The Beginning Stages



Tammy Bailey



Ryan Warner joined Afterburners Toastmasters in August 2011. His willingness to jump in and participate was evident from the very beginning.  His first speech was titled "Small Town USA."  In his second speech, he introduced us to "The Myth of Electric Cars."  Ryan is a shining star on the rise. 



Ryan Warner

I am in the beginning stages of learning how to deliver professional speeches for my job.  Toastmasters has given me the tools to prepare and organize effective speeches.  Everyone at Afterburners has been excellent at encouraging me and building my confidence.  Toastmasters has helped me succeed in delivering a professional presentation. 

My Worst Nightmare

LaShawn Carter

The first time I heard about Toastmasters I was in college. An invited speaker at my Marketing Club advised that it was a great way to hone your speaking skills. I was immediately intimidated. My worst nightmare came to mind. All I could picture was a lecture hall of 300 people and having to speak for an hour about something I knew absolutely nothing about. Anyone who knows anything about Toastmasters knows it’s all about timing. I wasn't ready to tackle my fear. It was the wrong time.

Fast forward to last year…I became a charter member of a Toastmasters club at work. What changed between now and then? This time around, I was open to the idea. I saw Toastmasters as a way to polish my rough edges and I hoped it would get me noticed at work. More importantly, Toastmasters would give me the skills to conquer my worst nightmare.

I attended my first Afterburners meeting in mid January 2011 after the club at work disbanded. I was immediately impressed because this club is very well organized and I was welcomed with open arms. Everything fit perfectly. The day, time, and location fit my schedule. The level of expertise and professionalism was exactly what I was looking for. And the demographic makeup was diverse. I was even matched with a mentor.

Toastmasters is developing my speaking skills. I always made eye contact, but now I work the room and pause for dramatic effect. I’m still working on my volume levels and vocal variety. But that will come in time. For me, Afterburners is like therapy, but a whole lot cheaper. I know I can call on anyone in this club for anything, especially my mentor, Pat Quick. I made up my mind that I cannot miss Afterburners on Tuesday nights. It’s like church on Sunday morning...if I miss, I feel that my week just doesn't go right.

My goal for Toastmasters is to conquer my worst nightmare. I want to make an informative, yet entertaining presentation to a group of 300+ people for an extended length of time. I don't want to just do it. I want to do it well. With continued training and guidance from Toastmasters, it's just a matter of time.

Chapter Two

Saraí Garcia Olmos

This fall at Afterburners Toastmasters has been a memorable one! I was finally able to present chapter two of the “novel” that I’ve been working on. Like most aspiring authors I was experiencing writer’s block.  Although I did not physically write anything down, my family here at Afterburners has helped me develop this ongoing tale about a character named Peter. I introduced him earlier this year and had hoped to continue his story throughout a number of subsequent speeches. 

After presenting my story to the club, I received numerous praises. I never imagined that the response would be so great.  It made me proud.  Everyone gave me lots of compliments and encouragement. I was even asked to deliver a part two! This is what ultimately helped me continue developing Peter’s story.

My club members have also helped me focus on wording and delivery so that I can continue to capture the audience. I am so thankful to be able to share my side projects with my club and in return get the feedback I need to polish it. So, come and join the fun! Who knows? You might catch Peter in his next adventure!

Comfort Zone

Bill Erwin

I visited a Toastmaster meeting with no idea of what to expect. There were some very impressive speakers who were willing to share their experience in a positive setting.

After a couple of meetings, I felt comfortable enough to participate in "Table Topics" where I stood up to answer a short question about a fun topic.  After noticing the improvement of the newer speakers, I felt ready to do my own "Icebreaker" speech where I get to talk about myself.  That made me nervous.  But I can think of no better way (or place) to step out of my "comfort zone" and drag it to where I want it to be!

Always Exit on the Second Floor

Holly Trinh

One day, I realized that I was not satisfied with my level of communication.  I needed to be more effective in public speaking and writing.  I also wanted to develop leadership skills.  I prayed and asked the Lord to grant me wisdom and guide me down the right path to better communication. 

Late one afternoon in September 2010, I searched the internet using the keywords “Toastmasters and Fort Worth.”  Afterburners Toastmasters was the very first of about 186,000 results.  I read through some highlighted points and it sounded like just what I needed.  Then I called one of the representatives who agreed to meet me at the next meeting.  

On Tuesday, I got off from work and rushed straight to the Afterburners Toastmaster Club meeting located in downtown Fort Worth.  I was very nervous because I didn’t know anyone and didn’t know what to expect.  When I walked in the classroom, I was amazed to see a room full of people.  Their hospitality and professionalism was immeasurable.  Several people greeted and welcomed me.  The members that spoke that night showed so much confidence and talent. 

The meeting ended about 8:30 pm.  I took the elevator by myself because I thought I knew where I was going.  I rushed out of the elevator door into a dark and scary hallway.  For a moment, I thought this was the door I came in by the security counter, but where was the parking lot?  I realized I was at the wrong exit door.  I was lost and terrified.  I didn’t know what to do.  I thought I should call 911, and then I remembered I had a copy of the members’ phone list.  I proceeded to call almost everyone on the list until someone answered.  To make a long story short, everyone was so gracious and they helped me get out safely.  Now I know to always exit on the second floor.

I came back the next Tuesday and didn’t hesitate to join the club.  I was voted in and assigned a mentor to help me.  My breakthrough moment happened when I gave my first speech, the “Ice Breaker.”   I was so nervous.  My heart was beating so fast.  I told myself that I needed a lot of prayer and confidence to do this.     

The Toastmasters manual helped me develop and organize my speeches.  I followed the steps to define my supporting points and explain my objectives.  With my mentor’s help, I was able to build my confidence each time I spoke.  So far, I have completed ten speeches.  I have achieved the level of Competent Communicator (CC).  I am very happy and proud of myself to have made it this far.  I feel more confident today than I did a year ago.  Toastmasters helped me improve my speaking, writing and leadership skills.  I plan to continue with Toastmasters and I dream that one day I will become a professional speaker and a role model to others. 

Moments of Truth

Tuesday night I presented a module from the Successful Club Series called "Moments of Truth". This is a one-hour module that I attempted to present in 10-15 minutes (truth be told, I was over 18 minutes, but I gave it a shot!).

A Moment of Truth is an episode when a prospective member comes in contact with any aspect of the Toastmaster experience & forms an impression of the club's quality and service. We must be mindful at all times of the impression our club makes on others, because we are only in existence to serve the needs of our members. Although some of them overlap in different areas, each is important in creating a positive Moment of Truth for our members.

Our Executive Committee is dedicated to creating the best experience possible for our members. I have emailed this to all our members for feedback, but if you are a guest reader of this blog, I hope you will take a few moments to consider how well your club meets the six criteria set forth in "Moments of Truth."

First Impressions

Member Orientation

Fellowship, variety and communication

Program planning and meeting organization

Membership strength

Achievement recognition

First Impressions:

Each guest is greeted at the door & introduced to other members

Each guest is given a name tag & asked to fill out an information card

Meeting room is set up in a professional manner

Location is easily accessible & user friendly

Guests are encouraged to participate in the meeting & comment on their experience

Guests are invited to join the day of their visit.

Member Orientation:

New members are formally inducted and receive a pin & basic manuals

Mentors are assigned

Discuss the educational program benefits with new members

Survey the new member's learning needs

Assign a speaking role as soon as possible

Continue to make new members feel welcome by encouraging them to participate on an ongoing basis

Fellowship, Variety & Communication:

Members greet guests & make them feel welcome

VP Education plans enjoyable, dynamic programs

Regularly scheduled social events

Members are encouraged to participate in Area, District & International events

Inter-Club events are encouraged

Club newsletter/blog is published regularly

Program Planning & Meeting Organization:

Program & Agenda are publicized in advance

All members know their responsibilities and prepare to carry them out to the best of their abilities

Speeches originate from the basic & advanced Communication & Leadership manuals

Meetings begin & end on time

Creative Table Topics & theme meetings are featured

Positive, helpful evaluations based on project objectives & speaker's learning needs

Membership Strength:

Maintain a minimum of 20 members

Members are retained

Actively promote our club in the community or within the sponsoring organization

Continually plan varied & exciting club programs

Recognize Toastmasters who sponsor new members

Regular participation in membership building program

Recognizing Accomplishments:

Member's completed educational requirements are promptly submitted to World Headquarters

Member progress chart maintained & displayed at each meeting

Formally recognize member achievements

Recognize Club, District & International leaders

Member and Club achievements are publicized

Distinguished Club Program (DCP) is used for planning & recognition

Sergeant At Arms - TLI Experience

Phillip Silas

When I was first approached to assist as Sergeant At Arms, the importance of this position did not occur to me. A Toastmasters meeting cannot start or function correctly without the SAA. To take another person's position for granted is the norm, especially when you've never walked in their shoes.  But I must admit, based on my experience as Assistant SAA, and now current SAA, and finally participating in my first SAA session at the Toastmasters Leadership Institute, I feel honored. I look forward to participating in other TLI sessions.

Meet Steven Timmons, VP Education

Ryan Gallagher

In this, the second entry into my semi-annual interview series, our new VP Education, Steven Timmons, found some time in his busy schedule to answer my questions - all for the benefit of our readers. Hopefully y'all will get some insight into what makes him tick. In the meantime, I'm gonna try and make this interview thing happen more frequently than twice a year. Prepare yourself. You could be next.

Steven Timmons

1. What is your favorite book and/or movie and why?


My favorite book is probably Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. It has been sometime since I read it; however, I always remember the surprises as the story progressed and the plot was revealed. I am much more of a movie buff. I have always liked "Urban Cowboy" with John Travolta. Growing up in Mansfield, I really identified with John's character, except the dancing and it is a favorite time in my life.

2. Give a specific example of how Toastmasters has impacted you positively.

I find that I have made a lot of friends and acquaintances that I would not have made otherwise. The ability to speak and use my brain is a big win for me. However, I hope that I have made some friends that I will know for a lifetime.

3. What is the speech that you have given of which are you most proud, and why?

That would have to be my CC Manual Project 6, "Why I could never be Steve Erwin." It was the first time I got through a speech without notes and I felt a real sense of accomplishment when I executed the speech with all the body language and vocal variety I had planned.

4. Out of all the accumulated experiences in your life, what is the single piece of advice you would impart to your kids (if you have them) or your family, and why?

Always maintain your integrity. When others attack you needlessly or unfairly, it is all that you have to know that you have done the right thing. In Boy Scouts, I was always taught to do my best. That was all that anyone could expect of someone else.

5. Has your life gone how you thought it would? Why or why not and what do you think you might have done differently, if anything?

Life has presented me with many adventures I did not foresee. When I was standing outside the airport in the Philippines in the pouring rain, I thought to myself that I might have made a mistake. However, I have held on through the years and I find that the adventures continue to be surprising and enjoyable. I take each situation, try to learn from it what I should and then move on to the next obstacle.

6. Do you have a favorite quote, or a quote-of-the-moment that motivates you? If so, what is it and why do you find it motivating?

That would have to be Act Your Wage! by Dave Ramsey. Through Dave's wisdom, I have regained my life in so many ways. When you try to live outside of your means, you are robbing yourself of your future. When Dave discusses that if you don't have a plan for your money then all of those creditors have a plan for your money, he is really more right then you can ever know. Now I maintain a budget to keep a grasp on my reality. I find that I am more fulfilled than when I would run wild with my credit.

7. Anything else you want to share with Afterburners?

If you take the time to plan to live, you can live your dreams. Without a plan, you are just on a journey. How will you ever know that you have arrived?

A Toastmaster Wears Many Hats

At a recent Afterburners meeting, several speakers wore hats. You might think it was because we needed some shade and relief from the triple digit weather we've been experiencing. However, it was in honor of our theme: A Toastmaster Wears Many Hats. This theme was selected to illustrate that as a member of Toastmasters you literally wear many hats and can fill any number of roles during a meeting.

Our Immediate Past President, Tammy Bailey led the way as the Toastmaster of the Evening. George Arndt followed with a "Roadmap" to the successful preparation for the role of Toastmaster. Ron Baker explained the importance of punctuality and the role of the Timer. Bill Erwin wittingly reminded us that the Ah-Counter watches out for the use of crutch words such as ah, er, um, you know, and so.

Dámaris Thorn, was next in the line-up. She described the role of the Grammarian by asking the question, "Is it important to know English grammar good?" Steven Timmons explained that as the Listener, critical listening skills are tantamount to becoming an effective communicator. I reminded everyone to cast their vote during my piece on the Vote Counter. LaShawn Carter reviewed the role of Table Topics Master by informing everyone that they have nothing to fear when called upon for Table Topics because "Table Topics Are Your Friend".

In her "Recipe to Success" Brenda Daniels, aka Paula Deen showed us that the General Evaluator needs good listening, thinking, and speaking skills. Paula...I mean Brenda also shared the secret ingredient for her mouth watering fudge. Sorry if you missed it. What happens at the Afterburners Club meeting, stays at the Afterburners Club meeting. To round out the role of Evaluator, Joyce King did a terrific job of explaining how to effectively evaluate a speech, all while keeping a watchful eye on the timing light.

As a new member to Toastmasters you may wonder about all of the acronyms we use. Mike Kelly deciphered the "alphabet soup" in his presentation, "The Road to Becoming a DTM". Our former Division A Governor, Pat Quick explained how to have a successful club meeting. Ryan Gallagher explained the role of the "Hot Seat". Don't worry, you won't burn your biscuits. It simply means you may be called upon at the last minute to fill any opportunity, including the role of speaker. The key is to have a speech prepared and to be ready to go at all times.

In spite of a recent health scare, our President, Jodie Sanders was on hand to rally the troops and bring our meeting to a close. Our meeting was a rousing success...as usual.

Rose Timmons

A Driving Force

The Afterburners group has been an inspiration to me. Their members are very positive and are eager to assist each other, as well as other clubs. This group draws upon the strengths and individual skills of its diverse members to accomplish its goals. They also help other clubs such as the Tarrant County Toastmasters, a club they sponsored and are still mentoring.

Last Wednesday, I visited another group they sponsored. The Kimbo Toastmasters seem to be doing well. In the meeting, they specifically mentioned drawing upon the assistance of Afterburners members while discussing ways to keep their club moving forward.

Afterburners continues to be a driving force in presenting the message of Toastmasters, which helps the members present their messages more effectively.

Bill Erwin, TM

The Torch Has Passed . . .

Last Tuesday night, June 28th, we had a full evening of festivities as we bid farewell to our President Tammy Bailey and the current leadership team. Of course, it would not be an Afterburners event without great food.  We dined on an array of delicious fare and heard a couple of wonderful speeches from George Arndt, “Pressure”; and Mike Kelly, “Leadership 101”; and then it was time to start the Installation.

President Tammy Bailey began with thanks to each of her executive officers with words of appreciation and a plaque. Joyce King surprised Tammy with a gift of appreciation from the club and then Tammy gave her final speech about her thoughts from the year.

Then it was time for the installation and we were proud to have our incoming Area 12 Governor Brendan Bagnell to conduct the formalities. He thanked the current Executive Officers and discharged them of their duties. Afterburners appreciates their service for 2010-2011 and the full executive board is as follows –
Tammy Bailey – President
Ryan Gallagher – VP Education
Joyce King – VP Membership
Jodie Sanders – VP Public Relations
Steven Timmons – Secretary
Antoinette Silas – Treasurer
Gary Chiu – Sergeant at Arms
Pat Quick – Immediate Past President
Brenda Daniels – Parliamentarian, ex-officio

The incoming officers were installed and each one was given an opportunity to speak to the club about what their plans were for their year of service. The incoming executive officers are –
Jodie Sanders – President
Steven Timmons – VP Education
Rose Timmons – VP Membership
LaShawn Carter – VP Public Relations
Dawn Mercer – Secretary
Antoinette Silas – Treasurer
Philip Silas – Sergeant at Arms

After the new officers were installed, the “Passing of the Gavel” portion of the installation was done with the gavel being passed from one Past President to the other to the newly installed incoming President Jodie Sanders.  The Past Presidents in attendance were Setma Maddox, Brenda Daniels, George Arndt and Pat Quick.

Jodie Sanders gave her incoming speech and told the club that it was her vision in the next year to always keep the member in mind. “It’s all about the member” she said, and encouraged the club to consider ensuring the member gets the full benefit from a project before moving on. Jodie asked the members, “Is it a good thing to count a project completed by a member to gain points for our DCP if the member learned nothing?” She certainly gave us powerful words to ponder.

The evening ended with our current President Tammy Bailey giving final announcements and adjourning the meeting one last time.

Pat Quick, DTM

June 7: Summer comes to Afterburners

Summer. What images does the word evoke? Recently, it has meant not having to slow down to 20 mph when traversing school zones. (YAY!) But then finding mobs of kids at the mall. (BOO!) It also heralds the arrival of new movies from Hollywood, and the related buzz about which film will be the “summer blockbuster.”

This evening, LaShawn Carter made her summer debut as Toastmaster, and it’s certain to be a blockbuster. It was, by anyone’s account, a flawless performance, and a textbook example of how one should perform their Toastmaster duties.

Dawn Mercer spoke about “Mass” and all that the word has come to stand for. At the end of her speech, she disclosed that a personal tragedy was narrowly averted. Bill Erwin exuded confidence and poise with “Reorganize.” He told us that he views Toastmasters as a way to re-sharpen speaking abilities that went dull over the years. I (Gary Chiu) delivered “Going Outside the Club,” exhorting members to try their hand at various opportunities. Club contests, emceeing, judging, not to mention formal positions at the District are all available and are in need of participants. I was honored by having members name me Best Speaker.

Pat Quick triumphed with a wonderful Table Topics delivery of bygone summer days. Imagine no central A/C and window units as the only salvation from the heat. She was named Best Table Topics Speaker.

David Thorn rounded out the evening by delivering a superb evaluation of my speech. The Good, the Bad, (minus the Ugly) were all present in his evaluation. He was our Best Evaluator.

Afterburners always strives to consistently provide a quality meeting each Tuesday evening. Looks like we hit another home run!

Gary Chiu (the “silent partner” of Siskel, Ebert, and Chiu)

Courtroom drama and . . . zombies?

Judge Maurice Taitt

I enjoyed the opportunity to attend the REAL Trial of the Century on Tuesday, May 24. It was a civil trial . . . a tragic case of negligence, where the defendants were all members of the "Terrible Toasties" group.

One may say the defendants were also victims, due to their incapacity to see their club's inevitable demise. You see, they didn't have adequate training to fulfill their executive roles, suffered from lack of initiative required to read the manuals, and lacked the knowledge that they could reach out to the district for assistance.

This cautionary tale reminds us not to be complacent with our club's direction and encourages us to keep seeking new and interesting ways to bring in new members, and to balance persistence and change.

The dramatic scene in the courtroom

After the Toasties trial, I was enlightened with a speech on preparing for the impending zombie attack! Ryan Gallagher instructed us all on the different types of zombies, how they came into existence, and the best methods to avoid (or dispose of) them. Interestingly, this provided a good context for discussion of disaster preparedness without the negative thoughts the subject typically provokes.

In fact, the CDC recently used this subject to garner interest in preparation for dealing with the viral category of zombies. Ryan provided everything we needed to be informed. And fortunately for us, the zombies were afraid of the inclement weather that night, so we were spared from the need for Ryan to give a demonstration.

Bill Erwin

Preparation leads to confidence

Steven Thorn

Preparation is a key factor in becoming a good public speaker. Preparation leads to confidence.

In 2009, I competed in the International Speech Competition, winning the Club, Area, and Division rounds before finishing Second at the District level.

To prepare for the International Speech Competition, I wrote out my speech on the computer and continually revised it.

I chose every single word in my speech to make the sentences smooth, understandable, and pleasing to the ear.

Listening to good speakers and observing how they organize their thoughts can help you organize your own thoughts.
Reading quality books, magazines, and newspapers can also give you a model for writing your speeches.

For those of you who hated English class AND hate public speaking, don't give up. All of you who enjoy math, take heart. We're not going to do math right now, but I am going to provide you with a formula:

1) Introduction: Tell the audience what you're going to tell them.
2) Body: Tell them.
3) Conclusion: Tell them what you told them.

This is a classic organizational strategy, like the traditional five paragraph essay from English class.
Typically, your speech (or essay) has a theme, and you support or explain the theme in three main points.
Talk about the theme and the three points in the introduction, flesh out the three points in the body, and recap the three points and how they support the theme in the conclusion.

After you write your speech, you need to practice it. While preparing for the International Speech Competition, I practiced my speech every day in front of the mirror until I was sick of it.
When I didn’t want to practice it anymore, I practiced it one more time.

Give your speech to yourself in front of a mirror to watch your eye contact and gestures. Being in front of a mirror should help you to act naturally. It may reveal distracting habits that you have, like jangling loose change in your pockets or wringing your hands.

If you can, record your speech and listen to (or watch) the recording. This will help you to enunciate correctly and talk at a natural pace.
You must practice your speech out loud before you give it, because the spoken word sounds different than the written word. Some things just don't make sense when you say them out loud. You want to identify the rough spots in your speech before you give it.

I prepared for my speech: wrote, revised, practiced, recorded and listened, watched myself in the mirror — and then I finally gave the speech in the competition.

Did all of that preparation give me confidence when I stepped onto that stage, in front of all those people, to deliver my speech?

Yes, it was SHOW TIME for Steven Thorn!

I wasn't worried about the competition or the judges. Win or lose, I was going to do my best.
I was ready.

While you may never feel the same excitement about "show time," preparation will give you confidence.

Don't focus on your nerves or the urge to throw up. Focus on the fact that you have a message to deliver and you're ready to do it. Let that preparation give you the strength and confidence to do whatever public speaking you have to do.

Preparation leads to confidence.

Plan your speech.

Practice your speech.

Become a confident speaker.

Steven Thorn

May 31: Teresa debuts as Toastmaster

This was an exceptional meeting! The theme was "It Takes Fierce Will to Get Ahead in this World." Our famous Sergeant at Arms, Gary Chiu, in his easygoing style, addressed the challenge of working around (pun intended!) the surprise of finding round tables in our meeting room. He also wore two hats and smoothly transitioned to General Evaluator. 

 

Speakers for the evening were: Bill Erwin, "Bleeding Edge"; Steven Thorn, "Dating"; Holly Trinh, "Health Benefits of Honey" and Linda Coleman, "Meeting Roles & Responsibilities."

 

Tuesday night was my first opportunity as Toastmaster and let me say what a pleasure it was to work with all of you. Special thanks to those who responded to my emails and either confirmed or volunteered in a timely manner. Because of your professionalism and dedication to developing leadership skills and personal growth, the meeting was a great success. Our four visitors were very impressed with the supportive and positive learning environment we have. 

 

Thanks for a great experience.

 

Teresa Wilburn, CC 

Hats off to the Spring Conference!

Teresa and LaShawn in their hats!

This past weekend, several Afterburners members attended the District 25 Conference “The Road to Success.” On Friday night, Sergeant at Arms Gary Chiu proudly carried in both of our club banners during the Banner Parade. Toastmasters International President-Elect Michael Notaro presented us with a ribbon for accomplishing our Dream BIG commitment of President’s Distinguished.

The hat ladies — Pat, Teresa and Linda

Our very own Brenda Daniels was the Friday night Chair and Toastmaster. She opened the weekend’s festivities with “Toastmasters Start Your Engines” which was taken from the NASCAR-themed decorations. The “HATtitude” contest was so much fun, with ladies and gentlemen donning all different types of hats. Linda Coleman, Teresa Wilburn, LaShawn Carter, Gary Chiu and Pat Quick all got into the spirit by wearing some great hats; some fashionable and some downright funny.

Gary interviews LaShawn

The Table Topics contest, presided over by the busy Gary Chiu, was kicked up a notch when Afterburners member LaShawn Carter competed on the district stage. She did a fantastic job and made every member present proud at how poised she was and how articulately she spoke.

District 25's Outstanding Club Officers

On Saturday during the Awards Luncheon, our website, afterburners.us, was chosen as the Best Club Website, Jodie Sanders was named the Outstanding Vice President Public Relations and Gary Chiu was named Outstanding Sergeant-at-Arms. Everyone at Afterburners knows that Jodie and Gary are outstanding, but now so does everyone else. Congratulations, Jodie and Gary!

George and Pat

After hearing the incredible speeches given during the International Speech Contest, it was time to dress in our best for the Saturday night Installation of Officers and DTM Ceremony. Cheers were shouted as George Arndt escorted Division A Governor Pat Quick in the Dignitary Parade and all members in attendance were all smiles as Setma Maddox received her DTM and Brenda Daniels received DTM number two.

Pat, Gary, Brenda and Setma

You would think that we would be just exhausted after all that fun, but we still had strength to make it to the Hospitality Suite hosted by Rose Timmons and Linda Coleman. They put out a spread of food that would make any restaurant jealous. I heard people talking about the delicious fare and the warm welcome they received from Linda and Rose. Kudos to both!

Steven and Rose

Also, a big “you done great” to Steven Timmons who assisted with Registration and did all the badges and tickets, behind-the-scenes work that was essential to a smooth member experience.

If you missed this year’s conference, you can make the next one. Mark your calendars for November 18-19, Fall Conference, “Let it Shine.” I’m already making plans to attend and I hope you will join me.

Pat Quick

See more pictures of Conference attendees and the DTM ceremony.

May 16: Thinking on our feet

We had a Table Topics Night — it was more unusual and challenging than any other normal meeting night we have had. You were missed if you weren’t there. It was a spectacular, educational, fun night! The theme was "Fly by the Seat of Your Pants."

The Toastmaster was Ryan Gallagher. There were two teams, one named X and the other one named O. Each team member was provided a topic and each member of the team did "rock paper scissors" to determine who got to go first. Each member of a team spoke either pro or con about the topic given by the toastmaster.

The Toastmaster provided topics such as: Donald Trump, is his hair the real deal? Is Texas the best state? Does money buy your happiness? Everyone shared their opinion and experiences and "thought on their feet."

It was an awesome night! Everyone spoke well and we learned a great deal on different topics.

Holly Trinh

Dream Big — by the numbers

The numbers are in and they have been crunched. I would like to share a few facts with you.

Afterburners had 41 commitments, more than twice as many as any other club in District 25, in all areas with the exception of High Performance Leadership (HPL) projects. This was 8.5% of the 483 member commitments made across the entire district.

Our 25 completions, again more than any other club, comprised 12.14% of the 206 completions made across the district. We stacked up an impressive 61% completion rate against the district's 43% completion rate. Our club outperformed District 25 by an 18% margin. This speaks to the commitment of our club members to meet the challenge and succeed.

I would like to thank each of our members who participated in the Dream Big Challenge:
George Arndt, John Bacon, Tammy Bailey, Ron Baker, Tom Brents, Gary Chiu, Brenda Daniels, Linda Coleman, Ryan Gallagher, Saraí Garcia, Greg Geis, Mike Kelly, Joyce King, Rodney King, Setma Maddox, Pat Quick, Jodie Sanders, Antoinette Silas, Phillip Silas, Dámaris Thorn, David Thorn, Rosita Timmons, Steven Timmons, Teresa Wilburn. Every one of you made a difference.

I would especially like to recognize Jodie Sanders and Ryan Gallagher for all of their hard work keeping track of the completions and the website reporting.

Steven Timmons, CC, CL
Chairman of the Club Dream Big
Public Relations Campaign

Incoming Officers Elected

Last night's business meeting resulted in the election of officers for the 2011-2012 Toastmasters year. Please welcome the following Afterburners to their new positions:

President: Linda Coleman, CC/CL

VP Education: Steven Timmons, CC/CL

VP Membership: Rose Timmons, CC

VP Public Relations: LaShawn Carter, TM

Secretary: Dawn Mercer, TM

Treasurer: Antoinette Silas, TM

Sergeant at Arms: Phillip Silas, TM

Holding an office in Toastmasters is an awesome responsibility. In a rocking club like Afterburners, it's an even bigger deal because we expect much more than the average club. Pledge your support to these officers, and do all you can to help them succeed. After all, they're working for YOU!

Ryan is the star of the show!

Caitlyn and Ryan

He did it! He did it! Ryan Gallagher completed his Dream Big challenge Friday evening at his parents’ home. It was really befitting for such a large feat Ryan was questing to accomplish. He actually gave two back-to-back speeches in one setting. That completed his 10 speeches. Simply amazing!

When Ryan greeted his fellow Toastmasters at the door, he seemed a little nervous. You know, the icebreaker kind of nervousness. In my opinion, anyone giving two speeches in one night should be nervous.

In attendance were myself (Antoinette), Phillip Silas, Steven and Rose Timmons, Jodie Sanders, Gary Chui, Teresa Wilburn and Joyce King. Ryan’s sister Caitlyn was a guest; we all thought she was his girlfriend and she assured us that she wasn’t. 

Timing equipment

Steven called the meeting to order. Jodie wore many hats: toastmaster, table topicsmaster and general evaluator. Rose was timer and improvised with a cell phone for the stopwatch and 2 books (green and yellow) and a red DVD case for the lights. Gary and Phillip were evaluators.

Phillip and Gary did some GREAT evaluations!

Ryan’s first speech was titled "A Matter of Survival." He talked about zombies. I am not into the scary things but everyone else got a kick out of it judging by the robust laughter. Gary’s evaluation of the speech was excellent. He chuckled and laughed through the whole evaluation.

Before the second speech, Ryan provided us with pizza and cheap & nasty beer (Ryan’s words). Then Jodie hit us with great table topics.

Ryan’s second speech "The Dullest Speech You've Ever Heard" was just that, dull. Phillip assured Ryan that he achieved the mission of the title. Ryan talked about paint, and the intricacies of its makeup. Yes, it was very dull, but wonderfully delivered. He proved from this speech that you can give a speech on anything.

What a wonderful unofficial/official meeting. It was a priceless evening. Good job Ryan! Congratulations on achieving your Dream Big commitment!

Antoinette Silas

Our day in court is coming!

Hear ye! Hear ye! On Tuesday, May 24, Afterburners Club 6191 will host The REAL Trial of the Century!

The Terrible Toasties, Club 9999 is lax, inefficient, and everything a Toastmasters club simply should not be. On this evening, the Terrible Toasties will answer District 25's suit against them for damages they are causing to the reputation of the good Toastmasters of District 25. The Honorable Judge Maurice Taitt, DTM will preside. Court will be called to session promptly at 7 pm.

This promises to be an educational and entertaining evening. Naturally, there will be the world-famous Afterburners food. More to come on this exciting and unusual event!

May 10th: It was a BIG night for Dream Big

Saraí Garcia, Rose Timmons and Teresa Wilburn show off their new badges!
Distinguished Toastmasters Tom Brents and Pat Quick also finished CCs.

By whatever the preferred nomenclature, the May 10th Speak-a-thon, Speechapalooza, or Speechfest 2011 saw the completion of five Afterburners Dream Big commitments (!) and one Dream Big commitment by our guest, Area 12 Governor Jacqulyn Hudgins.

The largest percentage of our speeches this evening were "inspirational" in nature — which translates to "long" (8-10 minutes each) for all you non-members reading this. Fortunately in this case long never equaled boring, and the messages given by each were varied enough to retain interest throughout the meeting.

LaShawn Carter kicked off the meeting by introducing the audience to her new best friend, Netflix (you have great taste in friends, LaShawn), while DTM Tom Brents took us along with him back in time to his days of travel to Taiwan.

I blathered on for close to 8 minutes about my Book of Success and my Book of Failure, and was followed by Saraí Garcia who told us all why she wanted to be a Saint. Something to work toward now that you're done with your CC, Saraí!

Rose Timmons then spoke about the importance of spending quality time with family. Rose took home the honor of Best Speaker for the evening. Congratulations!

Some of our Dream Big peeps!

Teresa Wilburn delivered a truly excellent speech about the importance of touch, reaching out to those close to you physically, and personalizing contact. I was lucky enough to get a big ol' hug from her in front of everyone. There was even a leg lift. Yeah, buddy!

She then provided everyone with both cards and stamped envelopes and told us to write a thank you note to someone important in our lives. No excuses for not getting these things in the mail, Afterburners! My address is...

Pat Quick told us all about the footprints in her funky room back when she was a teenager in the 70s. Oddly enough she told us that she is currently 29. Still trying to figure out that math, Pat. Must be that new math or something.

Finally, Jacqulyn Hudgins hyped us up about getting involved in some sort of cause to further the human condition. The noble cause she is personally championing is ending cancer. We're all behind you there, Jacqulyn.

All in all, great meeting folks. Thanks for stepping up into the role of Toastmaster, Steven Timmons, and thanks as well to all those other people who fulfilled the various opportunities. The meeting couldn't have run as smoothly as it did without y'all.

See y'all next week. And if anyone wants to behold my two speeches I'm giving Friday to fulfill my Dream Big Commitment, shoot me an email. If not, I don't blame you.

Ryan Gallagher