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SERGEANT-AT-ARMS

LISA SMITH

Does this sound familiar? You are sitting in your car. The sweat begins to form on your brow. You’re thinking…thinking of any excuse to start your car and leave before someone notices you. But something within you forces you to get out of your car and go in……….to your first Toastmasters Meeting. You are pleasantly surprised by the warm, friendly person waiting to greet you as you enter the meeting. Instantly, your anxiety begins to fade as this once-dreaded place turns out to be one of friendship, laughter, excitement and fun.

I think many of us can relate to a story similar to this. I know I can. I was dreading walking into that meeting when Fred Coutts, then Sergeant-at-Arms, greeted me with a warm, friendly “Hello.” He instantly made me feel at ease, which confirmed to me that I had made the right decision in coming.

Simple as it may seem, that first impression can make the difference in whether a guest ever returns to a Club. With that in mind, as Gina and I jointly took on this role last July, our goals were simple but very important. Making sure all guests feel welcome from the moment they walk in the door was first and foremost on our list. With one of us at the door, we were sure to greet each member and guest, introduce guests to other members, get them seated and provide them with a name card. Between the two of us, we have been able to handle all of these critical duties!

Another important role for the Sergeant-at-Arms is to arrive early to set up the room. I used to take it for granted that when I showed up at 5:25 the room would be set and ready to go. I never thought twice about who set it up!! Further, this part of the job couldn’t be done without the help of other members who arrive early and stay late. Thank you all for your help!!

I’ve really enjoyed my time as Sergeant-at-Arms. It has been an additional commitment on a weekly basis, but I have enjoyed it immensely and would highly recommend this role or any other Club leadership role. Yes, it is another responsibility to add to your already hectic life, but as they say with all volunteer experiences, you truly get more out of it than you put in.

Membership
on the Move

ERIC THOMPSON, VP MEMBERSHIP

JULIE WICKLUND, ASST. VPM

Wow, our membership just keeps growing! Thanks to our members for their help with these efforts! With the addition of Selva Rajagopal and Geetha Sundaram on May 9th and the expected addition of Lisa Harold and reinstatement of Chaz Simmons, we should soon be 32 members strong (a new all-time membership high). This is surely a sign of a very healthy Club.

Still, we encourage everyone to keep bringing in new guests because, like it or not, the average Toastmaster will only stay for approximately two years. So we need to continue to sign up new members to keep pace with gradual attrition.

"So what is the best way to generate potential members?” you may ask. The answer: Tell a friend, co-worker, family member or someone in your neighborhood. You are the best vehicle to deliver the message about TM. In fact, the most successful way to bring new members to the Club is by word of mouth. Remember that every member is a steward for the Club. So, spread the word: tell someone you know about TM.

Here are some concrete steps to improve a guest's experience. When the guest walks in:

J Remember to meet and greet every guest who walks through the door.

J Treat the guest like a friend who stopped by to see you (remember, first impressions are really important!).

J If you notice that they are really nervous, tell them about how supportive everyone is in our Club. Also tell them that Notable Northgaters has Toastmasters of all levels, from beginner to advanced.

J After the meeting, invite them to come again.

The number one reason why guests don't come back is because they had a bad impression the first time.

Here are some additional suggestions:

1) Try to end meetings on time. This will give everyone a better opportunity to interact with guests.

2) Help in breaking down the room. If everyone pitches in, this will go a lot faster and we will have more time for guests and to socialize with each other.

And finally, please help me welcome the newest member of our Membership team, Julie Wicklund. Julie is assisting me with the VP Membership duties. Julie is very enthusiastic and I look forward to working with her to maintain our strong membership!

Toastmasters at Large

DEBORAH FERBER

From time to time, members of our Club take on public speaking roles in the real world, using the skills they’ve gained at Toastmasters to make the most of such opportunities. As we dutifully march through the assignments in our manuals, however, we might forget that public speaking outside our Club is the eventual goal of our efforts. The following report on two of our members’ latest appearances should provide an inspiration to all of us.

On March 2^nd, 2001, Michelle Rupp appeared live on CNN and spoke about earthquake insurance in the aftermath of our Feb. 28 temblor. She was interviewed for five minutes about the details of insurance policies in Washington State. Michelle says that six months' worth of table topics helped her to think on her feet and stay calm (even though the ear-piece that she wore conveyed only muffled questions of which she could glean only a word here and there!). But a combination of luck and good critical thinking allowed her to focus on the points she wanted to say, and somehow her answers came out beautifully. Before the show, she was not as nervous as she would have been without her Toastmasters experience, so she could focus on what she was going to wear and other “girlie things,” rather than worrying about what she would say. Michelle also chairs the recently formed Northgate Chamber of Commerce, where she performs the role much like our weekly Toastmaster.

In the April 4-17 issue of The Seattle Press, our very own Mary Ann Schroeder, ATM-B, appeared on the front page, smiling with two co-workers of the Greenwood Safeway. Mary Ann is quoted in the accompanying article about a pending grocery store workers strike (since averted). She explained the workers’ position, and says she was happy to do the interview because she believes community outreach is important “so people can make a choice with a clear understanding of the strike issues.” Mary Ann was chosen for the interview because she is very active in the labor movement. She is in the UFCW-81 meat cutters union, which is a part of the AFL-CIO. She also does work for Jobs With Justice, a labor movement organization. Mary Ann says that prior to Toastmasters, she would have turned down the interview opportunity. “Toastmasters helped me get over the feeling that I didn’t have anything to offer.” She also credits Toastmasters with helping her think on her feet and giving her that all-important edge for any public speaking opportunity: CONFIDENCE.

Congratulations to Michelle and Mary Ann. We are quite proud to have both of these go-getters in our midst!

Meeting Awards & Reports

Date/ Theme	4/18 Seattle Headlines	4/25 Hot Seat Meeting	5/2 Social Blunders	5/9 Miracles
Attendance: Total/ Guests	15/0	18/2	24/4	29/3
Word of the Day	lambent	serendipity	plebeian	phenomenon
Toast of the Day	Ashley	Deborah	Ray	3 Guests
Most Improved Speaker	N/A	Deborah	Fred	N/A
Best Table Topics	Les	Sheila	Les	Gabriela
Best Evaluator	Lisa S	Ray	Sheila	Carol M

Great job, everyone! Keep up the good work!

We have now achieved 9 of the 10 Distinguished Club goals (see below)!

Membership Anniversaries:

Gloria Buce, ATM - May 1992

Mary Ann Schroeder, ATM-B – May 1997

Ray Roman, CTM – May 1998

Congratulations to Eric Beattie, for presenting your ice breaker speech on April 18!

Congratulations to Les Thornley and Deborah Ferber for earning the half-CTM award, and to Fred Coutts for earning the CTM award!

SPECIAL REPORT ON THE DISTRICT 2 FALL CONFERENCE

From our Club’s Roving Reporters

Notes from My First District Conference

Michelle Rupp

This was my first conference and I was really looking forward to learning a great deal. Toastmasters did not disappoint! Although not a Club officer, I chose to attend the District's business meeting in order to understand more about the structure and culture of Toastmasters. The meeting was well-organized and interesting. I was impressed by how much time and energy the leadership of District 2 donates to the organization. I was also pleased to learn that our Club is lucky enough to be in one of the highest-achieving Districts in the country!

Both the Evaluation Contest and Speech Contest were amazing. The level of competition was fantastic. However, what struck me was that no magic was involved. If any of us would take the time to learn and refine our skills -- and to practice, practice and practice -- he or she would be capable of making a darn good show as a competitor.

I also want to congratulate Gabriela Remow for the "Spark Plug" award. This award is so very well deserved!

I went to several educational sessions. They were extremely thought-provoking. Herbert Lee gave a presentation on his "3D Presentation System": Desire - What does your audience desire and how can you speak to that desire? Delivery - How can you create rapport using visual, auditory and kinesthetic techniques? Degree: What is the temperature or degree of your audience - are they hostile, antagonistic, friendly, neutral or indifferent? I purchased Herbert's well-researched books. Please contact me if you would like to see them.

Then Albert Mensah, a nationally known speaker from District 2, spoke on delivering value to the audience. He stressed asking key questions of the organization inviting you to speak. Why are they asking you to give the speech? What do you know that others would most benefit from hearing? How can you use self-disclosure to create the need for the audience to listen and learn? Albert's own story is incredible. An immigrant from Ghana, he entered the 1999 International Speech contest after completing only four speeches in Toastmasters. He had to rush to complete two additional speeches in order to meet Toastmasters' requirement of a minimum of six speeches completed and move beyond District. He eventually placed second in the world. He now is a professional speaker who appears in front of huge crowds for Fortune 500 companies to earn his living. Albert is an inspiration -- living proof that if you find your gift, and polish it, the sky is the limit.

Both Albert and Herbert stressed the power of self-disclosure and the importance of knowing your audience, creating your message to speak to them and presenting it in a way that compels them to listen. I came away from this conference certain that if I prepare my talks with their tips in mind, my speeches will be more powerful and successful.

Thank you, District 2 for a great conference!

Ay Caramba! D-2 Conference Wows Them in Everett

Ray Roman, CTM

Club President

The 2001 District 2 Fall Conference, based on a Wizard of Oz theme, will be held at the Bellevue Hilton Hotel on Friday and Saturday, October 26 & 27. . .

Hey, wait a minute! Why is an article about the Spring Conference starting off with information about the upcoming Fall Conference?!? Because Saturday's daylong Cinco de Mayo Toastmasters Fiesta left me so pumped up about Toastmasters that I eagerly anticipate all the contests, educational sessions, fun and good fellowship I know I can expect next time!

How did this come about? It was easy -- I had a great time on Saturday! Some highlights:

l The educational sessions were informative and fun. Two of the best I saw were Albert Mensah's great session on delivering value to the audience and Herbert Lee's talk on giving effective, "3-D" presentations. In addition, I learned how to incorporate humor into my talks from Katie Muñoz, whose seminar, "Humor for the Humor-challenged," seemed hand-tailored for me!

l The Evaluation Contest was very stimulating and instructive. I marveled at how differently five expert evaluators could give supportive feedback.

l The keynote speech by Lori Matsukawa of KING-5 News was entertaining, funny and meaningful. She told of how she went from being an anxious adolescent to being crowned Miss Teen America to gaining a career in TV journalism.

l The International Speech Contest capped the day. All five speeches were superbly delivered and thought-provoking. However, the first- and second-place finishers, Linda Shulman and Myla Causing, displayed that precious ability to inspire and move the audience with personal stories. To me, the contest alone was worth the price of the whole day.

I met a lot of people, new and familiar faces, by running the fundraising raffle. In this role, conference break times were prime sales opportunities. Aided by a large poster listing the raffle prizes and sponsors (thanks to Michelle Rupp) and sporting a fine scarlet sombrero lent by Sheila Dixon, ATM, I made my sales pitch in a bellowing roar. I doffed my usual demure demeanor and cried out to all who would listen (and all who wouldn't) to get their tickets right now! Throughout the day, folks sought out my crimson chapeau to purchase chances. We raffled off lots of prizes, including a $50 gift certificate to Office Depot donated by our Club as well as generous gifts from Michelle Rupp and Mike Suver. Why did I spend my time doing this? Sure, it helped the District, but mainly it was fun!

l Even the District 2 Annual Business Meeting (required for Club Presidents and VPs of Education) was exciting! A dispute arose over whether and how to modify District 2 policies. Audience members were treated to a slate of eloquent impromptu speeches for and against a proposition. This was heady stuff: high-level Table Topics with real consequences.

In conclusion, District conferences are informative and fun. I urge everyone to consider attending and taking part. There are usually discounts for early registration and for groups of four or more from the same Club attending. See me or watch for further announcements.

A Message from the Editor

A lot has happened since our last newsletter came out, so I’ll have to write quickly to fit it all in here. First and foremost, our VP Education, Fred Coutts, has earned his CTM award by completing the tenth speech from the Communication and Leadership Program. (Congratulations, Fred!) As a result, our Club has now completed its ninth goal of the ten Distinguished Club Program goals (see our Club Success Plan below). Thus, we are now qualified as a President’s Distinguished Club, the highest level of distinction for any Club. This honor was achieved by only five of approximately 110 Clubs in District 2 last year, so we have good reason to be proud! However, we cannot rest on our laurels but should continue to work hard to excel.

As I reported in the first issue of this newsletter (Aug. 2000), our District Governor Jerry Weltner, DTM, has made a standing promise to visit any Club in the District that achieves President’s Distinguished status. Jerry is a lively and entertaining speaker who will surely be packing lots of fun. Expect to see him at one of our June meetings.

Another major event was the election of a new slate of officers for the 2001-2002 year. Thanks to our Immediate Past President Sheila Dixon, ATM, members were nominated for each of the seven officer positions. Here are the election results.

Congratulations to all the new officers! As an added bonus, five of the new officers will also have assistants. This reflects our new policy goal of lightening officers' burdens and sharing leadership opportunities more widely within our growing Club. Thanks to all who have volunteered for this duty – Julie Wicklund (Asst. VPM), Gabriela Remow, ATM-B (Asst. VPPR), Ashley Kantor (Asst. Secretary), Carol Molchior (Asst. Treasurer), and Eric Beattie (Asst. Sgt.-at-Arms).

At our most recent meeting (May 9^th), we inducted two new members, Geetha Sundaram and Selva Rajagopal, re-attaining our recent all-time membership high of 30. Welcome, Geetha and Selva!

That same evening, two more prospective members applied for membership, so we appear to be headed for another new high in membership number. In addition, after that regular Club meeting on May 9^th, a large group of members attended a social outing to a nearby restaurant. This event was arranged by our new, ad hoc “social committee” – Lisa Smith, Eric Thompson, Ashley Kantor, and Sheila Dixon, ATM. Thanks, social committee!

Also, this month was the District 2 Spring Conference on Cinco de Mayo!

Four members of our Club attended the Conference – Michelle Rupp; Sheila Dixon, ATM; Eric Thompson, and Ray Roman, CTM. Here are Sheila Dixon’s highlights of the Conference:

“Meeting old friends – making new ones. Seeing how Toastmasters works in a very practical way. Meeting Lori Matsukawa from KING-5 TV (she accepted the Toastmasters Communication and Leadership award). Being thrilled by the contestants in the evaluation and speech contests. Seeing our own Ray Roman dispensing raffle tickets while wearing a colorful sombrero!” (For more on this topic, see our special report on the District 2 Spring Conference in this issue.)

And finally, I’d like to congratulate our Club President, Ray Roman, CTM, for being named as our Area 23 Governor for 2001-2002. Our Area will be well served next year.

So as you can see, there’s been a lot happening this month. Our Club meetings have been packed with people and enthusiasm. Let’s keep up the great work and continue having fun!

In Memoriam

SHEILA DIXON, ATM

Notable Northgaters remembers a former member, Jack D. Howard, Distinguished Toastmaster and District 2 Governor. Jack passed away April 14^th, 2001, after an extended illness.

Jack Howard and his wife, Lilla, were charter members of our Club when it was formed back in 1988. They remained active until their retirement in 1994. Jack continued to be a member of the Wallingford Club. Some of our Club members may remember him competing in the Area contests while recuperating from his first stroke.

He was an expert evaluator, a respected parliamentarian, and a great humorous speaker. The Jack Howard Evaluation Trophy is presented to the winner of the District 2 Evaluation Contest each year. This year’s winner was Julia Tai of the Redmond Club.

The Secretary’s Corner – Club Business

The Club elected a slate of new officers for the incoming year (July 1, 2001-June 30, 2002). The Club also voted to subsidize half of the Spring Conference fee for Eric Thompson to attend.

The Club voted unanimously to accept Geetha Sundaram and Selva Rajagopal as new members. They were duly sworn in to the Club by President Ray Roman, CTM.

All officers were present: President Ray Roman, CTM; VP Education Fred Coutts, CTM; VP Membership Eric Thompson; VP PR Gabriela Remow, ATM-B; Secretary Madeleine Kolb; Treasurer Michael Suver; Sgts-at-Arms Lisa Smith and Gina Coluccio; and Immediate Past President Sheila Dixon, ATM. Also present were several of the incoming officers and assistants for next year. With minor corrections, the minutes for the March and April business meetings were approved. The upcoming June visit to our Club by District 2 Governor Jerry Weltner, DTM, was discussed. A discussion about the number of speakers per meeting was also briefly held. The meeting was adjourned.

If you’ve been in the military, you know that a sentry on duty must never abandon his post, but instead must be properly relieved. The same is true of our lectern at Toastmasters. The person at the lectern is on duty, and should not leave the lectern until receiving a firm handshake and smile from the person coming to the lectern next. This is proper Toastmasters etiquette.

And what about the person arriving at the lectern, or the person standing to speak from his seat at our meetings? What should be the first words spoken? According to the Communication and Leadership Program (pp. 11 and 71), the speaker should begin by saying, “Mr. (or Madam) Toastmaster,” followed by “Ladies and gentlemen…” or “Fellow Toastmasters and welcome guests…” The manual says to then plunge in with your prepared opening sentences. At Notable Northgaters, we usually say, “Mr./Madam Toastmaster, fellow Toastmasters, and honored guests,” and then proceed to speak. This is more than mere form: Our Area Governor, Walter Carlisle, ATM-S, once commented when he was visiting our meeting that he felt very welcomed (“the most welcomed person in the room”) by our repeated recognition of honored guests throughout the meeting.

As a practical point, we should note that it is not always the Toastmaster who is at the lectern, so we will not always begin with “Mr./Madam Toastmaster.” The tallymaster and the opener of the meeting will typically begin with, “Mr. President, fellow Toastmasters, and honored guests…” Table topics speakers will say “Mr./Madam Table Topics Master, fellow Toastmasters, and honored guests…” The evaluation team will commence with, “Mr./Madam General Evaluator, fellow Toastmasters, and honored guests…” Generally speaking, the person who is, or just was, at the lectern is the one we should first recognize when beginning to speak.

At the other end, our manual also has some definite suggestions for finishing speaking (pp. 12 and 71). On both pages, we are urged not to thank the audience – in fact, it says, “never thank your audience” – and “never” is a mighty strong word. The audience should be thanking the speaker, the manual says. Instead of thanking the audience, we are to end with our prepared ending, nod at the Toastmaster, and say, “Mr. (or Madam) Toastmaster,” then wait for the Toastmaster to come shake our hand before leaving the lectern (remember, you are a sentry on duty when at the lectern). And of course, now is the time to enjoy the applause.

Depending on the situation, again, it will not always be the Toastmaster who we are recognizing at the end of our talk. The person who is, or who next will be, at the lectern is the one we should recognize when we finish speaking.

Following these rituals of etiquette gives our Club a very professional, well-run and organized appearance. On the other hand, it often happens that a member finishes speaking and then becomes confused, not sure what to say next or who is coming to the lectern next. And sometimes swamped by confusion and panic, the helpless speaker blurts out, "Thank you." We can avoid this confusion by practicing the principles outlined above. It should become second nature, when finishing speaking, to say “Mr. (or Madam) ____” (Toastmaster, President, Table Topics Master, General Evaluator). This is the audience’s cue to begin the applause, and the other person’s cue to resume control of the meeting.

So, for smooth transitions, begin and end speaking in the recommended manner. Shake hands when exchanging control of the lectern, recognize the person who was or is at the lectern as well as your fellow Toastmasters and guests, never thank the audience, and conclude by saying “Mr. (or Madam) [fill in the blank].” And enjoy helping the meeting along by making a smooth transition. For, as District Governor Jerry Weltner says, if you’re not having fun, you’re not doing it right!

Club Success Plan

Goals	Who/When? (Blue = Done, Green = Exceeded Requirements)

Two CTM's	Gloria (4/01)		Fred (4/01)
Two more CTM’s	Michael (5/01)		Madeleine (6/01)
One ATM	Theresa (12/00)
One more ATM	Gabriela (2/01)
One CL	Theresa (12/00)
One more CL	Gabriela (1/01)
Four new members	Kay (8/00), Eric (8/00), Marta (10/00), Julie (10/00)
Four more new members	Michelle (11/00), Carina (12/00), Steve K (1/01), Carol J (2/01), Eric B (3/01), Mary (3/01), Geetha (5/01), Selva (5/01)
Minimum of four Club officers trained during each of two training periods (both required)	First training period		Second training period
	Ray, Fred, Theresa, Gabriela 7/22/00 Madeleine 8/00		Ray, Eric, Gabriela, Madeleine 12/16/00
One semiannual membership report and one Club officer list submitted on time	Membership report		Officer list
	Oct. 2000	Apr. 2001	Jun. 2000	Jun. 2001
	Ray 9/00	Ray 3/01	Sheila 6/00	Ray 5/01

Making the First Impression