HAPPY NEW YEAR from Area S7 !!!

Dear fellow Toastmasters and club officers of Area S7,

As Year 2009 is coming to an end, I believe most of you (if not all) must have put yourselves in a mood of reflection and setting resolutions for the new year.

It has been an eventful 6 months for us in Toastmasters.

To some, it has been an all-new exciting and wonderful learning experience for being involved in serving your club members in the spirit of volunteerism, something which you might have not done in the past.

Wheareas, to some others, it has been a challenging and stressful experience having been entrusted with the responsibility to revive, maintain, or upgrade your respective clubs.

Regardless of which category you fall into, I believe the same rule applies -- where you give, is where you get.

In Toastmasters terms, the coming of Year 2010 signals our entering into the 2nd half of our office term. After attending the TLI Round 2 earlier this month, I believe all of you would have been reminded of the "unfinished business" (a.k.a. club DCP goals) which you will have to face in the next 6 months. Regardless of how you perceive these "unfinished business", let us strive our best to deliver the tasks which had been entrusted to us by the members. Volunteer or being volunteered, I believe when all of us took up the challenge back in June-July this year, we definitely had hopes of achieving success for our clubs.

Personally, this is the motto that has driven me thus far -- "Accomplish, or do not begin." I hope it will give you the same impact.

Lastly, I would like to wish all of you the best of luck in whatever you do for the new year - Year 2010! May all of you hit the new year with renewed zest and enthusiasm.

Happy New Year!


Regards,
Lee Yew Jin
Area S7 Governor
"Always at your service"

Toastmasters International Ribbons and Division S Pins Up for Grabs!!!

Dear Area S7 folks, here's an exciting announcement to all of you, especially to those who are in the midst of accomplishing your educational goals!

Take a closer look at the following photos...


From left: Best Table Topics ribbon, Best Speaker ribbon, Advanced Leader Bronze (ALB) ribbon, Competent Leader (CL) ribbon, Division S Gold Pin, Competent Communicator (CC) ribbon, Advanced Communicator Bronze (ACB) ribbon, Advanced Communicator Silver (ACS) ribbon.


Impressive collection...


The shiny-looking Division S Gold Pin...


Yes, these ribbons from Toastmasters International and Division S Gold Pins are up for grabs!!!

Here's what you need to do to get them:

Division S Gold Pin

One Division S Gold Pin will be awarded to the individual for every successful achievement of the following:

Communication Track - CC, ACB, ACS, ACG

Leadership Track - CL, ALB, ALS

Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM)

CC/ACB/ACS/CL/ALB Ribbons

One ribbon will be awarded to the individual for each completion of his/her CC/ACB/ACS/CL/ALB within this term (2009/2010).


Best Speaker Ribbon

During the Area Governor's official visit to the club, the best assignment speaker for that meeting will be awarded with this ribbon.


Best Table Topics Ribbon

During the Area Governor's official visit to the club, the best table topics speaker for that meeting will be awarded with this ribbon.


Note: These are LIMITED EDITION ribbons and gold pins, i.e. WHILE STOCK LASTS.


Imagine yourselves receiving these ribbons and gold pins...


Margaret Stanley (Asst Area Governor of Education and Training) receiving her CC ribbon and Division S Gold Pin.


Alex Li (President of Motorola Penang (II) Cyber-Speakers TMC) receiving the CC ribbons and Division S Gold Pins on behalf of his members - CM Khong and Fernando Paz.


Andrea Liew (Area Secretary) receiving her CL ribbon and Division S Gold Pin.


What are you still waiting for? :)


Posted by:
Lee Yew Jin
Area S7 Governor

Area S7 Summary Report : Humourous Speech and Evaluation Contest

The months of August-October, as usual, were the months of contests. In Area S7, except for the newly-born Amphenol Toastmasters Club, all clubs had organized their very own club level Humourous Speech and Evaluation Contest to unearth their respective club champions for the term 2009/2010. And here are the champions for the club level contests:

Motorola Penang Toastmasters Club

Chua Hui Boon, CC (Humourous Speech)

Ooi Pey Hann (Evaluation)

Motorola Penang (II) Cyber-speakers Toastmasters Club

Loh Beng Teong, ACB, CL (Humourous Speech)

Irene Wong (Evaluation)

BM Bigfoot Toastmasters Club

Ong Hooi Chin (Humourous Speech)

Ong Hooi Chin (Evaluation)

Bagan Ajam Toastmasters Club

Nishaline Priya Pubalan, CC (Humourous Speech)

Nishaline Priya Pubalan, CC (Evaluation)

Next came the area level contests. Having 2 - 4 weeks' time to sharpen their skills by doing trial speeches and attending workshop to get more tips on doing evaluation, these club champions/representatives had come together under one roof in the arena of champions on 13 September 2009, competing against one another to see who would be the best of the best in Area S7 for term 2009/2010. Here are the winners:

Area S7 Humourous Speech Contest

Nishaline Priya Pubalan, CC (Champion)

Ong Hooi Chin (1st Runner-up)

From left: Hock Chye (Contest Chairperson), Hooi Chin, Nishal, Yew Jin (Area S7 Governor)


Area S7 Evaluation Contest

Ong Hooi Chin (Champion)

Loh Beng Teong, ACB, CL (1st Runner-up)

From left: Michelle Goh (Contest Chairperson), BT Loh, Hooi Chin, Jessica Ho (Area S6 Governor)



Guess what's next? The Division S Contest of course! On 4 October 2009, our area champions, Nishal and Hooi Chin, put up their bravest front ever and gave their best shot competing against all the champions/representatives from 7 other areas in Division S. Despite our area and clubs being quite "inexperience" in terms of years of existance, I'm glad to announce to you that...Area S7 did not return empty-handed!

Our Area S7 humourous speech champion, Nishaline Priya Pubalan, had finished as the 1st Runner-up of the Division S Humourous Speech Contest!

All in all, congratulations to all the winners of the club, area and division contests!

There are 3 things which I had learned from my observation throughout these contests:

• You do not have to be an experienced Toastmaster with colourful titles under your belt in order to be a winner in the division level Humourous Speech Contest. Nishal had practically just completed her CC earlier this year.


• You do not have to be an experienced Toastmaster with many years of evaluation experience in order to be a winner in the area level Evaluation Contest. Hooi Chin had practically just done her Assignment Speech #1 and had ZERO experience in evaluation when she won her club level contest.


• Support from club members is extremely important in boosting one's confidence and performance. And when I say support, I really mean PHYSICAL support!

Bagan Ajam Toastmasters Club members in support of Nishal -- "Nishal! You are hot!"


The International Speech and Table Topics Contest will be coming soon in February 2010. I hope this article would serve as a motivation to those who aspire to emulate the success of these winners.

Start your hard work now :)


Posted by:
Lee Yew Jin
Area S7 Governor

When Humor and Judgement Meet

The contest season has begun.

Are YOU ready?

Club-Level Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contests

• Motorola Penang TMC + Motorola Penang (II) Cyber-Speakers TMC
  13 August 2009
  Organizing Chair: Rijana


• BM Big Foot TMC
  26 August 2009
  Organizing Chair: Andy Loke


• Bagan Ajam TMC
  28 August 2009
  Organizing Chair: Teoh Pei Yin

What are these Humorous Speech and Evalution Contests and what should we expect? More information will be brought to you soon =)

Posted by:
Andrea Liew
Area S7 Secretary

Welcome on board, folks!!!

WELCOME...WELCOME...WELCOME...

Welcome to the new term of Toastmasters - 2009/2010!!!

In line with the theme of District 51 for this term - "Toastmasters : Speaking Your Way to Magical Transformation", I would like to invite and urge all of you to join us in this magical journey of Toastmasters to transform yourselves into a more effective speaker and leader!

A famous Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, had once said that:

"The only constant in the universe is change."

Personally, this quote has always been the driving force behind my personal development and career. You may want to ask yourselves these questions regarding CHANGE:

• Have you changed to become a better person compared to the old self that you were months or years ago?
• Do you foresee that you will have to change yourselves in the future in order to meet your future family and career demands?
• Do you want to wait till your environment (eg. your job) forces you to change, and thus, suddenly feeling helpless and panic of it?
• Or do you rather seek for change now before your environment comes knocking on your door forcing you to make a change?

Fellow Toastmasters and friends, your future is in your hands. Whether you choose to seek for CHANGE, or to wait till CHANGE comes seeking for you, the choice is yours. In Toastmasters, the many platforms of CHANGE are yours to grab. I, for one, have chosen to seek for CHANGE now when I still have the luxury of doing so. How about you?


A photo taken with the newly-chartered Amphenol TMC officers during the TLI Part 1 on 28 June 2009.
(Photo courtesy of Christopher Choong)

Looking forward to witnessing and achieving an endless series of MAGICAL TRANSFORMATIONS with all of you!


Regards,


Lee Yew Jin, ACB, CL
Area S7 Governor
"Always at your service"

A New Term: 2009/2010

Welcome Notice

hello :)

Welcome to the new term of Toastmasters - 2009/2010!

This year we're moving with the times. No longer shall we depend on just mere word of mouth or old-fashioned memo passing. We're unleashing the power of the Internet!

This blog will serve as our Watchtower. From here the Toastmasters of Area S7 will be able to keep up with the latest news, announcements, coverage of events, tips & hints for improvement, messages from our esteemed Governor(s), while being able to leave comments as a means of entering any discussions.


First Announcements of The Term

1. District 51 has a new theme for this term. "Courage to Conquer" spurred us last term to take up the challenge to take charge. This term, "Toastmasters : Speaking Your Way to Magical Transformation" motivates us to continue our journey of transforming ourselves into becoming more effective speakers and leaders.
   
   
   
   
   




2. With the re-alignment of clubs and inclusion of new clubs in Division S, Area S7 now has an all-new look! We would like to present to you the newly formed Area S7 Council for term 2009/2010...


Area Governor

Lee Yew Jin, ACB, CL
Butterworth TMC, Motorola Penang TMC, Helping Hand Advanced TMC


Assistant Area Governor (Education and Training)

Margaret Stanley, CC, CL
Motorola Penang TMC


Assistant Area Governor (Marketing)

Arthur Kolandasoo, CC
BM Big Foot TMC


Area Council Secretary

Andrea Liew, CL
Motorola Penang (II) Cyber-Speakers TMC


Motorola Penang TMC

President : KK Neoh, CC
Vice President of Education : Rijana
Vice President of Membership : Cheah Ui Ping


Motorola Penang (II) Cyber-Speakers TMC

President : Alex Li
Vice President of Education : Chong Meng Tuck
Vice President of Membership : Pannirselvan Subramaniam


Bagan Ajam TMC

President : Lim Chee Sheng
Vice President of Education : Teoh Pei Yin, CC
Vice President of Membership : Tan Chin Ling


BM Big Foot TMC (new member of Area S7...welcome!!!)

President : Bernard Ewe Ming Teck, ACB, CL
Vice President of Education : Andy Loke Yan Chun, CC
Vice President of Membership : Martin Loh Hong Chuan, CC


Amphenol TMC (new member of Area S7...welcome!!!!)

President : Zairi bin Zainal Abidin
Vice President of Education : Nurul Fairuz Sulaiman
Vice President of Membership : Ruslan bin Umar

That's all for the first entry of this term for our new blog. Do stay with us for more exciting updates!


Posted by:
Area S7 Council