Unity Toastmasters

Club 1019843 Area 71 Division H District 60

News

A Message From Our President

Think about the first time you entered the room at Unity Toastmasters. What was your first reaction? Were you nervous, excited? Were you worried when you started hearing the speeches and thought, "I hope that I can do that one day!" Did you wait anxiously on the wait list for the day when you would be inducted as a member of this club?

For those of you that are members, think back on your journey thus far; what was your reason for joining? What goals did you hope to accomplish? Have you accomplished any of them? If not, what steps are you taking to work towards them? If you have accomplished them, what's next?

I am lucky to be the president of such a warm and light-hearted club. Our members are supportive and encouraging; they jump in to help whenever they can and they make coming out to our weekly Thursday meetings enjoyable and often times, thought provoking.

As your president, I would like to challenge you on two fronts: Setting goals and surpassing them.

The first challenge: Set a goal, any goal, whether it be to be a Toastmaster as your first time this year or to compete in a contest, speak at another club or complete one of your manuals. I know that schedules are hectic and if you're anything like me, you may have that recurring "to-do" list that you re-create every day, but this leads me to my second challenge: Do not settle. Challenge yourself to not settle for what is simply required but to go above and beyond. Push yourself to reach your goals or to step out of your comfort zone. Try something new. Get creative! Be passionate! Isn't it easy to fall into a rut? Every week we attend meetings and if we aren't careful, we will become comfortable. There isn't anything wrong with being comfortable, but, if we get too comfortable it can begin to become a bit stale and then we begin to lose motivation.

This year, I intend to hold up my end of the bargain by providing opportunities for our members to step out of their comfort zone by offering different types of meetings, encouraging members to chair events and to compete in contests. The exec this year will be working hard to ensure that we provide as many opportunities as possible for members to reach their speaking and leadership goals through various forums.

I'm looking forward to working with you all this year and I know that without you, the amazing members of Unity Toastmasters, we would not be as successful as we are today.

If you have any ideas that you would like to share, I'd love to hear them. Send me an email or come and find me at the next meeting.

Thank you and I'm looking forward to another great year!

Beverly
President, 2011/2012

We've Moved!

Come visit us at our new location at
27 Castlefield Avenue
(a five minute walk north of Eglinton Ave. and just west of Yonge St.)

Unity Chooses Meetup.com to Organize Meetings

Check out our Meetup page at Unity Toastmasters of Toronto
and find out all about us!

A Message from the Immediate Past President

I am delighted to be President of Unity Toastmasters Toronto and to be given the opportunity to work with an amazing executive team and committed members while developing my own speaking skills.

In 2009, I realized how strong my fear of public speaking was at my father-in-law's funeral where I couldn't find the courage to make my way to the podium say a few words for someone so dear to me. This event motivated me to address this fear and seek out Toastmasters. I have been with Toastmasters since October 2009.

In my role as President, I will:

1. Preside over regular club meetings,
2. Preside over business meetings,
3. Preside over executive committee meetings, and
4. Provide leadership, motivation and guidance to the club.

I am looking forward to the challenge the role of President offers me, as each week I have to speak in front of the club which helps improve my speaking and leadership skills. I am also looking forward to encouraging other members to step outside their comfort zone and set challenges for themselves. To resist change is to resist growth.

In addition to this role, I am currently working on completing my Competent Communicator which I will achieve by Spring 2011.

Lynn
Past President 2010/2011

A Message from Past President 2009-2010

Hello Unity TMs!

Isn't it incredible to be part of Toastmasters, a living, breathing organization that withstands the test of time!? In 1924 Ralph Smedley, the founder of Toastmasters International, could not have known how his vision of supporting others would expand. Currently, more than 250,000 members, and over 12,500 clubs continue to inspire communication and leadership growth within each other. Through the decades, thousands of Toastmasters have embraced Smedley's vision. They are the reason we are here today. And today, as individuals and as a collective, we are assisting future generations of Toastmasters.

Can you believe the 2009/2010 Toastmasters year is finished?

I feel incredibly fortunate to have shared this year with each of you. We are truly, an outstanding club. Not just because we completed 10 out of 10 goals for the Distinguished Club Program and became a President's Distinguished Club (whoohoo!) but because each of you made this club what it is: an incredibly friendly, warm, supportive, beautiful, dynamic, amazing group of individuals who contributed immensely to each other's communication and leadership growth this year. You came, you spoke, and you conquered. :D

If you missed our joyfully exuberant meeting last Thursday we sincerely missed you! Sheldon organized and chaired an outstanding "Toastmasters Academy Awards" evening. The night was unique and unforgettable. Who knew we had such talent among us!! Michael Jackson, Sonny & Cher and Madonna showed up, as well as our soccer star, Sheldon who made a grand entrance!! Special thank you goes to Lisa for organizing the food and for her memorable "celebrity spottings" coverage. Also a big thank you to Chris for DJ'ing. What an evening! The food was excellent, the games were fantastic (who can forget Vladlena's "Bootylicious dance") and it was certainly an evening to go down in Unity Toastmasters history!! One of my goals this year as President was to create more opportunities for fun meetings. Last Thursday certainly exceeded my expectations!!!

Thank you as well to our incredible outgoing executive team whom I thanked on Thursday for all of their hard work and efforts. Those who weren't there, Susan and Brian, we missed seeing you.

Susan, thank you for taking on the role of VP Membership when we needed you. You came into office with very little training and quickly got down to business organizing the waiting list, the FAQ's for new members and you did an awesome job welcoming guests with your warmth and friendly personality. You are such an asset to our club. Thank you for all your hard work!!

Brian, thank you for being such a great support for me this year as Immediate Past President. Thank you for chairing the elections and for pushing me to make the club better and better (and to not let the little things slide!). I really appreciated leaning on all your expertise and knowledge. To both of you, please see Lynn for a special thank you gift from Unity for your hard work and efforts this year.

In my role this year I have learned more than I ever expected to learn and grown within myself far more than I thought possible. It seriously brings tears to my eyes when I think about how much this club has done for me this year. So please, take these words into your heart: it is an honour and a privilege to have shared this mutually supportive journey at Unity Toastmasters with you this year. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your presence in my life, for allowing me to support you and for supporting me.

I know the future holds great things at Unity. We are extremely fortunate to have such an enthusiastic, dedicated and wonderful leader taking centre stage, Lynn Jeffries, along with her committed and fantastic new executive team. I know the 2010/2011 year is going to knock our socks off!

Aynsley

Past President 2009/2010

Welcome to the Unity Creative Writing Corner

On this page we will be posting the creative writing efforts of our members

Our first contribution comes from Shubha, read and enjoy!

The Love Dance

The mind weaves a tapestry of floating images

Of bodies intertwined, swaying to music

To melodies of longing, love and passion

- Swirling and twirling, falling and rising,

Reaching upward in crescendos of ecstasy.

They turn into whispering shadows on descent,

- An amorphous cluster of confounding fears,

Of loneliness, darkness and dearth.

Rising in tumultuous waves so high

They toss the being into a silent shudder.

A monumental loss exhausts the spirit.

So swept, the soul is numbed into silence

A stupor settles providing insulation

- A momentary respite from the writhing pain.

Shubha

THE AH COUNTER

We need to be careful when we speak,
Not to distract the bold… err… weak.

We must keep the essence of what we say,

Not lose the thread or… ah … wander away.

The essential thought must not be… umm… stalled,

For we must keep the crowd enthralled.

By using … ah… or …umm… or …so…

We reduce the talk … umm… ever so low.

So we must … umm… be in the enamoured way,

If we really want to … ah… reap in the hay.

But use filler words like … umm… and …ah…,

And you will only be left with … ah.. .straw.

You may sway your body or swing your hips,

And gems of wisdom may fall from your lips,

But if you use these words to fill the gap,

Derek is here, to just keep track.
Derek