Meeting Minutes - December 1, 2015

Cromwell Community Toastmasters

Club 5908 ~ District 53

Tues, December 1, 2015

Attendees:    Charlie Hubert, Danielle Payne,  Hollie Rose, Donald Ostertag, Jen Bourne, Gaia McDermott, Andrew Watt, Bill Sullivan, Crystal Storro, Heather Turner, Phil Mason


Guests: Winston Phillip, Ed,

Business Meeting

Upcoming Events

District 53 Leadership Training

December 5
Manchester Church of Christ

District 53 Conference
November 21

Fishkill, NY at the Ramada

Keynote Lance Miller - 2005 World Champion of Public Speaking

Toastmaster Donald Ostertag

Invocation Charlie Hubert

Brian Tracy – Try to find something positive in every situation.

Table Topics Gaia McDermott

Talk about a gift you gave, received or wish you received

[2:18] Charlie – As a kid I loved toys. I still love toys and that’s what I still want people to buy me. What sticks out in my memory is when I found out Santa is not real. My father was always the Santa and I would always ask my sisters and brother where my father was. They always said that he was fixing the furnace. This was in Vermont. Then we moved to Berlin to a new house. I again asked where Dad was told he was fixing the furnace but I knew he couldn’t be fixing the furnace in a new house.

[1:56] Donald- When I first got married I was trying to think of something for my wife. I thought we could use a laundry basket and filled it with pots and pans, a can opener and other kitchen supplies. She replied, “Thank you dear but don’t ever do that again.” After that I got the flowers and candy. Now, after 45 years we don’t buy each other gifts.

[1:38] Bill – My parents lived in a different generation. We got scrabble or a puzzle when everyone else got a video game. Part of it was how expensive it was and how much we could use it. But I’m not like that. I bought Xbox 1 for my kids. I bought Call of Duty for myself.

[1:21] Jen – When you aren’t the biological parent you can buy something that the kid will really like. I wanted to surprise my nephew.  I made a puzzle having clues all around the house. The last clue had a wing nut looking thing that actually went to tuning a drum set.

[1:53] Winston - When I was a child on the island we didn’t really give gifts. We created kites to fly. You go into the woods and pick a bamboo 5-6 feet. We would take a pipe and burst all the channels this made a cannon. We poured gas in there and lit it. You have to be careful because it can burn your eyelashes.

[1:19] Ed – I never did like receiving gifts. I had a center of attention phobia. I still feel uncomfortable receiving gifts. Can you really mask your reactions? I would prefer to give it and then hopefully receive the good reaction.

[0:58] Danielle – When my younger brother asked me if Santa was real I told him that they made the time zones so that Santa would have enough time to get all around the world. He believed me. I gave my brother the gift of having the magic of Santa for two more years.

[2:02] Crystal – I am getting everyone together to give back. I work in Cromwell and I usually give back through the town hall. Every year I coordinate this at my work. We usually get a lot of participation. I like to know that I am contributing to the community. The gift of giving.

Speaker # 1:  Gaia McDermott: 757

Manual/Project: Competent Communicator #5 – Your Body Speaks
Title: What the Body is Saying

I have had three careers. My first was working with emotionally disturbed teen agers. I could see what was coming. My second career was in sales. I could see what was going to close a deal. My third career was in politics. It is important for me to know what direction things are going in.


The limbic brain has three responses– fight – flight or frozen.

There is always to be in flight without actually running. This is called blocking techniques
Fight – the way to fight is to start an argument – this is a clue there may be anxiety
Frozen – an FBI agent said they wraped their legs around the chair. This is a clue something is not right.

If you see someone touching their neck they are self-soothing. This may indicate stress.

Pilots are trained to know what is going on if their eyes are closed. Police observe
If you are nervous for an interview you are expected to be nervous in the beginning but this should go away.

Try not to over observe. I have been able to learn and grow using body language.

Speaker # 2:  Heather Turner:  7:52

Manual/Project: Specialty Speeches # 7 – Research Your Topic

Title: About Fidelco Training

Verdi is a Fidelco dog in training. She is about half way done with the social training. I will do basic training and socialization at parks, Walmart and Home Depot.

At Fidelco they have done 50 years of training German Shepherds. German Shephards are super intelligent.

Verdi has three speeds – on, off and ceiling bouncing.

The program does have dogs with health issues are pulled along with both parents and all in the litter. Only 60% make it through the program – others do police workh

There are many rules I have to follow. Only feed with left hand. She is not allowed to be alone unless she is crated.

I would research this if you are interested but it is a lot of work.

Speaker # 3:  Donald Ostertag:  

Manual/Project: Specialty Speeches # 5 – Persuasive Speaking

Title: The Power of Persuasion

Reading from ToastMasters Magazine

Can you think of someone who has stood up for a cause?

These are persuaders. Developing a persuasive speech can help you

Steps to giving a persuasive speech:

Tell a story – capture the audidance
Exagerate – use facial expressions
Show passion – shows you bveleive in what you are
Content matters – use descriptive colorful words
Pick a topic you are passionate about your goal

Evaluator # 1: Andrew 5:15

You covered your nervousness well. But we are expereinced and we could tell. You backed away.

You took a camera shot with your fingers. You moved further when you talked about moving deeper into the interview. You spread your hand when talking about the lay of the land. You are jiggling when you talked about freaking out. These were all great.

When you said signing off you could have acted it out better. Contact with your head could for limbic brain could have been better as well.

Excellent closing.

Evaluator # 2:  Phil Mason 152

Heather is very passionate. The history of Fidelco and all of the information make it interesting.

She didn’t have an opening. Body language was great. The closing could have inspired the audience more.

Officials’ Reports:

WordMaster: Crystal Storro

The Toastmasters’ Promise

·  To attend club meetings regularly

·  To prepare all of my speech and leadership projects to the best of my ability, basing them on projects in the Competent Communication, Advanced Communication, or Competent Leadership manuals 

·  To prepare for and fulfill meeting assignments

·  To provide fellow members with helpful, constructive evaluations

·  To help the club maintain the positive, friendly environment necessary for all members to learn and grow

·  To serve my club as an officer when called upon to do so

·  To treat my fellow club members and our guests with respect and courtesy

·  To bring guests to club meetings so they can see the benefits Toastmasters membership offers

·  To adhere to the guidelines and rules for all Toastmasters education and recognition programs

·  To maintain honest and highly ethical standards during the conduct of all Toastmasters activities

Timer:  Hollie Rose

Times given, See above.

Ah Counter:  Crystal Storro

Andrew and Heather were the only ones with zero

Almost everyone had something other than an a or um

Grammarian:  Andrew Watt

Hollie- who talked who spoke, they did a celebration
Winston – dangerous contraption
We all had many infinitives which I just taught in Latin but we didn’t have to love or to care.

General Evaluator: Phil Mason

The room is set up very well very early even in the rain.

Try to entice people for role ahead of time.

Awesome meeting.

Closing: Hollie Rose

Virtual Attendance
There was unanimous interest but we decided much thought needs to go into it all before we can call it a done deal. Heather will chair a committee to explore this further. We’ll hold a first committee meting soon to discuss security concerns.

This room is not available next meeting we will be downstairs.

Thank you for putting up with the confusion.

Crystal – what topics would be good discussion – video conferencing  email members before meeting

Sign into website this week.

Next meeting: December 15, 2015

Respectfully submitted by

Danielle Payne, Secretary