Training Meeting on 13th May 2010

We have an "inspiring" meeting on 13th May 2010.

Though with only 7 members + 3 guests, the meeting was indeed a quality one.

All the roles were taken and each segment of the meeting were carry out as according to Toastmasters International Guidelines without compromising.

Table topics masters Datin Grace Chiu, ACS CL gave the members some challenging questions:

1. If tomorrow is the last day of the world, what will you do?
Smart answer from Sasa: I don't want to be a sad ghost!

2. Do you prefer to leave in the comfort zone or face the challenges?
Interestingly, ACB Norman Chin is the only one choose to stay in the comfort zone!

3. Is it ok for a father to bring his daughters to enter the female's toilet?
Ling How Kee and Barnabas both answered the questions tactfully.

4. What can you do to save our mother nature?
TM Laurence gave the best answer.

From Left: Ling How Kee, Laurence, Mahani (Guest of Ling How Kee), Vannessa Lim, President Amy Hiew, Barnabas Fung, Datin Grace Chiu, Glenda (Guest from IJM Corp) and Yana (Guest from IJM Corp), and of course, the hidden Cameraman Norman Chin

The meeting started sharp at 7:30pm.

TM Laurence were so confident and all the guest thought she is a seasonal Toastmasters. She managed as the Toastmasters of the Evening with full confident and competent! Well Done!

This is our first time "General Evaluator", Vannessa Lim CC, giving her general remark about the meeting.

The best table topics speaker for the evening, TM Laurence won a prize from Table Topics master Datin Grace Chiu, ACS CL.

The question was: What can we do to save our mother nature.

The answer: Recycle, Law enforcement and Education!

Well Done!

Madam President Amy Hiew CC CL deliver her message to the members and guests.

The next training meeting falls on 27th May 2010, Mark's Lodge 7:30pm. Those who are interested to take up roles or deliver your speeches, please contact the Toastmasters of the evening Sasa Lim @ Vannessa Lim at 017-8173177

Together, we explore the possibilities!

Courage is the Word

Courage that's the word of the day and we have two guests who had took up the courage by participating in the Table Topics Session. Well done girls...

mmm... ... ... Next!

Tok-Tok-Tok, The time now is 7.30pm... Let's Start!

ACS, Datin Grace Chiu is the TME... and during the warm up session she has invited everyone in the meeting to share the experience that they had with Toastmasters

Yes! You are looking at the ticket of our next Installation which scheduled on 17th July 2010 @ Sabah Hotel, Grand Ballroom. Tickets are on sale NOW, Grab it from our Exco and Let's play Masquerade! Price:- RM70 but experience wise... RM100 and above... what a bargain...

What are they presenting you asked? They are the Best Table Topics Speaker of the evening, these gifts - Sup, Soap comes all the way from Bali, Indonesia bought to us by ACB, Norman Chin!

Our Guest... "A" Soap... for you

and... Sung Siew gavelian Teacher Advisor... TM. Ms. Laurence... here you go, another soap from ACB, Norman.

What's interesting over there?

Hi, I am CC, Alice... (actually CC, Shane is testing out his Camera)

Meeting Meeting Meeting

02 Apr, meeting commenced as usual but what happen to the meeting is totally unusual...

Toastmasters of the Evening is our newly achiever of CC, Vannessa Lim

Who is she? She is Sung Siew's Gavelian Teacher Advisor, TM Laurence - Yup! You guessed it. She is now officially the member of Sandakan Toastmasters Club and her skill in evaluation is so... in details even when she stands in as the language evaluator... Bravo!

Seen any different in the usual fried noodle? Yea, you see the egg there? It was meant for table topics session winner and it ended up becoming everyone food during the break.

Everyone is happy with the food and eggs...

There was nobody celebrating birthday this month (I mean those who come to the meeting), but it is the club's usual practice to do that no matter what happen... and it was delicious... Most of you missed the mango cheese.... too  bad... hahaha

How to win a speech contest

I was truely honored for winning the Area Level International Speech Contest last Saturday. It was like a dream come true, mission achieved kind of feeling.

When was the last time I won a medal or trophy? It was 6 months ago in the Evaluation Contest, and 1 year ago in the Humorous Speech contest. But, prior to taking part in Toastmasters speech contest, as far as I remember, the last time that I won a competition was during my Secondary School days, a good 20 years ago.

I don’t know about women, but a man needs victory to justify their existence, at least I am like that.

When I was a fresh Toastmasters 6 years ago, I was just like any other newbie, worried that I would be called upon to answer the Table Topics question. When I took part in my first speech contest, I was kind of hope that all the good speakers such as Dusun Chong, Dr. Edmond and so are busy and doesn’t take part and I can easily get a 3^rd place by luck. Yes, that was what I though…. Get lucky….

The turning point for me was really the day I became VPE for the club. I felt like I am “obligated” to do better in both leadership and public speaking.

Coming back to the main issue, How to win in (international) speech contest:

1) Be responsible – be committed to win

Do you know that Tawau Toastmasters Club always seems to be a club with better speakers? As far as I remember, Tawau Club beats STM in a ratio of 2:1 in Area Level Speech Contest. As a responsible past leader (Oversea Buddha), I feel that I am obligated to do better in Speech Contest.

2) Attend meeting regularly

Due to “commitment” as the VPE, club president and IPP, I was “forced” to attend the training regularly. For the last 2 ½ years, I attend Toastmasters Training Meeting whenever I am around. Never skip meeting with excuses of busy or lazy.

During Training Meeting, I must say or do something. Be it a Table Topics Speakers or Invocator.

3) Attend district convention and listen to the best speakers

Perhaps, Listening to the best speakers' speeches was the single item that can make one’s speech improve the most. After listening to those great speeches by the champion speakers from the District Level has definitely increase our understanding about “what makes a good speech excellent”.

4) To prepare a good speech

A winning speech should have humor in it. The purpose of the humor is to capture the attention of the audience. A speech without laughter is seen as dry no matter how important it is.

How to get have some humor in your speech? Be a humor person. Do you know that I was not a humor person before? I actually pick up my spontaneous humorous skill from someone in Toastmasters. And believe me, humor is one of the key success factor of interpersonal skill. People like to listen to humor person, not those who always speak of serious issues in a serious manner.

b. An excellent speech has a clear structure (opening, body and conclusion), uses vocal variety, props, examples, role play to enhance the overall presentation of speech. In other words, use technique that you master in the communication series to deliver your speech.

c. The speech needs a strong underlying message which is something positive.

Do you recall my speech titled “how to rob a bank?”. The speech makes everybody laugh hilariously. But it didn’t make it to the Division Level contest because the message behind is negative.

A good speech must have a message and the message must be a good and positive one in order to win.

I sincerely hope that the reader have learned some of my tricks and take part in the Toastmasters competition in the near future.

Together, we explore the possibilities!

Norman Chin,
a.k.a. Oversea Buddha

Int. Speech & Table Topic Contests 2010

25 Feb, Sandakan Toastmasters Club, has successfully hosted the club level International Speech and Table Topic Contest at The Mark's Lodge function room. There were altogether 10 participant contested in these contests and the winners from these contests will be representing the club to the Area level which will be held on the 13th March 2010 at Tawau, Sabah. The winners who will be representing the club to Division K, Area K2 are as below:

International Speech Contest

Champion: Norman Chin
1st Runner Up: Jimmy Leong
2nd Runner up: Amy Hiew

Table Topics Contest

Champion: Ling How Kee
1st Runner Up: Norman Chin

Other officers who also attended the function are District 51-Rest, Mentoring chair ACS, Datin Grace Chiu & Division K Governor, ACG Datuk Hassan. Let us send our best wishes to them and make us proud.

The officers with the winners and the organizing chairman, and that's me CC, Shane Ho

Some additional photos.....

Gong Xi Fatt Choi - Theme Meeting on 11th February 2010

A Theme Meeting was held on 11th February 2010 to pre-celebrate CNY the Toastmasters Way!

Guess what's this? Ang Pow? No.... They are the table topics question for the day!

TME was CC Shane Ho.... He managed to bring out the CNY mood....

Our visiting guess is Enoch Khoo, the ex-VPE of Kota Kinabalu Toastmasters Club.

This is TM Jimmy Leong Presenting his CC-8.... Alexander the Great!

And the cutest of all is...... District 51 Mentoring Chair, ACB Datin Grace Chiu....

Happy Chinese New Year to ALL!

Sandakan Toastmasters Club Bulletin Page 6