District 31 Conference Results!

“Refuse to be average. Let your heart soar as high as it will.”
A.W. Tozer

I am posting the Toastmasters District 31 International Speech Contest results which was held on Saturday May 10, 2008 at the Best Western Royal Plaza and Trade Show http://www.rplazahotels.com/n District 31 Covers Eastern Massachusetts and the entire state of Rhode Island we have Seven Divisions - A through G. D31 Open Ceremonies – With our Conference Host Ivan Jusino, if you ever need a young, upbeat, personal, friendly host who always smiles and brightens the room please ask my friend Ivan – he did an excellent job at keeping the conference moving! ivan.jusino@gmail.com

Parade of Banners by Hank Fleming Immediate Past District 27 Governor, Aref Dajani, DTM sang the National Anthem and Region Vii International Director, Kristin Nicholson, DTM gave a great Keynote Address.

First Timers Meeting

Round Tables

Lunch in the Courtyard

Communication & Leadership Award

Michaela J. Gagne – what an incredible strong young woman!
Her speech will literally touch your heart! She speaks about unnecessary cardiac death -
She is the 2006 Miss Massachusetts – she was a three seasoned athlete and when she almost lost her life to heart disease. (I will look for her contact info and post)

D31 Business Meeting

Voting on the Top Three Team for the 2008-2009

District Governor, Ariela Marshall, DTM
Lt. Governor of Education & Training, Sherri Raftery, DTM
Lt. Governor of Marketing, Bil Lewis – son of PDG (1982-1983) Bettye Underhill

Division A Governor Satvir
Division B Governor Doug Sheadel
Division C Governor –from the floor
Division D Governor
Division E Governor Ben Lappen
Division F Governor Esther Paris


Distinguished Toastmaster Award
DTM Medals were Awarded - Each person was given to minutes to speak on what earning a DTM means to us

Tom Brien, DTM (5th one!) - not in attendance
Past District 31 Governor, Victor Carbone, DTM (4th one!)
David Cohen, DTM
Sherri Raftery, DTM
Gayla M.D. Reilly, DTM
Bill Santos, DTM - not in attendance

Break out Sessions

D31 Speech Contest - During the District 31 International Speech there were 3 males speakers four females speakers – this was the order each spoke.

Speaker one – Mary Cheyne, “Real Power” - Second Place winner (also an Edge Member)
Speaker two – Jon Forsyth, “De-Boxify”
Speaker three – Elizabeth Freeman “Five Minutes” – Third Place Winner
Speaker four – Maryann Murphy – “Being a Beginner – It’s Never Too Late”
Speaker five - Paul Burke – “The First Step”
Speaker six – John Chapin – “Jump”
Speaker seven – Katherine Morrison “The Challenge” – First Place Winner

This year we had ladies in the lead

First Place – Katherine Morrison “The Challenge”
Second Place – Mary Cheyne, “Real Power”
Third Place – Elizabeth Freeman “Five Minutes”

First place winner Katherine Morrison will advance to the Region Vii Conference http://www.r7tm.org/ and compete on June 26, 2008 with eight other districts. If for some reason Katherine is unable to attend the Region Vii International Speech Contest then second place runner up Mary Cheyne will be asked to take her place and compete! http://www.r7tm.org/Conference/regform.pdf

The winner of Region Vii Contest will advance on to the 77th International Toastmasters Convention international Speech Contest to be held on Saturday August 16, 2008 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada at the Telus Convention Centre at 9:00am and compete for the title of the 2008 World Champion of Public Speaking!

We have two first place winners from District 31! 2001 WCPS, Darren LaCroix and most recently 2007 WCPS, Vikas Jhingran. District 31 also has second Place winner 2003 David Sanfacon – other competitors from District 31 1998 - Dacia Jones Nickerson, DTM, 1980 Dan Blake, late 1950’s George Bissel. Good luck to all the Toastmasters who take the stage!

http://www.toastmasters.org/Members/MemberExperience/Conferences/Convention.aspx


Fun Night hosted by Past District Governor Aref Dajani

Overall an excellent conference – connected with friends and met many new members.
Friends - I want stressed this again - If you want to improve your public speaking skills - Take on the Leadership roles - you will constantly be on the Platform in front of large audiences - which will help you improve in a variety of settings!! Sherri Raftery, DTM2006-2007 "Area Governor of the Year"2007-2008 Lt. Governor of Marketing2008-2009 Lt. Governor of Education & Training

Tomorrow I am heading over to Holyoke Mass to District 53 – I will post how that goes as well!

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FACTS

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadership

The word leadership can refer to:
1. Those entities that perform one or more acts of leading.
2. The ability to affect human behavior so as to accomplish a mission designated by the leader.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_disease

Heart disease is an umbrella term for a number of different diseases affecting the heart. As of 2007, it is the leading cause of death in the United States,[1][2] England, Canada and Wales,[3] killing one person every 34 seconds in the United States alone.[4]