A good turnout of members and guests ensured that we got off to a flying start, ably Toastmastered by Stuart L.
Our President, Corinne, led us through an interview-style table topics, asking each speaker in turn about the qualities that make a fine Toastmaster (if you want to know that, West Herts Speakers, just look around you at any of our meetings …) Richard B fought off serious competition to snatch the coveted ribbon for best table topics speaker.
Then came the prepared speeches. Gwendoline told us how to set our objectives for the year (having first admonished us for having not already done so - the New Year was, after all, over a week old). Juliet talked to us about how we communicate, and how we might do it better. Sola, asking us all who we thought we were, delved into the innermost workings of the brain and, with some fascinating research, took those of us who could remember back to the 1950's.
The evening, though, belonged to Ope Sebastian. A previous blog had said, and I quote, that Ope's icebreaker speech was "an excellent, polished presentation, without notes, that was not only a first-class icebreaker but also spoke eloquently of great speeches to come". How right that was! We have in our midst a great speaker.
"How could this have happened?" Ope asked us. He told us of those who had died unnoticed, though in full view of the crowd, and enjoined us all to look after each other rather than allow petty feuds and worthless preoccupations to guide our behaviour.
This was an outstanding speech, which built inexorably to its climax. Our Toastmaster of the Evening told us all afterwards that, in eighteen years as a Toastmaster, he had never before heard a speech that had reduced a meeting to stunned silence.
At last, the silence was broken by the thunder of appreciative applause. It is hard to think of a speech that better deserved its Best Speaker award.
We meet again on Wednesday 22 January, usual place. Remember the new start time of 19:00 for 19:15!
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| Ope and Richard with their "Best" ribbons. Also featured is the word of the day - CENSORIOUS - that apparently achieved a record number of outings! |
