By Shirley M. Carolan, ATMG
If you ever get the opportunity to be the Toastmaster for any of the Annual Contests, Area, Division or District, I urge you to accept it! Regardless of how long you’ve been in Toastmasters it’s a special learning experience. Put all fears aside and tell your ego to be quiet, you can do it!
Last weekend, September 6, 2008 we held Area 18 and Area 23 Humorous and Table Topics Contests at the Tri City Hospital classrooms. Magic was in the air as folks gathered about sharing stories, friendship and rehearsing their Humorous speeches. There’s something about competing that changes the energy in a room! It is truly an exciting experience!
I was the Toastmaster for the Area 18 Humorous and Table Topics Contests! At first, I wasn’t sure my energy would hold up because we had a full contingent, 5 contestants in each contest! This also meant I had to keep proceedings moving if I wanted to bring the Contests in on time!
Once I hit the stage, I need not have worried however. My adrenaline and Toastmaster experience kicked in, I let go of my ego, and concentrated on the task at hand. It was pure joy being on the other side of the fence for a change. After years of being “trotted out” by my Toastmaster Club to be a participant in any contest, I was now playing the reverse role!
When you see and hear every contestant giving it their “all” you realize we are all winners regardless of where we place in a contest! A highlight for me was having a total stranger, a man in his 40’s, jump up on the stage early in the Contest, to tell me he “loved my energy!” Then, he said “look around you, it’s contagious!“ Not too shabby for a 75 year old recovering from some broken bones!
At the interval, between contests, some folks came up to me to tell me how much they enjoyed my energy and handling the job of Toastmaster! H’m, more music to my ears! And, to think I was concerned I was too slow entering and exiting the stage without my cane! When it was all over, other folks lined up to shake my hand and tell me how much they enjoyed my Toastmastering and humor! OK, ego, that’s enough for now!
I truly believe one of the highlights for me was “interviewing” the contestants after each Contest. I was struck by how many folks were self employed … the backbone of America! They recognized the value of what Toastmasters is all about … the listening, writing, feedback, speaking and leadership skills! These skills would help them in relating to their clients and living the American dream! My hat is off to them!
You can be sure I have happy memories to fall back on when life gets tough! I can’t wait to be Toastmaster of a Contest again! If this septuagenarian can do it, you can too!
Shirley M. Carolan, ATMG
Artist ● Speaker ● Writer
artistwithaflair@att.net
Phone/Fax: 760-732-0663
http://www.shirleycarolan.com
http://www.angelscross.blogspot.com
http://www.smcarolan.blogspot.com
Copyright© 2008 by Shirley M. Carolan. All rights reserved. To reprint any part of this article simply contact Shirley Carolan at artistwithaflair@att.net. Thank you.
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