Page 9 - November 2017 Voices
P. 9
JUST SAYIN’ . . .
A Toastmasters Thanksgiving
by Donna Stark, DTM—District Director
Season’s Greetings! In Toastmasters terms that feedback and
means Fall Contest season is behind us and Club less on potential areas for improvement.
Officer Training season is just around the corner. Now is not the time to make unfavorable
There’s just enough time to tuck a little holiday comparisons to Grandma’s giblets or Aunt
in there! If you attended the District Humorous Patty’s perfect pies.
Speech Contest (and if you didn’t, you missed a • The timer’s role can be especially valuable,
good one!), you will recall a couple of our speakers and not just to make sure the marshmallows
talked about incorporating the structure of on top of the sweet potatoes don’t get overly
Toastmasters into other life situations. Following crispy. Do you have someone that starts
that theme, I offer a few ideas to incorporate
Toastmasters into your Turkey Day activities. talking and goes on and on... and on? The
• Have a Sergeant-at-Arms call the meal to red card can be particularly helpful here.
order. This may include herding children • Conversation can be the highlight of the day.
away from their playtime to come to the A good Table Topics Master insures that
table. At our house the bigger challenge everyone gets an opportunity to participate.
will be getting the football fans away from Ask leading questions that require more than
the television. This person can also take the a one or two-word response. If someone
lead on set-up and clean-up, and make sure seems to monopolize the conversation,
all the necessary supplies are on hand and invoke the timer’s red card.
ready to go. • Have a Grammarian pick an appro-
• Our prepared speech (aka main dish) comes priate word of the day, such as gratitude.
out of the basic manual… turkey. Perhaps Incorporate it into your speaking oppor-
you prefer ham, prime rib, goose, or other tunities early and often. I’m grateful that a
options from one of the specialty manuals. I coworker introduced me to Toastmasters
hear Pathways offers vegan options and the fourteen years ago.
something-for-everyone turducken. I wish you the happiest of Thanksgivings. Enjoy
• Every speech deserves an evaluation. I will your friends and family. Share your stories. And
caution that when it comes to evaluating the remember that holiday gatherings can be gold
meal, it may be prudent to focus on positive mines of potential speech material. Just Sayin’.
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 5 NOVEMBER, 2017 9
