In the meeting opening remarks, President Summer Murphy drew attention to the tragic story of Frank Tyson, a 53-year-old black man involved in a car accident in Canton, Ohio. Following the collision with a telephone pole, Mr. Tyson left the scene and entered a nearby bar. Upon the arrival of the police, they restrained him on the floor while he repeatedly pleaded, “I can’t breathe.” Despite efforts to revive him, Mr. Tyson tragically passed away while in police custody. It is a stark reminder of the persistent issue of police violence against black individuals, who are disproportionately affected by such encounters.
In support and acknowledgment of the Black Lives Matter movement, a minute of silence was observed. President Summer also introduced the bias flag as a tool for personal growth in our ongoing journey of becoming better speakers. The meeting was then handed over to the Toastmaster of the day, Tim Murphy, who set the tone with the word of the day, “Employ,” encouraging us to consider how we can make the most of our abilities and contribute to our personal and professional growth.
Toastmaster Dave Burr introduced our first speaker, Toastmaster Hema Kellet. Hema shared a speech titled “First Hour Club,” sharing her experience of having a routine to start the day, starting as a child when her mom would wake her at 5 am to study before school, now she has read a book called The 5 AM Club about embracing a morning routine to have a productive day and shared some of the ideas from that book: 20 minutes of exercise, 20 minutes of reflection and 20 minutes of planning your day. The speaker concluded by encouraging the audience to adopt their own morning routine and shared quote by Benjamin Franklin: “Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” Dave provided feedback, acknowledging the strengths demonstrated while also highlighting areas for improvement.
Toastmaster Summer Murphy introduced our second speaker, Toastmaster John Doggett, who delivered a speech titled “Losing Family Farms.” John shared the story of his ancestral farm, passed down through generations, highlighting the immense work involved. He wakes up at 2:45 AM daily to tend to the farm before his regular job, shedding light on the challenging aspects of running a farm amidst rising costs, leading to numerous farm sales. John contemplated the uncertain future, unsure if the new generation can carry on the farm’s legacy. Summer provided feedback, commending the strengths demonstrated while offering observations on areas that could be enhanced.
Under the guidance of Toastmaster Stiles Burr, a table topic session unfolded, cultivating quick thinking, effective articulation, and confident on-the-spot communication skills. Participants were asked respond to job interview questions, and were encouraged to think on their feet, express their thoughts with clarity, and demonstrate confidence in their impromptu speaking abilities.
Toastmaster Tina Joe, as the General Evaluator, offered comprehensive feedback and recognized outstanding performances. Toastmaster Saraswathi Mahalingam, the Timer, ensured adherence to time limits, while Toastmaster Savannah Murphy, as the Grammarian, provided feedback on language usage, filler words, vocabulary, etc.
With a seamless transition, Tim handed over the reins of the meeting to Summer, who wrapped up the meeting and adjourned it.
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The next Sunrise Toastmasters meeting will be at 7 a.m. on May 3, EST. If you would like to join our meeting as a guest, contact us for the meeting link.
The roles for the next meeting are as follows:
Toastmaster: Stiles
Speaker 1: Savannah
Speaker 2: Tim
Table Topics: Saraswathi
General Evaluator: Summer
Evaluator 1: Norris
Evaluator 2: Hema
Timer: John
Grammarian: Dave
