To put it simply … this special event was SO. MUCH. FUN !! Thanks to all who who braved the unusually cold summer temperature and high winds to make it out!
Three awesome Toastmasters were inducted as members:
- Rick Chandler
- Marie-Chantal Côté
- Gaetane Ferland
And our executive team for the new Toastmaster year starting in July was presented:
- President – Bonnie Mak
- VP Membership – Sapandeep Randhawa
- VP Education – Artem Ploujnikov
- VP Public Relations – Pierre LeBlanc
- VP Mentorship – Estelle Ross
Beyond Words is looking for motivated Toastmasters to complete our team … Secretary, Treasurer, and Sergeant at Arms. These positions can contribute to your Advanced Leadership Bronze (ALB), and as founding executive members, you’ll help to build an awesome advanced Toastmasters club!
Our enthusiastic Toastmaster, Rick Chandler, emphasized why we were gathered there in the park, albeit the crappy weather, and why we attend Beyond Words … to push past boundaries. It’s by stepping through our discomfort that we can grow! Interestingly, Rick was the only one who succeeded in using the word of the day, reminiscent, as the rest of us were just too distracted by the hilarity that ensued.
First up was a wonderful speaker, Lee Weishar, with his speech “Courage and Conviction”, where he gave a solid interpretative reading of Patrick Henry’s speech made to the Virginia Convention in 1775 in Richmond, Virginia … “Give me liberty, or give me death!” Great evaluations were given during the COACHING SESSION by our two evaluators, Ganesh Santhar and Marie-Chantal Côté, and the round-robin that will help Lee go from good to GREAT!
This special meeting included an extended two-part THINK FAST! Session full of delightful improv games led by Artem Ploujnikov and Bonnie Mak. We all definitely released our inner child and laughed heartily!
Artem’s games:
- Whoosh! – a super fun warm-up game with sound effects (whoosh, woah, zoom) and passing energy
- Bunny, Bunny (or how Pierre LeBlanc and some others liked to play it, “Bonnie, Bonnie” … humph! 😛 ) This warm-up game was more complex, but it was so funny to see us all get into the body movements!
- Pillars – storytelling game played with a trio and two “pillars” that filled in the blanks
Bonnie’s games:
- Call & Answer – a group game where individuals segue from their answer to call out another question … with some help, of course, from a “hot potato”
- Freeze! – two people start a scene chosen by the group (place, object, action), then at a particular moment, an individual can shout out “Freeze!” and jump into the scene to replace one of the participants, starting an entirely new scene with the remaining participant
We will definitely have to play these games again during our regular meetings!
Our next meeting on July 16 will be another special event, Let’s Get Intimate!, held at the President’s home, where we will have an extended THINK FAST! Session designed to get to know each other in a super fun context. And no, we don’t get nekked!
Enjoy these pics from our meeting:
Rick Chandler, Toastmaster, and Lee Weishar, speaker
Lee Weishar, “Courage and Conviction”
Artem Ploujnikov, Topicsmaster #1 … voted Most Enthusiastic!
Our wonderful Improv in the Park gang!
At Ho Guom, our post-toasties spot … shrimp and vegetables with crispy noodles, so delicious!
