Page 18 - 2017 December Voices

SUCCESSFUL CLUB

Fun, Diversity and Ice

Breaker Candies

by Bill Hernandez, DTM

Tuesday’s at noon on the Nike World cultures and customs while having fun is
Headquarters campus, club President Michael something I believe makes our club so unique.
Blythe opens the West Beaverton Toastmasters We also have diversity in experience. Ten of
meeting with the same question: our members have achieved at least CC status
“Is everyone ready for the best hour of the and all are more than willing to mentor the less
week?” experienced members.
The resounding cry of 28 people saying YES Finally, I believe it is the small things we
in harmony is a sound I never get tired of hearing. do that make a huge difference. Whether it is
April, 2018 will mark my twelfth year as a always having theme meetings (picture of last
member of this incredible club that has been weeks agenda ), creative re-caps (see photo )
President Distinguished for 8 years in a row. showing up to support and make the most noise
There are endless reasons why I love our club when members compete in area and division
and I can sum them up with these: fun, diversity contests or making sure evaluators present those
and Ice-Breaker Candies. members giving their ice-breaker speeches,
I need only think back to our last meeting as a you guessed it, Ice-Breaker Candies. (Pictured
great example of these three principals in action. - Sergeant at Arms Clinton Hodgson handing
For most people, getting up in front of a group new member Ben Lee his well deserved award).
and having to speak is a frightful experience. We invite anyone in the Portland area to
But one common theme each week that helps drop by and check out why West Beaverton
alleviate this is our fun factor. We not only count Toastmasters is such a special club; but be
the uh’s and um’s, we also count the laughs. No warned, the Toastmaster may be dressed as a
one delivers the fun better than Distinguished judge and the club may be determining the
Toastmaster, Patrick Tuohy (pictured here fate of Peter Cottontail. (Picture of juror Bill
wearing a mask for our Grinch themed meeting). Hernandez with Peter).
And, his creativity and leadership rubs off on all
our members.
Our laugh counter lost track last week during
table topics when Michael Midghall (pictured)
led the West Beaverton Christmas Carolers as
they re-told the story of how the Grinch stole
Christmas.
Thirty years ago one of the best decisions
founder Del Weaver (still an active member)
made was to make WBTM an open club. Only
half of our current members (28) work on the
Nike campus. Nike is a global company and this
is a global group of Toastmasters. We have or
have had members from China, Korea, India,
Brazil, Mexico, Nepal and Russia, to name a few
countries. The ability to learn about different

18 VOLUME 4 ISSUE 6 DECEMBER, 2017