Talking Earth Day in our Winnipeg Toastmasters Club

With Earth Day coming right around the corner, Marija, who was a first time Toastmaster, gave us the theme of Stewardship.  She gave a wonderful, well thought out explanation of this theme and even gave each of the members a chance to describe what stewardship meant to them personally. 

Dianne McCoy gave her speech today about what a three storage house is; painting the story of her grandmother’s past, coming to live in Canada. 

Andrea followed with her session of table topics and following the day’s theme asked questions about our environment. 

Miriam was first to speak. She was asked about whether she ever went to help sandbagging. She explained that while she never did, her daughter went and helped recently and has come out from the experience with great happiness and satisfaction. 

Marc was our second speaker with the question posed about how we can clean up Lake Winnipeg. Using his microbiology background, he explained why the algae are growing in the lake and how waste water treatment will help to reduce such algae blooms in the future. 

As spring continues to show more of itself every day and the flowers begin to sprout from the ground again, it is also time for you to come out! 

You can join us at one of our meetings as a guest and see how Toastmasters can help nurture and bring forth the public speaker in you.

Another Take on a Winnipeg Toastmasters Speech Contest

It was an evening to remember in our Winnipeg Toastmasters Club! 

Twenty people filled the meeting room to hear three dynamic contest speeches.  In typical fashion, the audience was inspired and challenged to think about life in different ways.  We were challenged to “dust off our dreams” and do it without delay so we won’t live with “what-ifs” in our golden days. 

We were inspired by a story of how life can change in a moment and how that event can be a game-changer.  We were reminded to stamp out all those messages received over the years about our weaknesses (report cards anyone?) and instead identify and embrace our strengths. 

It was a fantastic contest!  In the end, Dianne Boulay from UM Masters and Reygel Robles from Wednesdays on Waverly were the contestants selected to move on to the next contest.

This contest was hosted by both UM Masters and Wednesdays on Waverly (WOW).  This is WOW’s first year as a Toastmaster club and demonstrated spirit and skill in both the Table Topics and Contest Speeches.  UM Masters is thrilled to have WOW as a sister club in Area 12 and look forward to many years of collaborative ventures together!

Both clubs are open and willing to have new members join them on the Toastmaster journey.

Wednesdays on Waverly meets Wednesdays from 12:00 – 1:00 at 1000 Waverly.

Email Tannis for more information at tannis.gordon@gov.mb.ca.

UM Masters meets also on Wednesdays from 12:00-1:00 in Room 111 St. John’s College on the University of Manitoba campus.

Contact Tiffany for more information at tpylui@hotmail.com if you’re in the Winnipeg area and are interested in sitting in on a Toastmasters meeting!

Toastmasters Winnipeg Speech Contest Review

It was a special day as UM Masters in conjunction with WOW (Wednesdays On Waverly) had the Area 12 Speech contest held at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. We previously had a Club Contest in which Dianne Boulay won and was able to move on to the Area Contest.

Our Winnipeg Toastmaster, Bev Doern, lead us through the evening with flourish.  To lighten the mood and relax the group, the meeting started with a bit of humour and table topics that really got us thinking on our feet.  The question posed to the speakers included whether NHL should come back to Winnipeg, whether hockey should be played during other show times and what it really means to talk with or talk to someone. 

The next part of the evening was what everyone had been anticipating with great enthusiasm.  It was the start of the speech contest.  Joining Dianne Boulay in the contest was Debbie Tabor and Reygel Robles from WOW.  Dianne’s speech was about “what if” and how we should live life with no regrets.  Debbie told us about her journey in finding her strengths.  Reygel described to the audience about the coming of his second life. 

All three contestants delivered powerful speeches and it was then left up to the judges to decide the winner.  With the ballots counted, it was announced Dianne Boulay won first place!  She and Reygel who won second place will now have the opportunity to compete at the Division Contest. 

The Division A speech contest is being held Tuesday April 26^th at the Grace Hospital Auditorium at 7 pm.

Congratulations to all three contestants for giving it their all and a special good luck to Dianne and Reygel as they continue along their path to make it to the International Contest in LA.  We are also not short on thanking everyone who came out this evening and the efforts of both WOW and UM Masters for making the night as lively as it was.

Winnipeg Toastmasters Blossom

The theme of the meeting was *Blossom* and blossom we did.  Our Toastmaster Dianne reminded us of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s words, “Thought is the blossom, language the bud, and action is the fruit behind it”. 

We were challenged to use sagacious as the word of the day and the group rose to the challenge - being wise, shrewd, astute and discerning in thought, action and words. 

Andrea was the first speaker and asked us “Will you be younger next year?” She presented us with ways to turn off or prevent decay in our bodies and keep blossoming. 

Debb followed with her contest-winning speech “Shine”.  She related her experience in holding back in life until she realized that the world needs our light, so SHINE.

The group gave Debb some encouraging and insightful feedback on ways she can blossom and shine even more at the Division contest. 

Our Winnipeg Toastmasters Club will be hosting the Area 12 contest on Tuesday, April 19th at 7 pm in Room 111 St. John’s College.  Everyone is welcome to come hear the inspirational speeches, network and make new friends.

How are you going to blossom this spring?  Try Toastmasters – the proven way to grow your communication and leadership skills. 

If you would like to take part in a UM Masters meeting, we’re located in Winnipeg at the University of Manitoba. Our meetings are held every Wednesday from 12:05 –12:50 PM in Room 111 at St. John’s College (which is part of the University of Manitoba).

If you're in Winnipeg and interested in sitting in on a club meeting to see if Toastmasters is right for you, please feel free to contact Tiffany Lui at  tplui@hotmail.com 

Toastmasters Winnipeg: Feel the Fear But Do It Anyway

Although we had a small group, with only 8 people attending our weekly Toastmasters Winnipeg Club, as always, we had an inspiring and exciting meeting.  Dianne, our club president, was the Toastmaster and she challenged us to excel with the theme “feel the fear but do it anyway”. 

Tiffany earned the gold star by doing just that.  After recently competing in the junior speech contest she gave her sixth speech so she can qualify to compete in the international speech contest next week and work towards finishing her cc manual by the end of the year.  Her speech on gaming was entertaining and fun and it demonstrated her ever improving speaking skills.

Bev shared with us her method of dealing with fear by viewing fearful situations as an opportunity for growth.  June spoke of doing evaluations as fear producing for her but went ahead and “did it anyways” but delivering a great evaluation for Tiffany’s speech.

Deb lead an exciting table topics session centred around the theme of overcoming fear, giving Anna and Jessica a chance to speak of the cuff about fears they have overcome. They made impromptu speaking look easy because of the ease in which they delivered their two minute speeches.

Every week UM Masters gives people an opportunity to work through their fears of public speaking in a supportive and inviting environment and this week was no different. If you’re ever in Winnipeg and want to sit in on a Toastmasters meeting, by all means join us!

Next week, April 6th, we will have 4 speakers competing in our international speech contest so come out and enjoy the competition.

If you would like to take part in a UM Masters meeting, we’re located in Winnipeg at the University of Manitoba. Our meetings are held every Wednesday from 12:05 –12:50 PM in Room 111 at St. John’s College (which is part of the University of Manitoba).

If you're in Winnipeg and interested in sitting in on a club meeting to see if Toastmasters is right for you, please feel free to contact Beverley Doern at  beverley_doern@umanitoba.ca