While the Christmas mood was still in the air, the Kota Kinabalu Toastmasters Club staged its Christmas Theme Meeting on 28 December 2004 with Andrew Thien, ATM-G as the Toastmaster of the Evening. 25 members and guests attended the meeting. The number was relatively low as many members were still away on holiday. There were 5 guests at the meeting, including Andy Lim, the VPE of Bayan Baru Toastmasters Club, who was in town for a holiday.
If you know Andrew well, then you would know how he conducted the meeting. Resplendent in his full Santa regalia, Andrew created an exalted (Word of the Evening) warm feeling all around by asking everyone on the outset to give each other a hug (no kisses) in the spirit of friendship and brother/sisterhood. For the Thought of the Evening, Invocator DvPRO Florence Majanil-Liau, CTM expounded that there is hope behind every act and circumstance.
Three speakers delivered their speeches that evening. President John Liew, ATM-B talked about the benefits of Omega III for his ATM-S Speech No. 1. Secretary Chong Tzu Jiun, CTM roasted VPM James Wong, CTM for his (Chong's) ATM-B Speech No. 6. On his second round of CTM, Division K Governor Richard A. Gontusan, DTM shared with his audience his recent travel experience to Central and Eastern Europe, for his C & L Speech No. 3. The speakers were evaluated by Area K Governor Yee That Hian, ATM-S; Kevin Lim, ATM-B; and VPE Ronald Tang, ATM-B respectively.
The General Evaluator, Christine Yap, DTM commended the Club for the superb meeting. Nonetheless, she reminded the members to make the most out of the speaking slots available, which have not been fully used lately. Usually there are 6 speakers at a KKTMC's meeting. She highlighted that there is no such as thing as a perfect speech, just as there is no such thing as a perfect time to deliver a speech. She urged all the members to deliver their speeches now.
As expected, Andrew Thien, who performed a catwalk earlier, was adjudged the Best Dressed Gentleman at the meeting. Sophia Chia, CTM, who is the resident winner of best dressed, won the Best Dressed Lady Award. In addition, she was presented with the Best Enthusiasm Award for the exciting way in which she conducted the Table Topics Session. Everyone was given a Christmas gift merely for attempting a response. Ann Gilong, CTM was adjudged the Most Improved Table Topics Speaker for reporting her "first-hand" experience of her encounter with the tsunami attack in Penang while on her imaginary vacation with her imaginary friend.
A special mention of the effort by Grammarian TM Shahar Banon for highlighting correct sentence constructions and pronunciation in her report. The members learn a lot from her report whenever she is the Grammarian.
President John Liew closed the meeting, which is the Club's last meeting for the year, by wishing the participants once again a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
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