**12 April 2002**

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

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

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

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

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

## [Upcoming Events]{.underline}

Tues April 16 5:30 Meeting Theme: Italy

Tues, April 23 Quarterly NOON meeting, Berkner Hall

### 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.

**2 April Meeting**

Humor was the theme of the 2 April meeting. Our president, Margaret
Foster, opened the meeting and Amy Halsted was toastmaster of the day.
We had two guests, Steve and Susan Minion. Marjorie Lamb came back to
the club and she's a new member. Welcome, Marjorie! Beth Lin announced
that at the recent District 46 contest, Pat Astre won the humorous
speech competition and Margaret Conover won the evaluation contest.
Congratulations, Pat and Margaret, and good luck at the next level of
competition.

Amy noted that humor has great power, to heal, unite, communicate and
break the ice. Margaret Conover gave us *facsimile* as the word of the
day. Margaret F. took the podium back to deliver table topics. Her
questions were about our experiences with humor and humorous or funny
experiences we've had.

Two speakers gave talks after the break. Zhen Hui Zhang gave her ice
breaker speech and we marveled at the intellectual and geographical
journey she has made in her life so far. Born in China, she left home to
go to school at a young age. She has pursued higher education in physics
and a PhD in the United States. Zhen Hui's clear enunciation and her
calm demeanor made for a very successful ice breaker. We can't wait to
hear more from her!

Amy spoke next, with the "moral of the story" assignment from the Story
Telling advanced manual. She told about a trip she took to the
Philadelphia zoo to see the giant South American otters, the only ones
in the United States. Despite advance planning and inquiry, the otters
weren't visible when she first arrived at the zoo, but a polite request
for help to a zoo curator brought a special "back stage" visit with
Banjo and Rio, the two beautiful otters. The thrilling experience taught
Amy several things: to learn from her successes as well as her failures,
the importance of pursuing her interests, and that things sometimes work
out MUCH better than expected

Ronnie Evans was general evaluator. She noted that the meeting had moved
along briskly. Quizmaster Bill tested our listening ability, and he also
gave the Timer's report. Mari was Ah Counter and she gave us the bad
news very gently. Ronnie turned the podium back to Amy, who asked
Margaret Foster for the winner of table topics. Mari's dry humor and
sharp observations made her the winner. Margaret Foster closed the
meeting.

**The Pledge of Allegiance**: After September 11, we spontaneously
started inviting members and guests to say the Pledge of Allegiance at
the beginning of each of our meetings. The Pledge has a deep and
emotional meaning to many people, especially at this time in US history.
We do want everyone to know, however, that participating in saying the
Pledge is purely voluntary. Some members and guests are not US citizens
and some citizens may not subscribe wholeheartedly to all the statements
in the Pledge. Tolerance and acceptance of differences is a cherished
and important part of American life.

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# ![](media/image2.jpeg){width="1.9in" height="0.7125in"}***The Edge, Page 2 April 12, 2002***

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="1.9in" height="0.7125in"}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**        | ###            | #####        | **May 7**         |
|                 | ##### April 16 | ### April 23 |                   |
|                 |                |              |                   |
|                 |                | **NOON**     |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **Theme**       | Italy          | Better       | Leftovers         |
|                 |                | Speaking     |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **TMOD**        | Ronnie         | Nancy        |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **Joke**        |                |              |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **Word**        |                |              |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **Timer**       |                |              |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **Ah counter**  | Zhen-Hui       |              |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **Grammarian**  |                |              |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **Table         | Amy            | Beth         |                   |
| Topics**        |                |              |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **Speech #1**   | Marjorie       | Pat          | Marjorie          |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **#2**          | Zhen-Hui       |              | Beth              |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **#3**          | Bill           |              |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **#4**          | Margaret F.    |              |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **#5**          |                |              |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **General       |                | Ronnie       |                   |
| Eval.**         |                |              |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **Evaluator     |                | Margaret F.  |                   |
| #1**            |                |              |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **#2**          |                |              |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **#3**          |                |              |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **#4**          |                |              |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **#5**          |                |              |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **Quiz Master** |                |              |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+
| **Absent**      | Beth, Nand     | Beth, Brian, |                   |
|                 |                | Margaret C.  |                   |
+-----------------+----------------+--------------+-------------------+

**We welcome** new members Brian Boyer, Marjorie Lamb, and Steven Stein.
Brian is a past member of our club who has been out of the country the
past several years. We\'re glad to have you back, Brian!

**Mentoring Program:** Assignments will be given out at the April 16^th^
meeting and time will be allotted for the initial Mentor/Mentee
discussion.

**Important Notice:** For security reasons, BNL's front gate requires
photo ID for entrance to the site. The gate will be given the names of
all off-site members and expected 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.                  2                    ATM-B

  Brian B.                                     CTM

  Margaret C.                                  CTM

  Bill D.                 6                    

  Ronnie E.               3                    DTM

  Margaret F.             3                    DTM

  Mario F.                                     

  Amy H.                  8                    CTM

  Benny H.                9                    

  Barbara K.                                   

  Doug K.                                      

  Marjorie L.                                  

  Beth L.                                      ATM-G

  Nancy M.                7                    ATM-B

  Nand N.                 7                    ATM-G

  Marc N.                                      

  Mari R.                 4                    

  Steve S.                                     

  Zhen-Hui Z.             1                    
  ----------------------- -------------------- --------------------------

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