Please join us for our 19th Annual Awards Gala this Thursday, February 28

Seven philanthropists and twenty young global leaders will be honored

Friends – This Thursday, February 28, 2019, the J. Luce Foundation, in conjunction with its sister charities Orphans International Worldwide and its New York Global Leaders Lions Club, will host our 19th Annual Leadership Awards Gala at The Princeton Club NYC, 6:30pm.   I would be delighted to have you join us! Seats in advance are $220 each, first come-first served at http://tinyurl.com/k7qa4wj.  If you are unable to attend, please consider contributing a ticket for one of our Young Global Leaders.  We look forward to having you. For our list to remain compliant with MailChimp's policies, we need you to verify your subscription settings and expressly let us know you want to receive our emails. If you take no action, your address will be removed from our list and you won't receive email from us again. To remain on our list, please confirm your subscription: Confirm Subscription © 2019 The James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation You have expressed interest in The J. Luce Foundation and/or one of our projects including Orphans International Worldwide, The Stewardship Report, Uni Haiti, etc. The James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation 540 Main St. #418 New York, N.Y. 10044-0116 USA Unsubscribe

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Fw: Congratulations and Thank You!

Ditto Joanne's message.  Wonderful, wonderful party .. thanks to all that planned and put it together.  and thanks to all for the wonderful diverse food choices and all the homemade special dishes.  doris

----- Original Message -----

From: Joanne Eichel

To: Burk, Jill ; Dr. Doris Chernik ; Deborah Drucker ; CAROL TANJUTCO ; marleneflom@yahoo.com ; Woody Deas

Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 8:41 AM

Subject: RE: Congratulations and Thank You!

Agreed!  Thank you everyone for your efforts and especially Carol for your leadership.  It was a lovely showcase of our club and it was fun!

 

From: Burk, Jill [mailto:BURKJIL@coned.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 7:22 AM
To: Dr. Doris Chernik; Deborah Drucker; CAROL TANJUTCO; Joanne Eichel; marleneflom@yahoo.com; Woody Deas
Subject: Congratulations and Thank You!

 

Thanks to everybody who made last evening's event so successful!! What a feast we put together last night!! We had everything from home made borscht to home made fruitcake, and all of it was delicious! I think we recruited at least 2 new members, and Dona strongly suggested that she will be back in the club. It was fun and productive. You can't get better than that!!

New Website for Roosevelt Island Toastmasters

Please visit our current website. This blog is no longer being updated. Thank you!

Winter Party

On January 26th, Roosevelt Island Toastmasters gathered at Ion's Corner Cafe at Vernon Blvd and 36th Avenue. We meet twice a month for our regular meetings, and twice a year we gather for a dinner party. This was our winter party. It was a very pleasant evening, with lots of catching up, since many of the guests were old friends and some were former-members of our club. Arlene served as the Toastmaster for the evening, graciously hosting and guiding us through a fun exercise. Since we had decided on a "Global" theme, each of our tables took a continent (Europe, Africa, Asia, The Americas) and prepared a short presentation in which every person participated. The presentations were delightful, funny, and lively! There was singing, trivia, and story-telling. The dinner and dessert were lovely too, and I especially enjoyed the polenta with sour cream and the fried-donut with yogurt for dessert.

Our next meeting is Monday, February 9th, at 8pm in the Rivercross Community Room. There will be 3 prepared speeches--based on the assignments in the Toastmasters International Competent Communicator Manual. Each speaker will present a speech that utilizes a skill in public-speaking, such as "Organize Your Speech" or "Get Comfortable with Visual Aides." The speech topics get very interesting, because we have a very diverse club. I've heard speeches about Azerbaijan and Fiji, as well as first aid for babies and many other topics. I always learn something new because our members give unique presentations based on their own interests. I have my own business, Atlantico Books, which imports books from Brazil and Portugal for consumers in the USA. Toastmasters has helped me to improve my communication skills and gain confidence when I speak with vendors and clients। If you are curious about what Toastmasters can do for you, please come and visit! I hope to see you soon.

--Posted by Elena Como, Member of Roosevelt Island Toastmasters since 2006

Fellow Toastmasters, I imagine you're all excit...

Fellow Toastmasters,

I imagine you're all excited about this year's semi-annual dinner. It will be hosted at Ion's Corner Cafe at 6:30 this coming Monday, January 26, 2009. Arlene Stock has agreed to serve as Toastmaster. Reviews posted on the Web are favorable, the food is flavorful country fare and Romanian specialty dishes, and the social ambience is intimate but charming. Looking forward to seeing you.

Woody

Meeting Minutes for October 27, 2008

Welcome Roosevelt Island Toastmasters,

The meeting of October 27, 2008 was called to order at 8:05 PM by Club
President Deborah Drucker, who also officiated as the Toastmaster for the
evening. Table Topics Master was Elena, and Janet served as General
Evaluator. As Word Master, Bella challenged everyone to use the word
"alacrity" in our comments and speeches during the meeting. Sue volunteered
to serve as Ah Counter, and Jill acted as official Timer for the evening.
Malcolm, the Club Sergeant at Arms, is currently out of town, but Doris and
Anna prepared the Rivercross Community Room meeting space to host the
meeting, with Arlene present to assist as well.

The Table Topics session was centered around the general theme of Halloween,
and the mix of Table Topics speakers from different parts of the world
informed the audience that this Fall "trick or treat" tradition in the
United States is not universally celebrated in all of the world's cultures.
Arlene, Sue, a guest from Israel, Anna, Mukhles, Jill, Doris, and Annie
participated. Two scheduled speeches, an Ice Breaker by Naomi, and Speech #6
(Vocal variety) by Dona, completed the core activities of the meeting. They
were evaluated respectively by Deborah and myself (Woody), followed by a
general evaluation ably completed by Janet. After a brief business meeting,
the meeting was adjourned at 9:30 PM.

Submitted Respectfully,

Woody Deas, Secretary

Evaluation Contest March 24th!

Come to Roosevelt Island Toastmasters' Evaluation Contest! We'll listen to a speech and take turns evaluating it! The best evaluator will represent RITM at the Area Contest (March 25th) and maybe even the Division Contest (April 7th).

"Evaluations are the life blood of Toastmasters meetings; they are what keep members coming back for more. New speakers depend on them for information, help and development. Long standing-speakers need them to prevent the onset of mental rust or complacency. The evaluation process separates Toastmasters International from any other organization offering public speaking coaching.

By definition, an evaluation is “the act of considering or examining something in order to judge its value, quality, importance or condition.” It is the job of an evaluator to find value in the speech, to examine the quality of its delivery, to consider its importance to the occasion and the audience, and to reflect upon its condition as part of the speaker’s development progression. Evaluators must also add some value by offering help, support and guidance to the speaker."

Come out and support our contestants on Monday, March 24th at 8pm!

[quoted from David Hobson, DTM, is a member of Abbotsford Sun-down Toastmasters Club 965 in British Columbia, Canada. www.hobbitcommunications.com.]

New Website for RITM!

Please use the link to visit our new website!

http://rooseveltisland.freetoasthost.ws/

Thank you!

Roosevelt Island Toastmasters Table Topics Contest

We hosted the Table Topics Contest last fall! (2007)

Here we are celebrating Malcom's victory on an (earlier) Table Topics Contest (2007):

Meeting Minutes for December 10, 2007

Fellow Toastmasters,

The meeting of December 10, 2007 was called to order at 8:00 P.M. by Club
President Anna D, who also served as Toastmaster for the meeting at part of
Advanced Competent Leadership Project #8. Rena was Table Topics Master, and
Jim was General Evaluator. After a brief overview of the rules, Anna invited
Joanne, the Word Master, to the podium. Joanne challenged us to use the word
"quixotic," which she defined as being idealistic but not realistic,
recalling the origin of the adjective from the fictional character and
novel, Don Quixote of La Mancha, written by Spanish author Miguel de
Cervantes Saavedra. Rena lead the Table Topics session around the general
theme of "the magic and mystery of Christmas," and called on Joanne, who was
voted Best Table Topics Speaker. Jim, Sue, Elena, and Arlene, responded to
Rena's questions as well, and it is often tough to select the "best" on a
particular occasion. After Table Topics, Jim did a general evaluation of the
progress of the meeting, and introduced a special guest, Matthew Katz of
RIRA, who gave a brief presentation later in the meeting. The first
scheduled speaker was Linda, who presented Speech #2 (Organize Your Speech)
titled: "The Beginning With The End In Mind." After a strong opening, Linda
provided really interesting content about the impact of the tsunami in the
Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004. It killed tens of thousands of people and
left millions more homeless. She gave us a brief overview of the role of
the NGOs (non-government organizations that included Orphans International)
that stepped in to provide life-saving relief and services to the people
affected by the disaster. Elena did her evaluation. Don was Speaker #2. He
completed Speech #6 (Vocal Variety) titled: "A Story About My Uncle," which,
essentially, was a story about a family member and his own experience
dealing with an international banking scam. Sue was his evaluator, and Don
was voted Best Speaker. Speaker #3 was Branko, who presented Speech Project
#10, titled: "Be Proactive." I (Woody) was his evaluator, and was voted Best
Evaluator on this occasion. Anna's work on the Advanced CL Project #8 was
evaluated by Arlene. AfterJim's general evaluation, and reports from the
Timer (Malcolm) and the Ah counter (me), and a business meeting that
included discussion and voting on the type of semi-annual dinner we will
have in January, the meeting was adjourned at 9:55 P.M. Due to the Christmas
holiday, Roosevelt Island Toastmasters will not meet on Monday, December 24,
2007. However, a regular club meeting is scheduled for January 14, 2008, and
the semi-annual dinner meeting is set for January 28, 2008. Location and the
other specifics will follow.

Submitted Respectfully,

Woody Deas, Secretary

Revised Meeting Location for Dec 10, 2007

Doris has informed me that The Roosevelt Island Toastmasters Club will
meet on December 10, 2007 at 8:00 P.M. Westview Community Room.

Woody

Meeting Minutes for November 26, 2007

Greetings Fellow Toastmasters,

The meeting of November 26 was called to order at 8:00 P.M. by Club
President Anna D. with Malcolm C. presiding as Toastmaster, Sue B. as Word
Master, Joanne E. as Table Topics Master, and Arlene S. as General
Evaluator. We were also honored with a visit from Area 57 Governor, Kilrak
Chung, who presented Doris C. with a CL Manual, and volunteered to serve as
Timer for our meeting. Joanne prepared an interesting mix of challenging
questions for Table Topics, starting with a question concerning smoking and
health that I (Woody) replied to. Doris was next up, with a reply to a
question about the impact of technology and if it makes our lives better or
worse. Jim was in excellent form with his reply to a question about
unpleasant noise in New York City, and Arlene spoke about counting calories
and the new challenge this factor presents to the best chefs. Sue praised
Jim for being "Mr. Can Do" in her reply to the question posed to her. I
think all of us would agree that Jim has been an outstanding leader on many
occasions, but especially the last few days when, on short notice, he
coordinated getting a meeting space in Building 546, and then did the setup
himself. Anna (a guest) commented on developing healthful habits and the
fact that doing so could add years to your life, and Don offered his take on
New York City as a healthy place to live.

After the voting for Best Table Topics Speaker, which Arlene won, Rena took
the podium as the first scheduled speaker. She completed Speech Project #6
(Vocal Variety). Her stellar presentation was full of fascinating content
related to the devastating impact a tropical cyclone can have on a community
and the lives of the people affected. She explained the different names for
the same weather event (hurricane, typhoon) in different regions of the
planet, and referred to the current debate concerning global warming and
climate change as she addressed the question of what can be done better. She
was evaluated by Doris. Kim spoke last, completing Speech Project #4 (How To
Say It) with a speech titled: "Home Renovation and the Four Agreements."
Besides great organization, the content was interesting and her expressive
gestures and vocal variety held the attention of the audience throughout.
She was voted Best Speaker, and Don's superb evaluation took Best Evaluator
honors. Anna D. presented a speech titled: " What is Leadership and How To
Get It." Her assignment was from the Advanced Communication Leadership
Series, Speaking To Inform, Speech Project #5. I (Woody) was her evaluator.
The project consisted of (1) The Advanced Concept, and (2) Planning and
Implementation. After briefly describing the concept of leadership, Anna
drew from the ideas of world-class authors and experts, including a
reference to Tolstoy's masterpiece, "War and Peace," and a paraphrase from
Dwight D. Eisenhower on the subject that earned a chuckle: "Leadership is
getting people to do what you want them to do when they want to do it."

After a few comments from Area 57 Governor Kilrak Chung, and a brief
business meeting and officers report, the meeting was adjourned at around
9:40 P.M.. Unless this notice is revised, the
next regular meeting is scheduled for December 10, 2007 at 8:00 P.M.
Building 546 Main Street, 12th Floor Meeting Room near the elevator.

Submitted Respectfully,
Woody Deas, Secretary

Meeting Minutes for November 12, 2007

Fellow Toastmasters,

Club President Anna D. called the meeting of November 12, 2007 to order at
8:00 P.M. with Elena presiding as Toastmaster, and Linda as Word Master.
Branko volunteered to be Timer. Linda selected the word "integrity" as the
Word for the Day, and provided us with the definition and usage examples.
After a summary of Toastmaster procedures and the rules, Elena turned the
meeting over to Anna D., who, as part of her work in the Leadership Series
Advanced Project #7 (Developing Facilitation Skills), took on dual roles as
Table Topics Master and General Evaluator. After a few remarks about the
Toastmasters Conference she attended this past weekend, Anna opened the
Table Topics session with a question about miracles that Linda responded to.
Sue spoke next about shopping as an adventure, Anna (a guest) spoke
eloquently about love, forgiveness, and noted that compassion involves much
more than love. Rena commented on a recent challenge (The New York City
Marathon she completed in 3hrs 57min) and a new challenge; Diana spoke about
a letter from a teacher; Melissa commented about work as a therapist, and
Elena talked about the book business and a recent challenge.

Three scheduled speakers were on the agenda with Joanna speaking first. She
completed her Icebreaker ("Second Generation"), a speech rich with metaphors
and presented with such passion and quality that she won Best Speaker
honors. Melissa did her evaluation. Branko completed Speech Project #9
(Persuade With Power), an interesting speech with contemporary relevance
titled: "Is It Possible To Change The Environmentalists Litany?" Rena was
his evaluator. I presented my first speech in the Advanced Communication
Series, Storytelling Project #1 (The Folk Tale)."Stone Soup" was the title.
It is a centuries-old folk tale that exists in many versions, but I selected
a version related to me through an article written by the award-winning
author, Barbara Kingsolver. Folk singer, Pete Seeger, based his album "Some
Friends To Feed: Story of Stone Soup" on the same tale. Sue was my
evaluator. After an officers report, the meeting was adjourned for a bit of
after-the-meeting socializing and refreshments.
The next regular meeting is scheduled for November 26, 2007 8:00 P.M.
Westview Community Room.

Meeting Minutes for October 22, 2007

Greetings Fellow Toastmasters,

The meeting of October 22, 2007 was called to order at 8:00 P.M. by Club
President Anna D. with Marlene Flom presiding as Toastmaster and Joanne E.
as Word Master. She chose the word "disingenuous" as the Word for the Day.
As part of her work in the Advanced Series, Anna D. also served as both
Table Topics Master and General Evaluator. Malcolm agreed to serve as Ah
Counter, and Branko served as Timer. Jim, Arlene, Grace, Michelle, Joanne,
Joe, and Doris all responded to a variety of questions posed during the
Table Topics session, and all speakers completed the task within
Toastmasters International recommended time guidelines. All of the
participants were good, but Arlene's quote from an Ogden Nash poem - "God in
his wisdom made the fly, and then forgot to tell us why - was especially
memorable. Joe spoke of vicarious experience and of living on Mars 100
years from now, and Doris spoke eloquently, using the word for the day in
the process. When the ballots were counted, however, Michelle walked away
with Best Table Topics Speaker honors. The quality of her comments about a
chair, her great presence, and her vocal variety won audience favor. The
four guests present - Maria, Dana, Judy, and Diana - participated in the
voting, and they were also invited to introduce themselves. Elena was the
first scheduled speaker on the agenda. She completed "Shaky Memory" - Speech
Project #5 (Your Body Speaks). Good vocal variety and expressive body
language made her commentary about the Loma Prieta Earthquake in California
very interesting indeed. Kim was her evaluator. Don spoke next and completed
Speech Project #7 (Research Your Topic). The topic: "War Between China and
Vietnam," allowed him to use Google Map features and other visual aids in
his very effective presentation. Arlene was his evaluator. Linda completed
her Icebreaker, "Grandmother at 62." I was impressed by how well she
connected with the audience with good body language, warm eye contact, and
excellent vocal variety. Malcolm and Doris both spoke as Evaluators of her
presentation. Melissa completed Speech Project #5 (Your Body Speaks)
titled:"Useful Tips From An Expert." As her evaluator, I was most impressed
by her strong opening and closing statements, her overall expressiveness,
her purposeful and animated body language, and her strategic use of humor in
a very well organized presentation about the care of an infant, where she
outlined and explained five techniques. When the ballots were counted, Linda
was voted Best Speaker, and Woody (me) was voted Best Evaluator for the
evening. After a brief business session led by Kim, the meeting was
adjourned shortly before 10:00 P.M.
The next regular meeting is November 12, 2007 8:00 P.M. Westview Community
Room

Meeting Minutes for October 8, 2007

Greetings Roosevelt Island Toastmasters,

The meeting of October 8, 2007 was called to order at 8:00 P.M. by Club
President Anna D., with
Sue presiding as Toastmaster. Jill was Table Topics Master, and Malcolm was
General Evaluator. As Word Master, Luigi challenged us to use the word - ad
maiora - in our presentations. He explained that it meant - to greater
things- when he introduced us to the term, but most of us were not familiar
with it, and only three people actually used it. Upon returning home, my
first year Latin text book wasn't much help, but with a little internet
research, I discovered that "ad" is a preposition that means - to or towards
- in English. In Latin, maiora is an adjective (or noun depending on usage)
that means - greater. One usage example is the Latin motto: A magnis ad
maiora, which can be translated as - from great things to greater. An entry
in Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary is the Jesuit motto: ad majorem
Dei gloriam - to the greater glory of God. Luigi's word choice was a great
learning experience, which is the goal of the Word Master.

Jill started the Table Topics session with a question for Elena to justify
her million dollar CEO salary when her company has just experienced at $100
million loss. A variety of equally challenging questions followed, with
Doris, Rena, John, Lucille (a guest), Marlene, Luigi, Woody (me), Malcolm,
Anna D., and Sue rising to the occasion. All 10 Table Topics speakers spoke
within the Toastmasters 2-minute time guidelines. Jill cleaverly summed up
the session before returning control of the meeting to the Toastmaster.

The first scheduled speaker, Don Guan, completed Speech Project #8, Get
Comfortable With Visual Aids. He demonstrated his knowledge of the subject
and his computer skills to an eager audience gathered around a table as he
employed a laptop and explained aspects of the applications software he was
using and 6 Sigma, the title of his speech. Elena was his evaluator, and I
think most of the audience would agree that is was a dramatic and
well-organized presentation. Speaker #2 was Anna D. who completed Advanced
Project #3 (Speaking to Inform) titled, Suggestions for Overcoming
Nervousness in Public Speaking. Janet was her evaluator. Malcolm did the
general evaluation, and pointed out the highs and lows of the meeting. After
evaluating the evaluators, and acknowledging the guests in attendance -
John, Jenny, and Lucille, control of the meeting was returned to the
Toastmaster. After a brief business session, the meeting was adjourned at
9:30 P.M.

The next regular meeting is October 22, 2007 8:00 P.M. at Westview Community
Room.

The Green Market Membership Recruitment Drive is Saturday, October 20,
starting at 9:00 A.M.

Submitted Respectfully,

Woody Deas, Secretary

Meeting Minutes for Sept. 24, 2007

Greetings Fellow Toastmasters,

This second meeting since the summer recess was a special meeting planned as
preparation for the upcoming Area Table Topics and Humorous Speech Contest,
so there were no planned speeches on the agenda, and the Table Topics
session featured two Table Topics Masters, Anna F. and Kim, who read
questions selected from a special deck of Toastmasters Table Topics cards.
Each person attending the meeting (except those guests who declined) was
given a number as they entered the room, and a duplicate of each number was
put into a grab bag. Doris, who served as Toastmaster for the evening,
outlined the format of the activities planned and explained the special
rules for the meeting, and then turned the meeting over to Anna F., who read
a question and selected a random number from the grab bag. The person
holding the matching number was then invited to reply to the question that
had just been read.

Elena was the first Table Topics speaker, followed by Malcolm, Kim, Woody
(me), Anna F. (she pulled her own number), and Doris. The six questions the
contestants were asked are summarized briefly as follows: What advice would
you offer to newly weds; What will be the next big fad; If you could make
and new law or eliminate an existing law, what would it be; What activity
would you choose to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records; What
part of the newspaper do you read first; and what is your favorite hobby.
Kim followed the same format as Anna F. and picked a sequence of six numbers
and called on Lucille (a guest), Anna D, John (another guest), Joanna (a
third guest), Arlene, and Sue. The questions she asked are summarized
briefly as follows: What great mystery would you solve, and why; Name
something you can accomplish in 10 seconds; What's the best birthday
celebration you've ever had; If you could start your own business, what
would it be; If you were to choose a national dish, what would it be; and
what is your most unusual fear.

All of the contestants responded satisfactorily to the questions they were
asked to reply to, and the three guests who were called on were good sports
and participated fully. This is the first meeting in recent memory that a
Table Topics Master used questions from a prepared Toastmasters
International product, and they were very challenging questions indeed.
Malcolm was timer and reported that all the contestants finished their
presentations within established time rules. Jill served as General
Evaluator and provided feedback on all aspects of the meeting while Arlene
and Anna D. counted the ballots. Doris held a brief business session and
formally welcomed the guests in the audience and invited them to briefly
introduce themselves, before moving on to announce the Table Topics winners.
Kim took first place, Elena was second, and Anna F. and Woody (me) tied for
third. So Kim will represent our club at the Area contest on Friday,
September 28, 2007. The Roosevelt Island Toastmasters Club is hosting the
Area Contest at the Rivercross Community Room. Activities are scheduled to
begin with a reception at 6:00 P.M. A big thank you goes out to Anna D., our
current President, for excellent planning and leadership these past few
weeks.

Submitted Respectfully,
Woody Deas, Secretary

Meeting Minutes for September 10, 2007

Greetings Fellow Toastmasters,

Doris called the meeting of September 10, 2007 to order at 8:00 P.M. after a
period of setup, welcoming, refreshments, and socializing that began an hour
earlier. Jim, a former club president, served as Toastmaster for the
evening, Marlene served as Table Topics Master, Jill served as General
Evaluator, and Anna F. served as Word Master, challenging all of us to use
the word - proclivity - in our presentations. "An inclination or
predisposition toward something, especially a strong inherent inclination
toward something objectional" – is how Merriam Webster defines the noun, and
Anna shared that definition with us, including the date of origin of the
word in 1591.

Marlene posed a variety of questions to the ten participants in the Table
Topics session. Doris was asked: "What's the best thing about your position
in your family" She is a middle sister. Branko was asked: "Who is the
smartest person you know? Jim told us about something he would like to learn
how to do, and Ada, a guest, shared her thoughts about how it feels when she
hears an unfamiliar noise in the night. Her reply in part, - scared, like
doing public speaking. Jill replied to a question about who she would choose
to trade places with, Anna F. commented on learning another language, and
Yilong, a guest and native of China, commented about her preference for
using email rather than regular mail to communicate with friends and family
back home. Janet spoke about a high school mentoring program, and John, a
guest who was asked a question about music, replied in personable terms
about his listening experiences and preferences. He, and several other
responders spoke admirably, but another guest, Linda, who accepted the
challenge to speak about her favorite place to be alone, took Best Table
Topics Speaker honors for the evening. The high point of the session came at
the very end when Marlene, in her poetic closing comments and parting
gestures, said to the audience: "You, and you, and you, were my theme."

The first scheduled speaker on the agenda was Elena, who presented a very
interesting Speech Project #4 (How To Say It) titled: "Disaster at Pompeii"
She opened her presentation with a provocative quote by a German poet about
the perplexing thought of being joyful and mournful at the same time. Her
talk was engaging, full of historical detail, appropriately paced, and she
maintained good eye contact with an audience that was seated in two
different sections of the RIVAA meeting space. She employed visual aids with
appropriate hand gestures, along with great vocal variety. Rena was Speaker
#2 with Speech Project #5 (Your Body Speaks): "My Journey To The Marathon."
Her opening remarks referred to November 4th as a special day for those who
participated in the New York City Marathon, a subject many of us in the
audience could certainly relate to. We were hooked, and she didn't
disappoint us. She provided us with good historical detail about the event,
noted that she trained for 4 months to prepare for the run, and she pointed
out that of the 98,000 people who applied, only 38,000 started the race. Not
only do we admire her competitive spirit, we were mesmerized by her
wonderful presentation. As Speaker #3, Branko completed Speech Project #8
(Getting Comfortable With Visual Aids) titled: "Why I Chose Toastmasters."
Speaking from the heart with strong organizational and presentation skills,
Branko introduced his topic. He got our attention and maintained our
interest by using prepared sheets with details relevant to what he was
speaking about at a particular point. He was well prepared, so his
presentation moved along at a comfortable pace without a hitch, or the "and
ahs" he was made aware of in an earlier evaluation. His mastery of English
is really commendable, and he was disciplined and exuded confidence before
this diverse audience. Anna D, our new President, was Speaker #4. She
presented Speech #4 (with a 2-3 Min Q & A session) from the Advanced Series
(Speaking to Inform) titled: "Facts About How Toastmasters Can Help You
Become A Better Leader." Janet Schoene did her evaluation and noted how she
maintained a comfortable pace, with good eye contact across a split
audience. Anna spoke in English, not her native tongue, and I was impressed
by her poise and confidence during the question and answer session as she
replied to a half dozen questions. Doris evaluated Elena, Malcolm evaluated
Rena, Sue evaluated Branko, and Jill provided an excellent general
evaluation of the meeting itself and the performance of the other
evaluators. Rena was voted Best Speaker and Janet won Best Evaluator honors.
After a report from the Word Master, the Ah Counter, the Timer, and a brief
business session, the meeting was adjourned shortly after 10:15 P.M.
The next regular meeting is on September 24, 2007 8:00 PM at Rivercross
Community Room.

Submitted Respectfully,
Woody Deas, Secretary

Meeting Notes June 25, 2007

Greetings Fellow Toastmasters,

The meeting of June 25, 2007 was called to order at 8:10 PM by Club
President Arlene Stock, who also served as Toastmaaster. Sue Brown was Table
Topics Master, and Doris Chernik was General Evaluator. As Word Master, Ana
Alba challenged us to use the word - resonate- in our presentations, while
Malcolm acted as Timer, and I (Woody) was Ah Counter. Actually, the fun
started around 7:45 because Arlene set up her Laptop prior to the start of
the regular meeting to share with us some digital photographs and other
images she captured at the Semi-Annual Dinner Party held at Stamatis
Broadway Restaurant in Astoria on June 11. By all accounts, the dinner party
was an enormously enjoyable experience. The ambience was cordial and
inviting, the food was great, the wait staff provided excellent service, and
the nearly 25 former and present members of the Roosevelt Island
Toastmasters Club who assembled there for the occasion, was a spirited group
who shared experiences, told jokes, spoke passionately during Table Topics,
or otherwise participated in making the event a success. Janet Schoene was
Toastmaster for that event.

There were two speakers on the Agenda for the June 25 meeting, Anna Falth,
who presented Speech #4 (How To Say It) titled - Swedish Traditions. She was
evaluated by Malcolm Cohen. Branko Rogic presented Speech #7, UN
Peacemakers' New Challenge, a project that required researching his topic,
and make an effective presentation that builds on skills developed during
earlier projects. I (Woody) was his evaluator, and I thought his
presentation was first rate, as did the other club members and one guest
(John) present. This was the last meeting of the semester before summer
break, so the business session was mostly transitional and acknowledging the
contributions of several officers and club members during the past year. Al
Short is our incoming President, so on behalf of all club members, I would
like to thank Arlene Stock for her dedication
and sterling leadership. We will miss her warm personality and her excellent
organizational
skills that made our officers meetings and club performance so fruitful. One
final note, District 46 has recognized our club as a Distinguished Select
Club, which is one level above a Distinguished Club, and one level below the
highest possible recognition for a Toastmasters club. Congratulations to all
our members because it by achieving specificToastmasters goals that this
recognition was made possible.

Submitted Respectfully,

Woody Deas, Secretary

Meeting Minutes for 3-26-07

Fellow Toastmasters,
The meeting of March 26, 2007 was called to order at 8:00 PM with Melissa Buerbaumer presiding as Toastmaster, Kim Taylor as Table Topics Master, and Club President Arlene Stock as General Evaluator. Anna Falth served as Timer. Word Master and Ah Counter was Damon LaScot, who challenged us to incorporate the word- ameliorate - in our presentations. The word means to make bearable or better, and most of us were thoughtful enough to use it. Melissa then turned the meeting over to Kim, who started off the Table Topics session with a question for Elena that reminded all of us that Spring was at hand, despite the chilly temperature outside. I (Woody) was next to speak, followed by Jill, and Marlene. Arlene reminisced about a favorite teacher and how a first impression can sometimes be inaccurate, and Anna A. ended the Table Topics session by responding to a question about how she would use an infomercial to sell Toastmasters. In the final tally, Jill's Horse Tale, with the strong closing comment - He was rode hard and put away - won
her Best Table Topics Speaker honors. The four scheduled speakers on the agenda were Rene, who used visual aids and offered vivid recollections of her home country in Speech #3 titled - Land of Fires. She noted some famous landmarks and the accomplishments of several significant contributors to the broader world culture, and the speech was presented with enthusiasm and great vocal variety. Branko presented Speech #4 titled - The World Needs Peacekeepers. His talks are always colorful and delivered with passion, and he uses wonderful hand gestures and has an excellent command of the English language. Simi, who has also been noted for using great body language, is one of the more polished speakers in our club. He completed Speech Project #7 in an informative speech titled - Global Road Crisis. Anna D. completed Speech Project #1 from the Advanced Manual in a speech titled - Surviving An Evaluation. Quite often, it is difficult for club members to select one speaker as performing better than another on a given day, and the dilemma is not ameliorated by a simple tally of paper ballots, which, on this occasion, resulted in a tie between Anna D. and Branko for Best Speaker honors. Marlene evaluated Branko, and Janet evaluated Simi, but the vote for best Best Evaluator was much less perplexing, and Jill walked away with that honor, her second win on this day. Melissa showed great organizational skill in conducting a smooth meeting, her first time serving as Toastmaster, and Anna A. was just as impressive in her evaluation of Rena, her first time in that role. Arlene offered a few helpful pointers in her role as General Evaluator, before turning the meeting over to Doris for a brief business session. The meeting was adjourned at 9:45. Simi, who is soon to be married and will be relocating in the near future, was given a warm send-off after the meeting by club members, with Malcolm leading the cheers.
The next regular meeting is on April 9, 2007 at Rivercross Community Room.

Submitted Respectfully,
Woody Deas, Secretary

W.R.Deas.

Meeting Minutes for 2-26-2007

Greeting Fellow Toastmasters,

Marlene Flom called the meeting of February 26, 2007 to order at 8:00 PM with Jill Burk presiding as Toastmaster, Melissa Buerbaumer as Table Topics Master, Kim Taylor as Word Master, Malcolm Cohen as General Evaluator, and three scheduled speakers on the agenda. The strength and depth of the leadership of the Roosevelt Island Toastmasters Club was put to the test due to last minute changes in the agenda. It was all inconsequential, however, as Marlene and Jill demonstrated their versatility and leadership skill by taking on the challenge with very short notice, to take charge of the meeting and announce changes in the agenda and move the meeting forward in spite of the vicissitudes of uncertainty. Kim
challenged us to use the word - vicissitudes- in our presentations, and many of us did, but those of us who forgot can read this post aloud. Melissa opened the Table Topics session based on the idea of a grab bag with slips of papers that the Table Topics speaker called upon would pick a random slip with a topic to speak about. Some of the questions were really challenging, and all of them were interesting. Doris, Anna D, Elena, Marlene, Kim, Damon, Pamela, Malcolm, and Sue participated, and Kim took best Table Topics Speaker honors. Malcolm, who also served as Timer, in the role of General Evaluator offered praise to Jill for volunteering to serve as Toastmaster, and Marlene for making all of us feel welcome when she opened the meeting with a brief overview of the Toastmasters International mission and the role of our local club in that effort. Melissa was praised for her cleaver questions and creative leadership as Table Topics Master. There were three scheduled speakers on the agenda - Pamela, who was evaluated by me (Woody), Damon, who was evaluated by Anna D, and Elena, who was evaluated by Marlene. Pamela was voted Best Speaker, and Woody (me) took Best Evaluator honors. After a brief business session led by Doris, Marlene adjourned the meeting at 9:30 PM.

One final note, Club President Arlene Stock hosted an Executive Committee meeting on February 11, 2007. Besides issues related to expenditures, membership, and club dues, probably the most significant item discussed was selecting new officers for the next semester. A formal announcement will be made at a later date, but Arlene has informed me that Al Short has agreed to serve as President of The Roosevelt Island Toastmasters Club next semester. Thanks Al. We all look forward to your leadership.

Submitted Respectfully,

Woody Deas, Secretary

W.R.Deas.

Meeting Minutes for 2-12-2007

Greetings Fellow Toastmasters,

Vice President Education, Doris Chernik, called the meeting of February 12 to order at 8:00 PM with me, Woody Deas, presiding as Toastmaster. Anna Falth was Word Master and challenged us to use the word -pellucid- in our presentations. Elena led a unique and interesting Table Topics session that featured a grab bag full of various items. The speaker she called upon would then reach in and pick an item at random, and that item would be the topic of their talk. Jim pulled out a duck and recalled childhood books and a duck trail at the Boston Commons. Anna D pulled out a velvet heart, Doris grabbed hold of a crystal covered mini-chest, Marlene spoke interestingly as she demonstrated the unusual statue-shaped pen she pulled from the grab bag. Malcolm talked about the Cinderella he fished out of the bag, and a guest from Haiti that accompanied Jim, accepted the challenge to speak and recalled a gift he had recieved from his dad after he pulled a watch from the grab bag. Jim also served as General Evaluator and used the Toastmasters sandwich method with discernment to offer criticism and helpful advice to me and the evaluators - Sue, Marlene, Anna, Malcolm, and Doris. Kim Taylor presented her Icebreaker -What I learned From All My Jobs- and took Best Speaker honors with a marvelous presentation that was both interesting and humorous. Melissa presented an informative Speech #2- The 3 Things You Shouldn't Miss on Your Next Trip To Portugal. Anna Alba presented Speech #3- Lasanga 101, and Branko presented Speech #3 - Croatia- My Homeland. Anna D completed a Special Project that consisted of serving in three different roles, as Ah counter, as an evaluator, and she participated as a Table Topics speaker. Malcolm took Best Evaluator honors and Jim was Best Table Topics speaker. After a brief business session, Doris adjourned the meeting at around 9:45 PM.
The next regular meeting is on February 26 at Rivercross Community Room.

Submitted Respectfully,

Woody Deas, Secretary

W.R.Deas.

Meeting Minutes for 1-22-2007

Greetings Fellow Toastmasters,

The Roosevelt Island Toastmasters Potluck Dinner Party Meeting of January 22,2007 was a complete success, thanks to the leadership of Sue Brown, the hard work of the Dinner Committee, and the generous contributions of club members. A Special thanks to Simi for the bottled water, and Bart and Malcolm, and Arlene and Doris and Sue, all the folks who helped with preparing the Rivercross Community Room for the event. The tables were gorgeous and the ambience (candle-light) was especially warm and welcoming. Malcolm, who served as Toastmaster extraordinaire for the evening, did a splendid job of leading a round of impromptu Table Topics-Styled speeches around the general theme of the Ideal Club, which was a featured article in the January 2007 issue of Toastmaster Magazine. However, the primary business of this meeting of thirty or so members and guests was food, so each member and guest present was invited to comment on the dinner item, ethnic dish, desert, condiment, beverage, or special treat they brought with them to the meeting. Our club is among the oldest and most ethnically diverse in District 46, and the variety of food items and beverages one could find on the attractively arranged tables certainly reflected that diversity. A quote by founding member, Bernie Silverman, expressed the spirit of the occasion best- Roosevelt Island Toastmasters Embrace The Joy Of Community, The Gift of Diversity, And The Vision of Harmony. We were entertained with song and the intriguing sounds of Africa, and a folk music performance by the very talented club member Damon LaScot and his wife highlighted an exciting evening of food, friends, and fun. Our club was also honored by a visit from Division E Governor, Letitea Archer, and Area 51 Governor, Regina Pawlik. One final note, Club Officer training that was scheduled for January has been rescheduled for sometime in February. I’m sure Doris will inform us of the new date soon. The next regular club meeting will be in the Rivercross Community Room on February 12, 2007 at 8:00 PM

Submitted Respectfully,

Woody Deas, Secretary

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Meeting Minutes for 11-27-2006

Fellow Toastmasters,

The meeting of November 27 was called to order at 8:00 PM by Club President Arlene Stock with Woody Deas (me) presiding as Toastmaster and Don Guan as Table Topics Master. Sue Brown served as General Evaluator. Melissa Buerbaumer was Word Master for the evening, and she challenged us to use the word - sesquipedalian - in our presentations. She offered a definition and usage examples, and Merriam-Webster defines it as meaning having many syllables, or in usage one who is given to or characterized by the use of long words - a sesquipedalian television commentator is the example they use. It was an unfamiliar word to me and probably a few others present, but I thought it was an excellent word choice, and quite a few presenters used it effectively. Anna, Simi, Jill, Bart, and others participated in the Table Topics session, and Damon La Scot treated us with an energetic and interesting Speech #1, his IceBreaker titled - The Rewards of Risk. He was followed by Anna Falth, who presented Speech #2 - Commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Her speech was informative, well-organized, and well-presented, and I for one was made more aware of the global nature of the issue of domestic and political violence against women.

Rena Salayeva also presented Speech #2 (Organize Your Speech) titled - Freedom of Expression. Again, there was a political and a human rights aspect to the content of her speech, and she did a fine job of it. Arlene evaluated Damon, Al Short evaluated Anna F, and Simi evaluated Rena. Sue evaluated the evaluators and offered comments on her observations of the meeting in general. She was helpful in her suggestions and kind to me in her comments. Anna D was Timer, and as the Ah counter, Jill caught several speakers using an excessive number of ahs and similar utterings. An Executive Committee Meeting had preceded the regular meeting, and after a brief business and announcements period, Arlene adjourned the meeting at 9:30 PM. Hats off to Bart for doing Setup and other chores in the absence of Malcolm. Hardware and Software issues on my end has delayed this meeting minutes post. My apologies.

Submitted Respectfully,

Woody Deas,

Secretary

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Meeting Minutes for November 13, 2006

Hello Fellow Toastmasters,

The Roosevelt Island Toastmasters meeting of November 13, 2006 was called to order at 8:00 PM by Vice President Education Doris Chernik, with Al Short presiding as Toastmaster for the evening. Bart Ambrose served as Table Topics Master and Jim Luce was the General Evaluator for the meeting. After reviewing some Toastmasters basics, Al turned the meeting over to Bart, who started the Table Topics session off with series of challenging questions that Elana, Melissa, Jill, Pamela, Jim, and Kim responded to. Simi was the first scheduled speaker with a very interesting and enlightening Speech #6 (Vocal Variety) entitled - Whale Tooth and the Significance to Fijian Culture. Jill was his evaluator. I (Woody) spoke next, presenting Speech #8 (Get Comfortable with Visual Aids), which I did with props since my ancient but functional laptop is not up to the task. My speech was based on a book by James Surowiecki - The Wisdom of Crowds, but it went way too long, a definite no-no in Toastmasters. Doris was my evaluator. Anna Doumnova spoke last, presenting a touching Speech #9 (Persuade With Power) entitled - Forgiving is Healing. She was evaluated by Al Short. Jim was favorably impressed with many aspects of the meeting, and he was liberal in his praise as well as a pointing out with his usual candor where improvement could be made. When the votes were counted, it was confirmed that Simi won best speaker honors for the evening, and Jill was the Best Evaluator. When asked, both guests attending the meeting, Paula and Kim, choose to participate in the Table Topics session, and to her surprise Kim took Best Table Topics honors. After a brief business session Doris adjourned the meeting at 9:35 to a period of socializing afterwards.
Ragula, wines, cheeses, and crackers were provided by Doris and myself in celebration of our birthdays.

The next regular RITM meeting is on Monday, November 27, 2006. Club President Arlene Stock has scheduled an Executive Committee Meeting to precede the regular meeting.

Submitted respectfully,

Woody Deas, Secretary

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Meeting Minutes for 10-23-2006

Greeting Fellow Toastmasters,

The meeting of October 23, 2006 was called to order at 8:00 P.M. with Simi Rokolaqa as Toastmaster, Jill Burk as Table Topics Master, Anna Falth as Word Master, Marlene Flom as General Evaluator, and three scheduled speakers on the agenda. Simi did an outstanding job of summarizing the essentials of the Toastmasters organization and the meeting procedures. Anna challenged us to use the word- leviathan -in our presentations, and Jill opened the Table Topics session with a challenging question for Brad, followed by a provocative question for Jim Luce to respond to. With his usual sharpness, Jim used humor to effectively sidestep the risk of a thoughtless reply. Her next challenge was for Doris in the form of delivering a brief extemporaneous acceptance speech as an Academy Award winner, an assignment Doris with grace and charm using a strategic twist of humor and some kindly words of praise for herself. The next challenge was to me to comment on my reasons for wanting to go on a trip to outer space. Damon was asked to choose the one superpower he would like to have and explain his choice. He chose the ability to fly, and his comments were followed up on by the next speaker, who selected as his favorite tune the theme song from the Superman movie. Jill commented that John Williams had composed that tune and much of the soundtrack for the Star Wars series. Her excellence as Table Topics Master was equal to her excellence in the role of evaluator, and she was voted Best Evaluator for the evening. Bronco was the last Table Topics speaker and perhaps the best sport of the evening since, as a guest and recent arrival from Croatia, he could have declined to speak. And he was voted Best Table Topics speaker for his response in English (not his first language) about soccer as the one sport he would want to play professionally. Don Guan completed Speech #3, and there were two Icebreakers - the first by Elena Como, and the second by Rene Salayeva - that were as interesting as they were informative of the background and aspirations of the speakers. It was a tough choice for many of us I'm sure, but when the votes were tallied, Elena had won Best Speaker honors for the evening. Letitia Archer, formerly Area 55 Governor and the current Division E Governor, was present to honor Malcolm Cohen with a trophy and photographs for his recent first place win in the District 46 Table Topics competition. And she had some helpful comments and kind words of praise for the Roosevelt Island Toastmasters Club as well. After a brief business session lead by Doris, an announcement by Jim, and an ancient quote by Simi, Club President Arlene Stock adjourned the meeting at 9:40 PM.

The next meeting will be on November 13, 2006 at 8:00 PM - Rivercross Community Room.

To honor the Veterans Day Holiday and my birthday on November 11, I'll supply the refreshments and condiments (wines included) for a bit of socializing after the meeting. Looking forward to seeing you then.

Submitted Respectfully,

Woodrow R. Deas, Secretary

Meeting Minutes 10-09-2006

Greetings Fellow Toastmasters,

The meeting of October 9, 2006, which was preceded by an Executive Committee Meeting, was called to order at 8:00 P.M. by Club President Arlene Stock with Doris Chernik as Toastmaster for the evening. Ana Alba was Word Master and challenged us to use the word "quagmire" in our presentations. Jill Burk served as General Evaluator. Anna Faith participated in Table Topics with an interesting story about a Swedish Holiday and clambake tradition, and she later delighted the audience with her splendid presentation of Speech #1 "How My Dad Prepared Me For New York." Daemon spoke about a Scandinavian Maypole Day celebration on the day he was married, while Marcus spoke about a July 4th experience. Anna Doumnova spoke about New Years Day in her native Russia, and John Lee spoke about a shopping adventure in Singapore. We were taken on a world adventure in less than an hour. Bart presented Speech #1, and I commend him for delivering an Icebreaker that ranks among the best I've witnessed since I've been a member of Toastmasters. I, Woody Deas, completed Speech #7 (Research Your Topic) "Celebrating Discovery: An Ongoing Voyage," which was based on a theme celebrating Columbus Day as it was presented on a Library of Congress Website. My primary focus was on Giovanni da Verrazano and the great suspension bridge here in New York that honors him.
I left the heavy lifting for Marlene, who spoke from the Advanced Storytelling Manual Project #5, "The Young Man and the Sea." She related the story of Christopher Columbus with her usual grace,
punctuated with a few rhetorical devices and a bit of drama, Anna Doumnova evaluated Anna Faith, Malcolm evaluated Bart, Jim evaluated me, and Janet Schoene evaluated Marlene. Jill was at her best as General Evaluator, and provided us with her usual insightful observations and helpful suggestions. After the officers report and other Club business was completed, the meeting was adjourned at around 9:40 P.M.

The next meeting is October 28, 2006 at 8:00 P.M. - Rivercross Community Room.

Submitted Respectfully,

Woody Deas, Secretary

Meeting Minutes September 25, 2006

Greetings Roosevelt Island Toastmasters,

The meeting of September 25, 2006 was called to order at 8:00 P.M. by Club President Arlene Stock, and thanks to the improvisational skills of the very able Sue Brown, our Toastmaster for the evening, things went quite well in spite of some last minute changes in the agenda. Guests in attendance were Melissa, Marcus, Bart, Anna, and Elaina. We also welcomed the return of Janet Schoene, who was in good form after her recent knee surgery - she served as General Evaluator. Arlene served as Timer, and I (Woody) was the Word Master. I challenged the audience to use the word "rambunctious" in their presentations. The first speaker was Ana Alba, who skillfully presented Speech #2 (Organize Your Speech). Ana provided us with plenty of interesting details about her favorite vacation, from a turbulent airplane ride enroute to scenic San Francisco, with its famous cable cars and the Golden Gate Bridge she has fond memories of. Her well organized presentation allowed her an opportunuty to make excellent use of visual aids (photographs), hand gestures, body language, and she demonstrated a good knowledge of her subject. Speaker #2 was Anna Doumnova, who also made great use of colorful visual aids, and her masterful demonstration of the principles of making and launching an airplane fashioned out of a sheet of paper reminded many of us of our childhood years. We were comfortable with her topic - Get Comfortable With Visual Aids -the title of Speech Project #8, and she did a fine job of it. Speaker #3 was Marlene Flom, who spoke from the Advanced Storytelling Manual, Speech #4, entitled Deja Vu. She started by defining the adjective, which is derived from French and literally means already seen. Then she shared a fascinating story about a deja vu feeling she experienced during a trip to China. Webster's Dictionary speaks of the illusion of remembering scenes or events when experienced for the first time, but Marlene's telling of the story with an interesting deja vu twist and a bit of drama at the end, made it all seem so real. She took Best Speaker honors. Al evaluated Ana Alba, Doris evaluated Anna Doumnova, Jim Luce evaluated Marlene, and Janet evaluated the evaluators and the meeting in general. Jim won Best Evaluator honors. Don, Malcolm, Doris, Bart, Elaina, Al, and Marcus participated in an extemporaneous commentary session that was not in the usual Table Topics format - Bart was honored for his performance in this session. After the Officers report and other Club business was completed, Arlene adjourned the meeting at around 9:30 P.M.

RITM extends a hearty welcome to the four new members who have joined during the past month.

The next meeting is October 9, 2006 at 8:00 P.M. - Rivercross Community Room.

Submitted Respectfully,

Woody Deas, Secretary

Meeting Minutes for September 11, 2006

Meeting Minutes from September 11, 2006

Greetings Roosevelt Island Toastmasters,

The first meeting of the semester was called to order at 8:00 by Club President Arlene Stock, who also served as Toastmaster for the evening. Malcolm Cohen served as Table Topics Master for a very special table topics session, and Immediate Past President, Jim Luce, served as General Evaluator for the evening. The special format of the Table Topics session included a tribute to founding member Bernie Silverman, who recently passed after an illness. With Malcolm leading the way, Mr. Silverman was remembered warmly as a long time member of the Roosevelt Island community, and he was praised as a dynamic public speaker, an influential figure, and an inspirational leader by Marlene, Sue, and Jim, who shared some of their memories of him with the audience. There were 5 guests present, with at least one of them a probable new member. The remainder of the Table Topics session centered on speaking about sources of inspiration and influence in our lives, and everyone present participated. Anna, Al, Simi, myself (Woody), and each of the guests accepted the opportunity to speak, telling us something about themselves and sharing a variety of experiences in the context of career influences and inspiring people or situations. Thanks to Elaina, Anna, Bart, Breana, and Jason - the honored guests for the evening- we had an especially interesting meeting, and thanks to the able leadership of Malcolm, the table Topics session went without a hitch. Jose Ortiz was the only speaker scheduled, and he completed Speech Project #5 (Your Body Speaks) with a speech titled "Memories of Wrestling." Sue evaluated his speech, and Jim Luce evaluated Sue and the meeting in general. Al served as Timer, and I (Woody) was Ah counter. Arlene had explained the timing rules at the beginning of the meeting, and it seems that everybody conformed to the rules. I was amazed that there were no "Ahs" during the tribute to Mr. Silverman, and only a few Ahs by the guests who introduced themselves. After a brief business session, Arlene adjourned the meeting at around 9:40 P.M. with a brief period of socializing afterwards.

The next meeting is scheduled for September 25 at 8:00 P.M. in the Westview Community Room.

Submitted Respectfully,

Woody Deas,
Secretary

Executive Committee Meeting Minutes 8-28-06

Roosevelt Island Toastmasters Club President Arlene Stock hosted an Executive Committee Meeting at her home on Monday, August 28, 2006 that was called to order at 8:00 P.M. with Doris Chernik, Anna Doumnova, Simione Rokolaqa, Immediate Past President Jim Luce, and myself (Woody Deas) present. The President's Report included a proposed schedule for regular Toastmaster Meetings and monthly executive meetings on the second Monday of each month. The exec meetings would be an hour and a half before the regular TM meeting. This business was followed by a discussion of club goals, performance standards, and Distinguished Club status for 2006-2007. The "shadow officer" concept was also discussed with input from Doris and Jim, along with traditional committee assignments as detailed by Arlene. Arlene and Jim led an energetic discussion of how our members might use some of the more recently available technologies in conjunction with Toastmaster activities aimed at
helping TM members improve their speaking and presentation skills. Both Arlene and Jim are familiar with cutting edge technologies and methodologies in practical terms, so we can expect followup info
in the near future concerning the feasibility of their suggestions.

The Secretary's Report included mention that the Roosevelt Island Toastmasters Club 4121 is now assigned to Area 57 (previously we were in Area 55), and that the Toastmasters motto posted on
the recently redesigned District 46 Website is - Speak to Enlighten, Lead to Empower. Doris had announced earlier this year that Club 4121 was recognized as a Distinguished Club, and I noticed posted on the District 46 Website that Area 55 was recognized as a Distinguished Area. Also, Bibi Haddad, the incoming District 46 Governor, has announced the goal of achieving No. 1 in the world status for District 46 by June 30, 2007.

In her Treasurer's Report, Anna Doumnova presented a prepared document that itemized a proposed budget and other fiduciary business, and she explained the proposed and actual dues for current and new members of Club 4121. Toastmasters International World Headquarters had earlier announced increases in dues, so a motion to approve the new dues amount as the total dues we charge for new and renewing members per semester was introduced by Doris and unanimously approved by voice vote. Members will be notified by email the details of the new rates.

Our Vice President Education, Doris Chernik, made suggestions and commented on the various issues discussed during the course of the meeting, and it was agreed that the Secretary (me) would prepare a chart tracking the progress of members toward their public speaking goals. Also, the agenda for the meeting on September 11, 2006 was discussed. There is 1 scheduled speaker and an extended Table Topics session is scheduled, possibly done in the Round Robin style similar to the one Malcolm Cohen led at the semi-annual dinner party this past June.

Vice President Membership / Public Relations, Simi Rokolaqa, announced a membership drive, so we will set up a table at the Green Market on Saturday, September 9. He also suggested that bookmarks be prepared so that we can give them to prospective new members, so I'll start work on that project shortly, and submit the results to Arlene for printing.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:10 P.M.

The next regular meeting of the Roosevelt Island Toastmasters Club will be held at the Westview Community Room at 8:00 P.M. on September 11, 2006.

Submitted Respectfully,
Woody Deas Secretary

Welcome to our Fall Semester

Dear Friends,

 

You are most welcome to visit our friendly Toastmaster Club on Roosevelt Island.  Our first 2 meetings (Open House) are September 11 and 25th at Westview Building, 625 Main St., Roosevelt Island.  Take the tram for a fun ride.  Doris (212) 751-9577; chernik@nyct.net

Semi-annual Dinner Party

Hello Fellow Toastmasters,

The Semi-annual Roosevelt Island Toastmasters Dinner Party held on
June 26, 2006 at Trellis began on schedule with cocktails at 6:30 P.M. and an open menu dinner at 7:00 P.M. Arlene, Sue, Felicia, Malcolm and his wife Susan, Luigi, Al, Marlene, Jim Luce and James (a guest from Haiti), and myself (Woody) were present. The first item of business on the agenda was the formal installation of Club Officers for 2006-2007, but once that was done, it was all fun. Arlene Stock was warmly received as the incoming President of Roosevelt Island Toastmasters Club #4121. Jim served as Toastmaster for the evening, Sue read a moving poem - The Bridge Builders - that was especially appropriate for the occasion, and Malcolm led the Round Robin Table Topics session that gave each of us the opportunity to respond to a question posed by the person preceding the respondent. The cocktails were refreshing, the food was great, and the social ambience of the restaurant was very comfortable indeed for our small group. Hope those of you who couldn't attend the event will be able to make the next one.

The next regular meeting will be on September 11, 2006. The location will be announced via email and on this web site before that date, so be sure to check.

Have an enjoyable summer.

Woody Deas
Secretary

Meeting Minutes for June 12, 2006

Greetings Roosevelt Island Toastmasters,

Oh what a night! A regular meeting with three featured speakers, an Awards Ceremony, three special guests, election and installation of club officers for 2006-2007, and a beautifully prepared table full of special treats, compliments of Luigi Cavandoli and Silvia Vendettuoli.

The meeting of June 12th was called to order by Club President Jim Luce shortly after 8:00 PM with Marlene Flom serving as Toastmaster and Word Master. Don Guan served as Table Topics Master, Janet Schoene served as the General Evaluator, and Malcolm was the Timer for the meeting. Marlene set the ground rules for the evening, and after refreshing our memory of what a homonym is - a word that is spelled and pronounced the same as another word with a different meaning, she challenged us to use a homonym for precedence in our presentations. Don had an interesting variety of questions for us during the Table Topics session, and Felicia, Malcolm, Maria, myself, and Sonyamae - from the Hunter College Club - responded with grace before the scheduled speakers took over the podium.

It is a rare occasion that we have an Area Governor visit with us, but we had three District 46 Area Governors present at this meeting, and I imagine they were favoorably imporssed with the way the RITM meeting went. Barry spoke informatively about real estate and the Remax-Peabody System, Anna spoke interestingly about Why Aircraft Fly, and Jill mesmerized the audience with Speech #5 from the Advanced Manual on Lee’s Surrender to Grant at Appomattox. In bringing history to life, she demonstrated her extraordinary presentation skills and also her in-depth knowledge of the subject. Jill took Best Speaker honors, Felicia took Best Table Topics Speaker honors, and Jim was voted Best Evaluator.

CTM and Half-Way Awards were also on the agenda, with Jim and Area 55 Governor Letitea Archer presenting CTM honors to Luigi and Silvia. A half dozen of us were recognized with Half-Way honors. Letitia is moving on to a Division level position, and Soniamae N. King-Hunte from the Hunter Club 6138, a Select Distinguished Club, is the incoming Area 55 Governor. Also present was Edison Elder, the Area 54 Governor, who spoke briefly during the meeting, and we got to chat with him a bit more during the socializing after Jim adjourned the meeting. Jill’s speech was really the high point – she was at her absolute best.

RITM members know that Luigi has in-depth knowledge of art, bee-keeping, and a variety of other subjects - his presentations are always interesting, and we listen with anticipation when he speaks because his presentations are always colorful and interesting. The beautifully presented table full of tasty treats he and Silvia prepared for the evening included condiments and some tasty wines, including a bottle of red wine from Italy that was especially delicious. This was a special evening indeed. Luigi has been wonderful as Vice President Membership/Public Relations, and Jim Luce has performed marvelously as Club President. The Roosevelt Island Toastmasters Club appreciates their service and their leadership during the past year, and wish them all the best.

Arlene Stock is the incoming Club President, and Simi Rokolaqa is the incoming Vice President Membership/Public Relations. Doris Chernik will continue to serve as Vice President Education, Malcolm Cohen will continue to serve as Sergent-at-Arms, Anna Doumnova will continue to serve as Treasurer, and I (Woody Deas) will serve another term as Club Secretary. I offer my personal thanks to Jim and Luigi for their fine example and their encouragement during the months I have been a member of Club 4121.

The Roosevelt Island Toastmasters Club will end the semester on June 26 with a meeting and dinner at Trellis, beginning with cocktails at 6:30 PM, and dinner at 7:00 PM.

Submitted Respectfully,

Woody Deas
Secretary

RITM Meeting May 22, 2006

Fellow Toastmasters,

Doris Chernik served as Toastmaster for the meeting of May 22, 2006, which was called to order shortly after 8:00 P.M. due to the late arrival or non-arrival of some of the scheduled participants. As in the world of the theater she knows so well, the show must go on, so our very competent Toastmaster improvised a bit and had the two speakers who were present do their presentations before the Table Topics session, which is usually done before the first scheduled speaker takes the podium. Anna spoke first and did an admirable presentation of Speech #6 (Vocal Variety) titled “Myths and Mysteries.” She was evaluated by Sue Brown. Luigi presented an energetic Speech #10 (Inspire Your Audience) titled “Old Loves Never Die.” He was evaluated by Jill, who praised the depth of his knowledge of his subject and his excellent hand gestures and body language in general. His vivid descriptions were done without using visual aids, but he suggested that members of the audience do an Internet Search to find the relevant works of art pertaining to his topic and the beheading of John the Baptist. The thought invokes an emotional response, so the objectives of his presentation were met, and I for one was certainly inspired by his presentation. Jill took Best Evaluator honors for her insightful observations and helpful comments, and Luigi was applauded for successfully completing the requirements for CTM. Silvia did a very able job as General Evaluator, her first time in that role, and Doris led the Table Topics session in addition to serving as Toastmaster. Al served as Timer, and there was one guest, Margaret, who spoke briefly during the Table Topics session. I (Woody) rambled a bit as the first Table Topics speaker when Doris asked me to comment on a recently read book. I’ve been viewing a lot of vintage films lately, so the several books I've recently acquired are still sitting on the shelf unread, and I couldn’t think of even one joke from a Bob Philips children’s book I read parts of a couple of weeks ago. Fortunately, the other Table Topics participants performed better than I did, so the session proceeded smoothly. After going over assignments for the next meeting and devoting a few moments to club business, Doris adjourned the meeting before 9:30 P.M.

The next meeting will be held at 8:00 P.M. on June 12th in the Rivercross Community Room, and a Dinner Party and the final meeting of the semester will be on the evening of June 26, 2006.

Submitted Respectfully,

Woody Deas
Secretary

RITM Meeting May 8, 2006

Greetings Roosevelt Island Toastmasters,

The meeting of May 8, 2006 was called to order by Doris Chernik, our Vice President Education, with Simi Rokolaqa as Toastmaster for the evening. Don Guan was Word Master and challenged us to use the word “circumvent” in our presentations. Barry Wan served as Table Topics Master, and Malcoln Cohen was the General Evaluator. I (Woody) was the first speaker, and I presented Project #6 (Vocal Variety) with the title, "Marketing Wants People to Remember," which was evaluated by Sue Brown. Marlene presented Speech #2 from the Advanced Storytelling Series. She was evaluated by Janet Schone. Jill spoke from the Advanced Storytelling Series too, presenting Speech #4 (A Touching Story). She was evaluated by Jim, who took Best Evaluator honors, while Jill herself was voted Best Speaker. Doris presented "Evaluate to Motivate" from the Successful Club Series, and Malcolm followed her instructive presentation with a really great evaluation of the evaluators. Jill's speech was reflective of her always excellent presentation skills - she certainly accomplished the objectives of the project. Simi did an excellent job as Toastmaster, which Malcolm commented on, and Barry led one of the most comprehensive Table Topics sessions I've witnessed - nine speakers participated. We had one guest, who introduced himself and spoke briefly, and Doris announced assignments for the next meeting before Jim adjourned the meeting shortly before 10:00 P.M..

Submitted Respectfully,
Woody Deas,
Secretary

Officers Meeting of 5-01-2006

Officers Meeting 5-01-2006

Greeting Fellow Toastmasters,

Roosevelt Island Toastmasters Club President Jim Luce hosted an officers meeting on Monday, May 1, 2006 that was called to order at 7:00 P.M. with Anna, Doris, Marlene, Sue, and myself (Woody) present. The first item on the agenda was a discussion of potential club officers from among our current membership with several people mentioned as those who might be willing to serve. The status of the Roosevelt Island Toastmasters Club in the Distinguished Club Competition was also discussed, along with the possibility of presenting certificates of recognition for certain work on behalf of the club. Sue has agreed to chair the Dinner Committee for the upcoming Semi-Annual Dinner, and a table at the GreenMarket has been scheduled for September 9, 2006, which is the Saturday before the first meeting in September. We also agreed by voice vote to follow the precedent set by Marlene and bring a treat to the Toastmasters Meeting in honor of our own birthday. Marlene brought a Birthday Cake and coffee to the last meeting. No other business was on the agenda so Jim adjourned the meeting at 8:40 P.M.

Submitted Respectfully,
Woody Deas
Secretary

Toastmaster Meetings of April 10 and 24

Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Meeting Minutes for April, 2006

Greetings Roosevelt Island Toastmasters,

Club President Jim Luce made time in his busy schedule to open the meetings of April 10 and April 24.

April 10- Malcolm Cohen, who is excellent in every Toastmaster role, served as Toastmaster for the evening, Ana Alba was Word Master, Doris Chernik led the Table Topics session, and Marlene was the General Evaluator. Girija presented her Icebreaker, Felicia presented some very interesting biographical content on Sir Winston Churchill in Speech #5, and Simi took Best Speaker honors with his presentation of Speech #5 ("Fear"). Sue Brown evaluated Girija, Al Short evaluated Felicia, Jill Burk evaluated Simi, and Marlene evaluated the evaluators and the meeting in general.

April 24- Al Short was Toastmaster for the evening, Sue Brown was Word Master, and Masaaki Kawano led the Table Topics session around a general theme derived from his involvement with the sport of hockey, but mostly it was about Employer-Employee relations, with Malcolm taking the honors for Best Table Topics Speaker. Jill Burk served as General Evaluator. This was an evening of Icebreakers, and Ana Alba's presentation centered on her role as a lawyer was dramatic and filled with enough enthusiasm for her to take Best Speaker honors for the evening. Lisha Li, Barry Wan, and Don Guan all presented interesting speeches where they shared with the audience something about themselves and their background and aspirations, and they were warmly received by their Toastmaster audience who, as Jim Luce put it, use the Toastmaster sandwich method of praise, improvement, and praise in providing feedback during evaluations. Jill, whose insightful evaluations are always appreciated by everyone, described Al as being clear, concise, complete, and cleaver - right on the money I'd say. His warm personality and sometimes witty comments made him an excellent host. Malcolm reminded the audience of the upcoming Career Day event at PS 217, and Doris reminded us of our assignments for the next meeting before Jim closed the meeting with a bit of wit of his own. One final note - Jim will host a club officers meeting on May 1, 2006. The next regular meeting of the Roosevelt Island Toastmasters will be on May 8, 2006 in the Rivercross Community Room.

The Roosevelt Island Toastmaster Club wishes Marlene Flom a very Happy Birthday.

Respectfully Submitted,
Woodrow Deas
Secretary