This Winter Solstice we witnessed one of the rare celestial event, the Great Conjunction of Jupiter with Saturn. While the pessimists view it as unprecedented humanity challenges that have negative ripple impact for decades to come, I have a different opinion.
The Great Conjunction has been interpreted as possible source of "Star of Bethlehem", based on nativity story of Christmas. Great leaders shall emerge, bring hope and strengthen our faith in humanity in times of navigating through uncharted waters. Despite all the challenges we had in 2020, I am very proud, at the same time, humbled to witness new leaders rising from our club.
My dear family members of Friendship Toastmasters Club,
The Exco had heard you. Indeed, recognition on members' education progress and membership drive are gaps we need to address to ensure healthy growth of our club. We planned new adventures based on 3 main pillars:
- Pillar 1: Create Diverse Learning Opportunities
- Pillar 2: Compose Colorful Memories Strengthen by Friendship
- Pillar 3: Building and Expanding our Friendship Culture
These new adventures are planned to address our club gap. More importantly, we hope to see our club members blossom in different aspects of their life.
Pillar 1: Create Diverse Learning Opportunities
Joint meeting
For the past 6 months, we had two interesting joint meetings with School of Hard Knock (Community club) and Malaysia Dental Association (Association club). It was fun, engaging and we learned new perspectives and experience different club culture. The Exco will strive to have joint meetings with corporate and university clubs, so that our members can have more colorful clubbing experience. We planned to have joint meeting with Novartis (Corporate club) in our next meeting. In April, we will have joint meeting with Monash University (University club) in where our VPPR, Brian will take over as Acting President (Hooray! No need to prepare Presidential Speech!) If opportunities arise, we look forward to have cross border, cross culture joint meeting.
Endow new skills through community leverage
It is wiser to have 1 percent of the people of 100, than 100 percent of our own effort. To enrich and expedite our learning experience, the Exco has planned to organize several mini workshops during our non-meeting weeks. We will invite masters from diverse industries and expertise, to share their diamonds of wisdom. This is to leverage the power of Toastmasters community, to spark of new ideas, new friendships and new growth opportunities for our club members to blossom in their life. Thus, grab the opportunity. It is like a box of chocolate, with surprising, delightful taste you never expect.
Strengthening Mentorship Program
Our club is blessed with digital resource library, specifically on the topic of public speaking and storytelling. To date, it has about 40GB (and growing) of videos and courses from reputable institutions e.g. University of Washington, Ted Walker (much sought after American PR), Brillianto (experts in storytelling and screenwriting) and many more. However, this resource investment was under-utilized. The Exco would like to strongly encourage club members to explore this resource in course of preparing for your Toastmasters projects. I can personally testify that these resources will save you hours of preparation, improve your speech quality and delivery beyond your imagination. Do speak to your mentor for access.
International Speech and Table Topic Contest
I am very pleased to announce our beloved Secretary, Kai has stepped up as Organizing Chairman for our ISTT contest. It is scheduled on 23 February 2020. Participating in competition is one of the most effective and efficient way to improve your oratory performance. Give yourself a chance by taking part in this contest. I look forward to our club members stand tall on the stage at District level.
Pillar 2: Compose Colorful Memories Strengthen by Friendship
Do you remember your previous meeting on May 2018? Who was there? What did you do? Who was the speaker? What was the message? Or do you even attend the meeting? Chances are we do not remember. But we remember significant, pleasant emotional events in our journey of Toastmasters. As such, the Exco strived to composed colorful memories, memorable meetings that will last us for a long time.
Inspired by our General Mulan, Keny, the Exco would like to organize an extraordinary club meeting at Janda Baik, probably in May or June. Sometimes all we need is a bunch of great friends and thirst for adventure. So, bring along your wife, wives, husband, husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends, scandals and kids. But with two conditions:
- Make sure your spouse agree to bring your spouses, scandals and kids.
- Do not start World War 3 there. We are not trained as United Nation peacekeeper.
As Malaysians, we fully appreciate food is the ingredient that binds us together. The Exco would like to invite this great family of Friendship for coming Chinese New Year dinner on 27 February 2021. Location is to be confirmed. With the blessing of Treasurer aka Finance Minister, the club will partially subsidize the dinner. Block your calendar. Food will taste better when we eat it with family.
Pillar 3: Building and Expanding our Friendship Culture
We remain guided by Toastmasters International value of service, integrity, excellence and respect, coupled with our club motto "Friends helping friends to succeed". Our club has unique balance of members from different life stages. We are blessed to have young adults from universities, professional working adults, entrepreneurs, businessmen, corporate leader and retiree (just added).
We strive to be a friendly, fun and safe space to grow. Yet, for us to blossom, we need another critical ingredient: Discipline. As in any physical training, the result is seen when we compound our effort based on incremental successes. Similarly, for a flower to blossom, it compounded its growth based on previous milestones: The first leave, first branch from its seed. Keep moving and growing with discipline, holding to the faith our flower will blossom.
No doubt growing club membership is important. But to me, preservation of our little sanctuary, our club DNA will take precedent. Thus, priority will be given on recruiting the right members to our club, rather than initiating recruitment drive for the sake of it. I believe, if our members grow, we will attract the right members to join us, who will eventually benefit from and expand our club culture. This is proven with Sam Leong and Su Ling decided to join us despite the Great Lockdown.
In time to come, I hope our dormant members will join us back in due time. The doors are always open for you. As you can see, our 2H 2021 is getting more exhilarating. It is more than meets the eye.
I have a dream
I have a dream. That one day I will stand on TEDx stage and raise a new generation of fathers through Confinement Daddy practice.
I have a dream. That one day our club members grow strong and powerful in their life, mark their name in our history as movers and shakers in our community.
I have a dream today! That one day, this Friendship Toastmasters Club will spark the Renaissance of oratory performance to light the fire in the heart of our people.
Yes, it is a dream. I believe we can empower youth and family to create better world for our children. As of the time of writing, 4 accomplished speakers agreed to join us.
Yes, it is a dream. This dream was bought by an event management company, a public relation expert and a resourceful curator to join us.
Yes, it is a dream. This dream of we, at Friendship Toastmasters Club, organized a TEDx event that change the life of many for better through power of speech.
A dream event. TEDxSetiaAlam. 12 great speakers will rock our nation on Sunday, 20 June 2021. And I would like to invite our members here: Would you like to be part of this great adventure? Life is too short to be easy and mediocre.
Closing
My dear family members of Friendship Toastmasters Club,
I believed I have convinced you this Exco team is at your service. We aim not only to address the gaps within our club, but we strive to bring out the very best in every one of us: the budding flower in us waiting to blossom. All we ask is your willingness and action to search the key to your (and yours only) Eldorado wellspring in this Garden of Friendship.
Even though 2021 may serve us with unprecedented humanity challenges, this is the very time for us to rise to occasion. Let us move forward with faith, hope and love in this vast, gemlike vessel of Friendship. Let us bloom like a flower, that exudes flush of fragrance to people around us. For life is too short to be caught in meaningless loop of rat race. For life is more meaningful, when we blossom for ourselves and others.
Waiting earnestly to see the flower bloom within you,
Alan Oh
Photo by Roma Kaiuk on Unsplash
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