Boaters Toastmasters

Toastmaster club. District 72, New Zealand. Rakaia Building, Ara Institute of Canterbury, Madras Street, Chch.

21st June. Winter Solstice: the shortest day, the longest night.

Posted:
July 16, 2024
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Member blog
A young woman and an older man stand side by side in a room with a yellow wall and a whiteboard. The woman is wearing a grey hoodie and smiling, while the man is dressed in a dark jacket and glasses, also smiling. They are holding a small item together, possibly a card or plaque.

 

Oops, it’s been a while since our last entry, but we’re back to share some of our remarkable experiences.

As our regular meeting room is undergoing electrical renovations, we’ve had to adapt to a few meetings with minimal lighting. This unexpected twist turned out to be an intriguing challenge, allowing us to focus intensively on vocal variety and tone—elements we might not have emphasised under normal circumstances.

Temporarily relocated to our backup room next door, we’ve found ourselves enjoying a more intimate setting. The smaller space has brought us closer together, reminiscent of the pre-social distancing days.

Men reading his speech

On June 21st, under the stewardship of the ever-dynamic Aaron Webb, we embraced the theme ‘The Shortest Day, The Longest Night,’ coinciding with the winter solstice in our southern hemisphere. As the Grammarian for the day, I introduced the Māori word ‘tīmatanga,’ meaning ‘beginning.’ This session was perfectly timed with our Matariki celebrations, marking the end of one cycle and the beginning of a new Toastmasters year.

The speeches were centred around leadership and communication. Roydon Gibbs led us through a day in the life of a leader, sharing how he engages an audience and fosters learning and growth. Allannah Vickery explored her weekly experiences working with teams, delving into effective listening, constructive feedback, and the role of emotions in our interactions.

A young woman and an older man stand side by side in a room with a yellow wall and a whiteboard. The woman is wearing a grey hoodie and smiling, while the man is dressed in a dark jacket and glasses, also smiling. They are holding a small item together, possibly a card or plaque.

Additional highlights included welcoming Hannah Drury, our newest member, who just received her Toastmasters badge—hooray! Alannah received the ‘Toastie’ award of the day for stepping forward and delivering a speech with a short time notice. Well done, Alannah!

A woman and a man stand side by side in a room with a yellow wall and a whiteboard. The woman is holding a small blue plaque and smiling, while the man stands with his hands in his pockets, also smiling. Both are casually dressed.

In summary, this session was one of intimacy and professional growth, superbly led by Aaron. He expertly wove all activities together, maintaining engagement and connectivity throughout the room. In my view, it was probably the best session I’ve witnessed so far, with a vibrant, connected club making the most of every minute.

Looking forward to more memorable moments like these. See you next Friday!

Your late-but-still-present blogger, Jorge.