In the opening of the meeting, President Summer Murphy announced the nominated officers for the next year. The current Leadership Board term is set to end on June 30, so a new board of officers needs to be elected.
The proposed slate of officers for 2024-2025 is as follows:
President: Kerstin Haase
VP of Education & President-Elect: Abdulrahman Albazie
Secretary: Hema Kellet
VP of Membership: John Doggett
VP of Public Relations: Tina Joe Ross
Treasurer: Saraswathi Mahalingham
Sergeant at Arms: Savannah Murphy
The President called for a motion to accept the nominees, and the members voted unanimously in favor of the proposed slate. The new board of officers was duly elected and congratulated!
In her opening remarks, the President noted that June 19, or Juneteenth, is a holiday celebrating the final release of the last slaves in America from bondage in 1865, emphasizing the importance of expanding our social circles beyond our own racial or ethnic groups, as our society remains divided along these lines. Summer then encouraged examining our “bubbles of existence” and seeking out diverse groups to intentionally get to know people outside our own race. She stressed that true progress can only be achieved when we know and share experiences with one another.
In a show of support for the Black Lives Matter movement, the group observed a minute of silence, muting microphones and turning off cameras to honor all victims of racial injustice.
The meeting was then turned over to the Toastmaster of the day, Tim Murphy. Tim introduced the “Word of the Day” (WOD), which was “destiny,” explaining that WOD refers to the idea that certain events, outcomes, or the course of a person’s life is predetermined, either by fate, a higher power, or some other inexorable force.
Toastmaster Savanah Murphy introduced the first speaker, Toastmaster Stiles Burr. Stiles delivered a speech titled “Mother Nature,” in which he recounted his first battle with the forces of nature and how it continues to shape him to this day. Stiles delved into his personal experiences with the unpredictable power of Mother Nature, describing how these challenges have both haunted and strengthened him over time. His speech left a lasting impression, inspiring the attendees to reflect on their own relationships with the natural forces that shape our lives.
Savannah evaluated Stiles’ speech, commended the use of personal anecdotes and vivid descriptions, which immersed the audience in his experiences with the unpredictable forces of nature and recognizing that the challenges we face can serve as valuable learning experiences.
Toastmaster Abdulrahman Albazie introduced the second speaker, Toastmaster John Doggett. John delivered a speech exploring the concept of destiny and its profound influence on the trajectory of his life. John candidly shared his perspective, acknowledging that he never would have imagined finding himself in this moment. Yet, as he recounted, the twists and turns of his life’s journey have led him to this exact spot, defying his initial expectations.
Abdulrahman evaluated John’s speech, commending the strength of the opening and noting that the speech’s well-crafted progression allowed the audience to immerse themselves in the narrative. Abdulrahman also provided constructive feedback on areas for improvement.
Toastmaster Kerstin Haase led a dynamic table topics session, challenging participants to share their perspectives on destiny. Her thought-provoking questions fostered quick thinking, effective articulation, and confident on-the-spot communication skills.
Toastmaster Saraswathi Mahalingham served as General Evaluator, providing comprehensive feedback on the meeting and commending the exceptional performance of participants. Toastmaster Hema Kellet delivered the Timer report, ensuring each segment adhered to the allocated time, while Toastmaster Dave Burr, the Grammarian, offered valuable linguistic feedback and shared resonating quotes.
Toastmaster Tim smoothly handed over the meeting to Toastmaster Summer. Summer then proceeded to wrap up the meeting and officially adjourn the session.
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The next Sunrise Toastmasters meeting will be at 7 a.m. on June 21, 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: Summer
Speaker 1: Dave
Speaker 2: Saraswathi
Table Topics: Stiles
General Evaluator: Hema
Evaluator 1: Savannah
Evaluator 2: John
Timer: Tim
Grammarian: Norris
