Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

Submitted by Toastmaster Donald Knowles…

Photo by Peter West

Well, that was quite a night! Starting off with the Mayor, Town Crier, Area Governor, Trafalgar Club President, and members from Trafalgar, Mighty Oaks, and First Oakville crammed into the Quality Hotel Lobby. The proclamation ceremony declaring October Toastmaster Month in Oakville was Pat Lore’s idea and she carried the whole thing off. Then there was the Cogeco FYI interview, also set up by Pat Lore. And then the last at bat for Pat was the notification of the Service Club signs going up on the community boards. Pat is going 3 for 3 and it’s only the first night! And I know she has more stuff up her sleeve.

We had a special presentation to Past President John Smissen in appreciation of his work last year. Gerry Bram received his pin for his ACB, Matt Wagner for his ACG. Then the Area Governor Doug Carr relieved the past executive of their charge and then inducted the current club executive. The executive received TM pins which hopefully will start a new tradition of passing the pins every year.

The current president gave a little thematic speech outlining the wish for every member to pursue Toastmaster Education objectives through the Distinguished Club Program and to Soar to New Heights. And then we broke for a short respite and came back for our usual second half featuring 3 speeches.

OK, OK, some of us were a little rusty from the summer. It’s amazing how quickly the well oiled process can become rusty. The agenda had a few holes in it, but everyone reminded the Chair when things were going off the rails a bit. Gerry Bramm was once again doing Yeoman duty as a Stand Up which added fantastic levity to the evening. All the extra activities and a full regular meeting, and we were only 20 minutes over. Not a bad a start to the year. I hope that everyone enjoyed themselves and that the first meeting will be the harbinger of many more great evenings at First Oakville Toastmasters to come.

Donald Knowles

For more photos of this extraordinary evening please visit Peter West Photo