**8 January 2001**

# ![](media/image1.png) The Edge ![](media/image2.png)

**BNL Toastmasters, Club 8069, District 46**

**Meetings are held the 1^st^ and 3^rd^ Tuesday at 5:30 PM and the 4^th^
Tuesday at 12:05**

**Biology Building 463, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY
11973**

<http://www.bnl.gov/bera/activities/toastmstrs/default.htm>

## [Upcoming Events]{.underline}

Tues, January 15 5:30 Meeting Theme: All Things New

Tues, January 22 Noon Meeting Theme: Baby It\'s Cold Outside

Tues January 29 5:30 SPECIAL BONUS MEETING Theme: Games

### Officers 2001-02 

**President:**

Margaret Foster

**VP Education:**

Nancy Manning

**VP Membership &**

**VP Public Relations:**

Margaret Conover

**Secretary:**

Amy Halsted

**Treasurer:**

Ronnie Evans

**Sergeant at Arms:**

Beth Lin

**Newsletter Editors:**

Amy Halsted

Nancy Manning

### 

### The mission of a Toastmasters Club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.

**December 18 Meeting**

The theme of our December 18 meeting was, appropirately enough, Holiday
Time. Beth opened the meeting and Nancy was Toastmaster of the Day. We
were delighted to see Frank MacKay at the meeting, and even happier to
learn that he was about to become a father. Nand told a number of jokes,
some of them more like riddles or brain teasers. Beth did Table Topics
and in keeping with the theme she had each of us light a candle when we
responded. By the end, all of our candles burning together shed a lot of
light. Nand presented an update on the club\'s progress towards
achieving President\'s Distinguished Club status. We are on track and if
we keep up the pace, we will get there.

Frank spoke first in the speech portion of the meeting. He told about a
situation of confrontation between political rivals, and demonstrated
the importance of not yielding to intimidation. Frank\'s phrasing, use
of pauses, and occasional repetition helped us to see his point and his
experience of the ins and outs of politics greatly enriched his speech.

Nand spoke next and he told a moving story of a boy he had known in
childhood. The boy came from humble origins, but a few well-timed words
of kindness and encouragement made him decide to better himself and he
ended up by achieving a PhD. He never forgot the good woman who had said
the right thing at the right time and so inspired him to set high goals,
and he kept her apprised of his progress all along. Nand\'s emotion was
evident in this speech.

Beth inspired us again in her speech. Starting off with a reference to a
trip to visit the World Trade Center before the attacks, her talk was
about the importance of taking opportunities and living richly because
we don\'t know what tomorrow will bring. Beth was the perfect person to
deliver such a speech. Her many and varied interests and her continuing
efforts to educate and better herself are an inspiration to us and
surely to her family as well. She suggested that love is the best weapon
we have against the hatred in the world. Don\'t wait for life to happen,
she advised, but go out and embrace it.

Amy was General Evaluator. Margaret Foster was Frank\'s evaluator. Benny
evaluated for Nand and Amy for Beth. Mari gave the timer\'s report and
Doug gave the dreaded Ah Counter\'s report. A good new years\'
resolution would be to attack and eliminate the ahs, ums, you knows, and
other verbal crutches that weaken our speeches.

Happy holidays and happy new years were wished to all and Margaret
Foster closed the meeting.

# ![](media/image3.wmf)***The Edge, Page 2 January 7, 2002***

BNL Toastmasters Club Web site:
[www.bnl.gov/bera/activities/toastmstrs/default.htm](http://www.bnl.gov/bera/activities/toastmstrs/default.htm)

BNL Toastmasters Regular Meeting Schedule

+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **Date**         | **Jan. 15**     | ######        | Jan. 29        |
|                  |                 |  Jan. 22 NOON |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **Theme**        | All Things New  | Baby, It's    | Games          |
|                  |                 | Cold Outside! |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **TMOD**         | Amy             |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **Joke**         |                 |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **Word**         |                 |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **Timer**        | Mario           |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **Ah counter**   |                 |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **Grammarian**   |                 |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **Table Topics** |                 |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **Speech #1**    | Benny           |               | Margaret F.    |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **#2**           | Bill            |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **#3**           | Frank           |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **#4**           | Nand            |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **#5**           | Ronnie          |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **General        |                 |               |                |
| Eval.**          |                 |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **Evaluator #1** |                 |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **#2**           |                 |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **#3**           |                 |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **#4**           |                 |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **#5**           | Nancy           |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **Quiz Master**  |                 |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+
| **Absent**       | Margaret F.     |               |                |
+------------------+-----------------+---------------+----------------+

Mark your calendars now! We will have another meeting on the 5^th^
Tuesday in January, the 29^th^. Officer training will be held in a
unique format that will be of interest to everyone -- current officers
and future officers alike! Regular meeting events will take place as
well, speeches and evaluations, etc. Don't miss it!

Why not plan now to reach your next educational level before the end of
the Toastmasters Year? Schedule your speeches between now and June 30 to
help our club be a **President's Distinguished** **Club** for two years
in a row!

**Important Notice: Due** to recent events, BNL's front gate now
requires photo ID before allowing entrance to the site. The gate will be
given the names of all off-site members and guests several days prior to
each meeting. If you wish to bring a guest with you, please notify Nancy
or Beth by 2 days prior to the meeting.

Members\' Progress Report

  --------------------- ------------------ ------------------------------
  **Member**            **Speeches         **Achievements**
                        completed**        

  Pat A.                10                 ATM-B

  Susan C.              5                  

  Margaret C.           8                  

  Bill D.               3                  

  Ronnie E.             3                  DTM

  Margaret F.           2                  DTM

  Mario F.                                 

  Anthony G.                               

  Amy H.                5                  CTM

  Benny H.              7                  

  Barbara K.                               

  Doug K.                                  

  Beth L.               9                  ATM-G

  Frank M.                                 

  Nancy M.              6                  ATM-B

  Nand N.               5                  ATM-G

  Mari R.               3                  
  --------------------- ------------------ ------------------------------

#