The 2014 Fall Contest winner for District 53.

 

International President of Toastmasters, 

Mohammed Murad with Bill Sullivan 
at the District 53 Conference

Cromwell Community Toastmasters is proud to have a District Speech Contest winner in our midst.

Longtime Toastmaster Bill Sullivan recently competed in Toastmaster’s annual Fall contest and took his humorous speech about corporate productivity processes and laundry all the way for the win! Myself a member of Cromwell Community Toastmasters, I took the opportunity to interview Mr. Sullivan about his experiences.

Bill Sullivan, Thanks for taking the time to chat with me about your recent achievements and your Toastmaster journey. How long have you been a Toastmaster? 

I have been a Toastmaster for 6 years. I joined in January 2008.

And what originally drew you to the group? 

I have worked for the same company for 23 years. I love my job and the people I work with. As I was increasingly being asked to speak in front of different groups, I knew that I needed to gain better experience in public speaking if I was to feel comfortable in front of a larger audience. I had heard about Toastmasters while listening to a business book on tape by Jack Walsh, CEO of GE. I researched online, off and on, for a long time and finally made it a New Year’s Resolution to join.

That leads me to ask; Has Toastmasters helped you in your professional life?

Greatly. I use Toastmasters every day at work. Whether it's speaking in front of a group, presenting to customers, running meetings, inspiring employees or providing feedback, I am always referencing my experience in Toastmasters to help me communicate my message. I have found that Toastmasters is the only organization that provides members with the day to day knowledge of management and communication skills that is directly connected to being successful. 

It makes perfect sense that Toastmasters is effective in contributing to career success, but has Toastmasters helped you in your personal life?

Very much so. I have found that I am more willing to volunteer when asked because of my Toastmasters skills and the confidence I have gained through Toastmasters helps me know that I can bring valuable experience to any project. It has also helped me to recognize those moments when it is necessary to reach out to someone at a meeting or social gather who may just need a little nudge to be included in the conversation. This effort has allowed me to befriend individuals with whom I may not have had the opportunity before. Many of these relationships I still have today.

What officer positions have you held in the club?

My first officer position was Secretary of the club. When I joined the club had no Secretary so I decided to jump in with both feet. I was the club’s President in 2009 and the VP of Membership in 2010. This year I am Vice President of Education.

[VPE (Vice President of Education) is a very important officer position. Toastmasters has two education tracks. One is the Competent Communicator track, the CC.  It consists of ten speech projects designed to teach different aspects of public speaking such as, organizing your thoughts, using body language and using your voice effectively to communicate your message. When completed the member is said to have earned their Toastmasters CC. The second track is Leadership with a series of projects in the Competent Leader manual. When complete, the member has earned their CL. The VPE helps members track their progress in all education manuals.]

Along with the comprehensive public speaking and communication track, Toastmasters has an excellent leadership track that teaches you the basics of being a leader; from how to listen, to how to run a successful meeting. As VPE I continually remind members that it's easy and fun to start working on their CL as soon as possible. Once you have started the leadership track volunteering to help the club becomes much easier. Every time a member signs up for a role as Grammarian, as Timer, as Evaluator, our whole club reminds them to take credit for the roles in the CL as well as to sign up for specific positions that help fulfill the projects in the CL.

What Toastmaster awards have you achieved and what are you currently working towards?

After a member earns their CC we can begin work towards advanced certifications. First to follow the CC is an ACB – Advanced Communicator Bronze, then ACS – Advanced Communicator Silver, then ACG – Advanced Communicator Gold. Ten additional Speech Projects from a variety of possible manuals must be completed for each advanced certification. I had great fun working from the “Humorously Speaking” and the “Entertaining Speaker” manuals to get my ACB. For my ACS I completed the “Storytelling” and “Persuasive Speaking” manuals. I am working towards my ACG certificate currently with the "The Professional Speaker" manual and "Speeches by Management" manual. I have also been awarded the Advanced Leadership Bronze award.

Have you competed in contests before?

District 53 Governor, Bette McIntyre with
Bill Sullivan at the District 53 Conference 

I try to encourage participation in the club and I enter each contest every year, or if needed, I volunteer to help run the contest. So you might imagine I compete in these realms a lot. I've had some memorable experiences with contests. Twice I went as far as the District level contests. The first time, in November 2012, I went all the way to the District 53 finals in the evaluation category. I was fortunate to place first in the Evaluation Contest that year. This year I placed first in the 2014 District 53 Humorous Speech Contest. It was the second time that I had entered the Humorous Contest. The first time I made it as far as the Division level, but I learned that to win you really need to be confident in your speaking ability and really connect with the audience. It gave me great insight into how well prepared the other Toastmasters were. I took what I learned at that contest and applied it this year. Winning Toastmaster contests is a big achievement but I truly feel that the experience gained participating in these events and the support shared amongst the folks attending and competing is the greatest reward.

If you had advice to give to the larger world – both toastmasters and non-toastmasters alike – what would it be?

We are often told that if we set our mind to something we can achieve almost anything. But this thought process needs to be accompanied by a plan of action. Generally a good plan of action includes many, many small steps. Toastmasters has a proven step by step process that takes you from small opportunities to speak, to the ability to deliver expansive presentations, while making you feel comfortable every step of the way. If you asked me when I first joined Toastmasters if I ever would compete in a speech contest the answer came easy to me "NO." But today I’m a different person. I am more confident in my speaking ability and I believe I owe that to Cromwell Community Toastmasters and the Toastmasters education program.

Thank you Bill for taking the time to share with us.

Toastmasters International is an international organization that teaches Public Speaking and Leadership skills. TMI thrives in 126 countries with over 14,000 clubs. Cromwell Community Toastmasters is proud to be a part of this 90 year old organization. We meet twice a month at the Cromwell Town Hall, on the first and third Tuesday of every month from 5:30pm to 7:30 pm. Upcoming meetings include January 20^th, February 2^nd, and February 16^th.

Any last words Bill?

I encourage anyone who is looking to grow and learn, to come visit one of our meetings. Come see what Toastmasters is all about. Visiting is free and guests are always welcome.

See you at the next meeting!

Division B Fall Contest 2014

Notes on the Division B Speech Contest- October 29th, 2014

We had an impressive turnout for the Division B speech contest! More than 40 toastmasters from our division gathered in Berlin at the North East Utilities conference room to hear our local superstars speak in table topics and give prepared Humorous speeches.   I’m really proud to say that 7(!) of us were from Cromwell, an impressive percentage at this level for just one club.  

 If all the contests had 7 club supporters there should have been a lot more people in the room…

Table Topics:  Who has been the greatest influence in your life and why?

[Ogewu Agbese]:  Who?  It didn’t strike me until I took a trip to Nigeria.   The things we take for granted here are not so simple in Nigeria.   If you want light, you have to light a fire.  If you want water you have to walk 2 miles, fill a bucket from a pump, come back and boil it.   When I think of all that my Dad has done to go from a village in Nigeria to come to the US and get a PhD, raise 5 children.   That was a true inspiration. 

[Lisa Vance]:  I was going to say my Mom, all the things people like about me come from my mom.   But there are so many people who have influenced me - and a fair number of them are about 3 feet tall – my students.   And many of them have done something that many people thought they would never do.   One of my students, the doctors said would never walk.   Several years later she was running down a hill.  And then there was my husband, who before we married lived in Scotland and moved mountains to come here.  There was never just one person – there were always many different people. 

[Dane Wilcox]:  My wife!   I recently celebrated by 30^th anniversary.   It’s been a good marriage and it’s been a bad marriage.   She’s the person who has goaded me to my own pursuit and my own goals.   When I was laid off from work she said, Go get that graduate degree.  Then she said, it’s time to get a job – here’s the application.  

[Katy Curtis]:  When I was little the greatest influence in my life was my mother.  She could do anything!    When I was a teenager and had health issues she went against the school administrators and defended me.   As an adult she helped everyone, and helped everyone and inspired everyone.   She made everyone feel wonderful and made me feel wonderful about my life.   Even though she’s gone she continues to be my inspiration. 

Humorous Speeches

[Katy Curtis]:  Wishes can come true.  

 I had a wish, I wished to become a lady.   A long time ago I joined the SCA – to live medieval time in the way they should have been with flush toilets.  Just one problem, they don’t just make you a lady for sitting around and twiddling you thumbs.   So I decided to make clothing.   It came out two dimensional.   So I danced up a storm, and before you ask – Yes, most of my former partners have regained the ability to walk…   So I decided to help people, by not hurting them, and then eventually by helping them and even organizing the event.   Then I eventually was called into court.  

[Annette Wright]: My favorite sport.
I recently invented a new sport – hiking and crocheting.  Call it Hi-crochet!  Very much like a biathlon.   Focus concentration exactness.  Cardio I get a total body workout… except for my left arm.   So now I get to exercise and I’m completing a project, pursuing a hobby.   So to get started: dust off your old fanny pack.  The biggest obstacle out there is the ever present wacko – but I have my hook so I poke him in the eye.   Went hiking with son’s boy scout troop – one young man fell and broke his ankle – but not me.   I’m thinking about applying to the Olympic committee.  Thinking the German alps, Oktoberfest time.   If rhythmic gymnastics is a sport, I am so in!

[Bill Sullivan]: DMAIC   

Six sigma is a scientific methodology to eliminate waste in the work environment.   Next time you pay your taxes make out two checks,  70% to support their work and 30% to pay for the waste.  Last week my wife was exhausted telling me the laundry was piling up.  Define what’s the problem.  Measure, the problem starts in the hamper for a week I sat in the hamper.  Analyze, started digging deeper (stated looking at the time the entire laundry process took, timing every step.   The first problem I found was, the ‘sock bombs’  and the another was ‘python pretzel pants’.  Implement improvements, we sat the kids down and started some education.  Remove the intermediate basket return step, my daughter thinks it’s a dresser.  Finally Control, I monitor this process every day.   So next my wife said, I was hoping tonight you would just come home and DMAIC dinner. 

[Joseph Oddie]:  When making plans keep it loose.  

 People don’t plan to fail they fail to plan.  I want to add to that – when making plans don’t be so rigid.  Planned a hiking trip to Europe we’ll planned ahead.   My family had given me a journal to keep – write down the things that interest you.   Aug 15^th1978  Paris.   I noticed a beautiful woman on the train.   Moments later she approached me she was Sylvie Mallay a travel agent going to Leon.   Her hands move across my forearms to my wrist, all I could think of was my Timex.   I turned down her invitation to stay with her in Leon.  Over the next few months I had some wonderful experiences but all I could think about was her.    When I got back to Paris I looked her up.   I called her at work but the person who answered the phone said she wasn’t there.  I grabbed a guy off the street and asked him if he speaks English.  He didn’t speak French.   My last night I ate in a restaurant, alone.   That night I left never to see Sylvie again.    Don’t be so rigid that you can’t change your plans when an opportunity exists. 

                                                                                                                                                                                            

And Representing Division B at the District Level, The Winners ARE!!

For table topics: Ogewu Agbese

For humorous Speech contest:  Bill Sullivan

Second place finishers were:

For table topics:  Katy Curtis

For humorous Speech contest:  Annette Wright

Come to the District 53 Fall Conference on November 22^nd, in Bloomfield and see the next level of the contest.

Respectfully submitted by
Jennifer Bourne

Secretary
Cromwell 5908

[posted by Hollie Rose, CC, CL
Thanks Jen!] 

Synopsis of Area 24 Fall Contest

On Wed 10/15 the toastmasters of Area 24 came together at the Cromwell Town hall for our Fall Area speech contest.   

Probably the most striking this about Wed. evening was that every Toastmaster in attendance had directly contributed in some way towards making the area contest a success.   

For the Table Topics contest we enjoyed hearing our area's best extemporaneous speakers [Rob Dalo, Ogewu Agbese, and Paul Horvath] tell us why they would be the best person to be elected to lead the first American colony on Mars using, of course! their toastmasters skills!   Area 24 will be represented by Ogewu Agbese for table topics at the Division level contest coming up on the 29th.

The prepared speech contest, humorous speeches, had vibrant audience participation and so many laughs our sides hurt.  

First speaker, Kevin Finn, combined elements of inspiration, absurdity, and motivation in a surprising topic choice for a humorous contest; leadership.  Second speaker, Ogewu Agbese, wowed us with a salesman's approach, sharing with the group his critical phrases  "Guaaarunteed, to save your relationship"  or even to avert a nuclear crisis!  Final Speaker, Bill Sullivan, applied a manufacturing process improvement methodology to solving the piles of laundry he finds in his house. Only someone with Bill's energy and deadpan skills could make such a combination so uproariously funny.

We are proud to have him  representing our area at the upcoming division contest.

If you missed this contest, you really missed out on the fun. 
So, just as a reminder - the competition gets more intense and the humor gets funnier as we progress up each level.    
Hope to see you all at the Division contest on Wed. Oct. 29th, at Northeast Utilities ~ 107 Selden St. in Newington!

Respectfully submitted by
Jennifer Bourne

Secretary
Cromwell 5908

[posted by Hollie Rose, CC, CL
Thanks Jen!]

16 September 2014: Fall Speech Contest

Hello, and welcome fellow Toastmasters!

This is a quick blog reminder that our upcoming Fall Speech Contest is this coming Tuesday, 16 September. Join us at 5:30 pm, at the Cromwell Town Hall in Cromwell, for fellowship and community, competition and evaluation.  You'll hear some great public speaking, some terrific evaluations, and some observe some attentive judging as we work toward finding a victor in the club-level contest for public speaking.

A reminder that our victors go on to compete in the area-level contest, and then, if they succeed there, to the district 53 conference public speaking contest.

Hope to see you Tuesday!

Fall Contest: September 16, 2014

Hi all.  It's nice to be able to write again so soon. The blog stats show that we have readers who are returning slowly but surely. Welcome back!

I'm writing to announce the Fall Speech Contest for 2014.  Cromwell Community Toastmasters will be holding its Fall Speech Contest on September 16, 2014, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Our topics for the speeches fall into two categories:

1. Humorous Speeches: For this contest, our members have to be funny, they have to be original, and they have to tell stories — not just string together one-liners.  They also have to avoid objectionable language: not easy, but great practice, and a terrific challenge.
2. Table Topics: For our second contest, our members are going to be given a subject for a speech about 10 seconds before they have to speak on it. Table Topics are challenging — you never know what it is that you're going to be asked to speak on, whether the price of tea in China or your favorite movie ever or the best meal you've ever eaten.  Table Topics contests are a real high-wire act, and they test your mettle like no other.

The Toastmasters website has a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on the subject of contests: who may be in them, who can compete and advance to the next level of competition, and what the requirements are for judges.  If you can, please familiarize yourself with the rules before Hollie Rose, our Contest Chairperson, requires you to get familiar!

If you'd like to be part of the Speech Contest, you need to be a member of Toastmasters in good standing, and a member of our club.  Which means you need to come to the meeting on August 19 at 5:30 pm and talk to our Vice President of Membership, Miroslav, about joining up.  Hope to see you then!

Area 32 Fall Contest October 9th, 2013...

Hello Toastmasters and friends,

I wanted to tell you a bit about our Fall Area 32 contest which took place on Wednesday October 9, 2013 in Berlin, CT.

It was hosted by the CCAT Toastmasters in their home meeting zone at Northeast Utilities.

There were veggie platters and pizza and drinks as the small crowd gathered.

When I first arrived I was completely THRILLED to see Charlie Hubert seated at a table with Don Ostertag. It was SO good to see Charlie’s smiling face again. It’s been too long. He looked good and well on the road to recovery. Let’s hope he’ll be able to join us at regular meetings again soon!

Cromwell members represented were Charlie, Don, Tom Alvord, Elizabeth Landeen and Hollie Rose (me) as part of the audience. And Rob Dalo and Andrew Watt as participants in the Evaluation and Humor contests respectively.

The contest got underway precisely at 7 with Ray Johnson of CCAT as the Area Contest Master.

The evening’s Test Speaker was Gaia Dong from the Aetna Club. Her speech was about culture shock and the different ways she experienced it growing up in China, moving to Japan for two years and then coming to the US eleven years ago.

By random drawing the first Evaluation Contestant was Murali Pemmaraju from the Middlesex County Club. He made some excellent points about Gaia’s speech and was able to compare some of her experiences of culture shock with his own experiences when he came to the US. It was an insightful and worthy evaluation but Murali had some tough competition.

Our own Rob Dalo was up next. He took a more technical approach to evaluating the speech; speaking of some of the many things we learn in Toastmasters and how Gaia used those techniques to great effect. He mentioned things like her use of the rule of 3s, her vocal variety, her eye contact and how she worked the room and the stage. For possible improvement he suggested some more extreme physical movements she might use in particular parts of her speech.

There were only two contestants for this contest.

Major Congratulations to Rob Dalo, who represented us well and took first place!

Congrats also to Murali Pemmaraju in second place!

After a break for more pizza and veggies the Humorous Contest began.

First up was our own new member Andrew Watt who has been a great addition to our club. He did a version of the same speech he gave for us at our club level contest but modified it somewhat to fit the stage area. His speech about what’s actually funny is fun to watch. From acting in Hamlet as a kid, to the follies of history, we get to contemplate humor. (Are feet funny?) His speech title was “What’s Funny, Anyway?”

Next up was Maria Johnson from the Middlesex County Club. She gave a speech that was very well organized – taking us from an awareness of how the story would contain death and an hour long crying jag, through some history, the death, the crying jag, something lost and something found. Her speech was titled “Diamond in the Fluff.”

The third and final contestant was Dolly Reed from CCAT. She dressed the part and looked like a mountain farm girl as she told the story of her own brand of culture shock when, as a pre-teen, her family moved from the suburbs of Ohio to the wilds of West Virginia. Many comparisons were made between the different worlds and I think we all loved the story of their pet pig named Pork Chop. She left us with the wisdom to “never fall in love with your bacon.” Dolly's speech title was "Country Ways."

For the Humorous Contest the  results were…..

(Drumroll please)

First place goes to  - Maria Johnson!

Second place to Andrew Watt!

Third place to Dolly Reed!

The evening's winners -
Maria Johnson (Middlesex County Club - Humor) and Rob Dalo (Cromwell Community Club - Evaluation)

Pictured from left to right, Tom Lore, Area Contest Chief Judge; Dolly Reed, CCAT Club; Maria Johnson, Middlesex County Club; Area Contest Master Ray Johnson; Rob Dalo, Cromwell Community Club; Murali Pemmaraju, Middlesex County Club; Andrew Watt, Cromwell Community Club (on the floor)

Pictured from left to right, Dolly Reed, CCAT Club; Tom Lore, Area Contest Chief Judge; Gaia Dong, Test Speaker;  Maria Johnson, Middlesex County Club; Nathan Jaycox, Area 32 Governor; Rob Dalo, Cromwell Community Club; Andrew Watt, Cromwell Community Club; Murali Pemmaraju, Middlesex County Club.

Big congratulations to all those who put themselves out there for these contests. And heartfelt thanks to those who facilitated – Ray Johnson as Emcee, Tom Lore as Chief Judge for the evening, Gaia Dong as Test Speaker and Nathan Jaycox, Area 32 Governor.

 Out of 19 total persons present, I’m thrilled to report that 7 of those were from our wonderful Club #5908 – Cromwell Community. I thank you all for making us so well represented and hope you will do so again next week to support our member Rob Dalo as he (hopefully) wins the next level of the contest with as much aplomb as he won this one.

Let’s see if we can show our spirit and our support next Wednesday the 16^th for the Division level Contest – Division C.

Hope to see you there!
(107 Seldon St. Berlin, CT. 6:30p)

 ~~~~~~~ Hollie Rose