Message as Area D5 Director: Together-Everyone-Accomplish-More (TEAM)

Message from your Insanely Handsome Area D5 Director:

The Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contest 2022 – 2023 for Area D5 was finally concluded. Truth to be told, it was the second biggest ‘party’ that I ever hold in my life, after my wedding. It was not easy for me, because at personal level, I’m a private person, even though my social media may tell you otherwise.

 

I believe speech contest is the fastest way to develop public speaking skills. It demands the speaker to learn, benchmark himself/herself and improve in the shortest time possible. It allows us to know our strengths and weaknesses, by contrasting ourselves with more competent speakers.

 

I’m extremely proud of our club members here. There is no doubt that Area D5 have the highest number of pretty and intelligent ladies in District 102. More importantly, in the hidden, founding spirit of Toastmasters, I witnessed the gentlemen in our Area have grown much, both at personal and professional level. 14 contestants!! Every club sent their representatives!! We had winners from all clubs for both contests!!! I’m a darn proud Area Director!! The ladies spoke with their supreme intelligence and feminine emotional engagement. The gentlemen’s speeches were methodologically prepared and delivered with profound masculine courage. All the speeches and evaluations were masterfully delivered, in the perfect manner as it meant to be, just as was envisioned by our founder, Dr Ralph C. Smedley. As your Area Director, I take heart, hopeful and comforting to be part of your Toastmasters journey.

 

It took much energy to organize a contest at this level. It demands organization and project management skills (which I am trying to fill the gap), relationship cultivation, belief of givers gain, spirit of contribution, amalgamated in values of Toastmasters: Integrity, Respect, Service and Excellence. The contest could never be delivered on a volunteering basis without demonstration of these values.  

 

I would like to express my special gratitude to pretty and intelligent ladies who came in my aid to deliver this contest during the eleventh hour. First of all, is Law Hooi Bian from PJ TMC. Her supreme execution skills were magnified thousand times with her passionate dedication to her club and Toastmasters community. Without her playing the critical behind the scenes role as Zoom Masters and Multimedia Master, this contest could never be delivered in such a smooth manner. Special thanks to Valerie Goh from Summit TMC, who took up the role of Contest Toastmasters with a 12-hour notice. Her elegant and compassionate voice took off much load from me, at the same time, soothing the anxiety among the contestants. Despite miscommunication episode (my bad, seriously) Nicole Choe from Phoenix TMC and Chong Jie Yi from My Puchong TMC still agreed to play their role as Timer and Ballot Counter respectively. Sajni, from Summit TMC, helped me much as Test Speaker with her very timely and apt speech “The Monkey”. Not to forget Mujana from Gamuda TMC agreed to be Timer on a 10-hour notice.

 

The gentlemen came in aid in spirit of brotherhood. Just right after EPF TMC club contest, Beng Kuan (fondly known as BK) offered his help. In the last minute, I reassigned him as Sergeant-at-Arm, which he gracefully accepted. Also, I had been working closely with Muhammad Arif, the young, calm and collected gentleman who is Area D4 Director to organize this joint contest. Special mention to the pillar of the contest (I hate to admit it), our Division Director, Clement Chew had been pulling the strings to bring in necessary resources to run the contest.

 

Thank you for all the panel judges for Area D4 contest (You know who you are…. Can’t disclose here), thank you very much for your assistance and advice. As Chief Judge, I think I have much to learn from everyone of you.

 

To the winner of Area D5 contest, Mr. President of PJ TMC, Qun Feng and DTM Lay Theng:  Words cannot describe how proud I was the moment I saw the winner list. Now, Both of you have a bigger task: To make the members of Area D5 proud. More importantly, make yourself proud of your own achievements. Discover hidden talents and power within you. Thus, I challenge both of you: To raise your speech and evaluation standard to District level. As such, you have my full support, in which I will impart all my public speaking knowledge and framework, no reservation, to further develop your unique style. This is my commitment to Area D5 members. We shall reach District level.

 

Even though the contest was concluded, deep down in me, I wished I could do more. I had given my best, juggling the priorities among livelihood, beloved family and Toastmasters. Thank you so much for everyone who came in together in spirit of Toastmasters. I’m grateful for your presence, contribution and sense of extended family in this contest. I learn much, and I hope you too, had gain something out of this contest experience. Together, Everyone Accomplished More.

 

See you at your peak.

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash