish to do so at the topics session.) You have no fears in that regard. Why not attend a few meetings of your local club and see how we operate?

Q. What is a typical meeting like?

a. There are three parts in a normal Toastmaster meeting;  Prepared speeches, Topics and the Evaluation session.

Q. What are prepared speeches?

A. When you join first, you make a series of speeches from the basic Toastmaster manual Competent Communication. There are ten speech projects in the manual, each of which have specific objectives such as organizing material and using vocal variety. The subject of each speech is up to the speaker, once the speech covers the objectives of the project. The first speech icebreaker  is about the one subject you are an expert on, yourself! When one has completed the basic manual, you can deliver speeches from specialized manuals, which cover humorous speeches and storytelling, for example.  There are a great variety of speeches at each meeting. At the end of a typical meeting you will leave both enlightened and entertained!

Q. What are topics?

a. Topics are subjects chosen by a club member who acts as the Topicsmaster for the meeting.  The topics are not known by the other club members. The topicsmaster will ask individual  club members to speak on topics for up to two minutes. Topics can be serious or frivolous, for example  ‘What was your worst fashion disaster’.

Q. I’d imagine they can get pretty heated when political or religious topics are chosen?

A. There is a standing rule: no politics, religion or sex. Nobody will be embarrassed or made feel uncomfortable at our meetings. Also the aim of Topics to  encourage  impromptu speaking, not to catch out people with difficult topics.

Q. What is the evaluation session?

A. This is an important aspect of Toastmasters. Each of the prepared speeches will be evaluated by another club member and this will be done in a supportive manner. The evaluator will identify your strengths as a speaker and will suggest areas you can improve on for future speeches. By taking these suggestions on board, members improve their speaking abilities and such improvement will spill over into one’s everyday life.  

Q. How do I prepare speeches?

A.  Most members write out speeches at home and deliver it at home before presenting it at the meeting.  Using notes is acceptable. Yet as members gain in confidence it becomes easy to abandon  written notes.

Q.  Sounds good! Where and when?

A. Meeting times and the location of your local club are available at the Division A Blog. We are always looking for new members  for our clubs so guests are always welcome and can simply turn up to a meeting. We are a friendly bunch and value the social aspect of Toastmasters.

Flourish Conference Glasgow Report.

Division A was well represented at the District 71 autumn conference "The flourish conference" which was held in Glasgow on November 11th-13th.  Current Asst Governor Bridget Elliott was recognized for her outstanding work promoting Toastmasters in Division A by receiving a District Governor Commendation.
2010-2011 Division A Governor Maire Corbett and last years area governors were recognized for their achievements.Apple Cork our most recently formed club was welcomed into the Toastmaster family.

Pat Sexton and Michael Cronin represented Division A with honour in the topics and humorous speech contests respectively. The contest results were:
Humorous Speech contest: 1st; Ola Aralepo (London).
                                          2nd: Ciaran Blair (Dublin).
                                          3rd:  Gareth McHale (Bristol).

Table Topics:                      1st: James McGinty (Essex).
                                           2nd: Chris Boden (Marlow).
                                           3rd: Michael Collins (Shannon).

Great credit is due to the Flourish conference organizers for a well-run and entertaining weekend!

Marymount hospice speakathon

John Keating (Bishopstown Toastmasters) is organizing a 24 hr speakathon in aid of Marymount Hospice, Cork on November 25th-26th. Many Toastmasters will be taking part. For further details see www.speakupformarymount.ie

Division contest photos.

Photos of the Division A humorous speech and table topics contests are available at the District 71 website:
http://d71.org/album_cat.php?cat_id=16     thanks to Area 49 governor Eileen Twomey.

Division A Humorous speech & table topic final.

Division A held its Humorous Speech and Table Topics contest on October 23^rd at the Oriel House Hotel, Ballincollig.  The contest was opened by Division A Governor, Catherine Kelly, and was chaired by Area 23 Governor, Maire ni Laoire. 

The District 71 Lt. Governor(Marketing), Luanne Kent  spoke on the changes which are occurring in the Toastmaster organization and made presentations of lapel badges  to Cait Murray (Speakeasy Toastmasters Mallow), who was the first toastmaster in the division to complete the Competent Communicator award in the 2011-12 Toastmaster year, and to John Keating (Bishopstown Toastmasters) who was the first DTM in the Division in the current Toastmaster year.

All of the participants in both contests exhibited a high standard, and the results were:

Humorous Speech Contests:    1^st  Michael Cronin, Speakeasy Toastmasters, Mallow.

                                                       2^nd  Mary Colbert, Talking Heads Toastmasters, Garryvoe.

                                                      3^rd     Anthony Garvey, Tralee Toastmasters.

Table Topics Contests:    1^st Pat Sexton, Speakeasy Toastmasters, Mallow.

                                           2^nd Paul MacGabhainn, Bishopstown Toastmasters.

                                           3^rd   Marian Harnett, West Limerick Toastmasters.

We wish Michael & Pat the best of luck as they will represent Division A at the District 71 finals of the Humorous Speech and Table Topics contests, which will be held over the District Conference, Glasgow, Nov 11^th-13^th.

Humorous Speech contest winner, Michael Cronin & Table Topics Contest winner, Pat Sexton, pictured with Contest chair Maire ni Laoire.

Division A contest countdown!

Division  A  Humorous speech  & Table Topics contest.

Reminder that the Division Finals of the Humorous Speech and Table Topics contests will be held at the ORIEL HOUSE HOTEL, BALLINCOLLIG on Sunday 23rd October. Arrive at 14:15 for 14:30 start. Admittance is 10 euro. Non-toastmasters are more than welcome to attend! In attendance will be the District Lt. Governor (Marketing) Luanne Kent.

Competing will be ( in alphabetical order):

Humorous Speech contest:

Pablo Alvarez

Mary Colbert

Michael Cronin.

Anthony Garvey.

Eddie Kelleher.

Andy Kirk (in place of T O' Donoghue)

Table Topics contest

Marian Hartnett.

Norma Hughes.

Louise Lyons

Paul MacGabhann.

Sheila McGovern.

Pat Sexton.

The winners will be competing at the District finals which will be held at the District convention in Glasgow on November 12^th & 13^th.