The first contest is the annual International Speech Contest, partaken in by Toastmasters worldwide. Contestants have 5 to 7 minutes to present a prepared speech on the topic of their choice, though traditionally they are motivational. Any Toastmaster in good standing may compete, however only those who have completed six speeches from a Toastmasters manual are able to move on to the area contest, which will be held the following week on Thursday, March 26th in Saginaw.

The second contest is an evaluation contest, where competitors are not judged on how well they give a speech but instead on how well they evaluate one. A Toastmaster gives a “test speech” and participants then have five minutes to prepare a constructive evaluation, which they will have between 2 and 3 minutes to deliver. The top two entrants in the evaluation contest proceed to the area contest, also held in Saginaw on March 26th. There is no prerequisite number of speeches an entrant must have completed in order to advance in competition.

Toastmasters International is a worldwide, nonprofit organization dedicated to honing effective oral communication and leadership skills. The Fenton Area Toastmasters meets weekly on Friday mornings from 7:45-8:45 in the lower level of the State Bank (Main Branch) at 175 N. Leroy Street in Downtown Fenton. Guests are always welcome and are encouraged to attend. For more information, call Stacy Lukasavitz at (810) 599-4813, or visit www.fentontoastmasters.org.

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Stacy E. Lukasavitz

selukasavitz@yahoo.com
selukasavitz@gmail.com
810.599.4813
Twitter: @damnredhead

Portfolio-eqsue site: http://www.stacylukas.com
Social media-esque site: http://www.thatdamnredhead.net

Rochelle Jones presenting this award to Milton Wendel

The morning of December 5th proved to be a notable meeting for local public speaking club Fenton Area Toastmasters. Vice President of Membership Rochelle Jones presented fellow charter member Milton Wendel with a Distinguished Service Award.

In his more than 25 years as a Toastmaster, Wendel has presented more than 150 speeches, achieving the status as Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM), the highest honor a Toastmaster can receive. In addition, he has earned lower titles, such as Competent Communicator (CC), several times over. In his tenure as a Toastmaster, Wendel has served as a mentor to several new clubs, including the Fenton Area Toastmasters, who were officially chartered by Toastmasters International on February 11, 2005.

“Milton Wendel has been a great mentor over the past 4 years and has inspired all of us to strive to be better Toastmasters. I look forward to learning more from him in years to come,” said Jones, who also serves as Toastmasters District 62, Area 16 Governor.

Toastmasters International is a worldwide, nonprofit organization dedicated to honing effective oral communication and leadership skills. The Fenton Area Toastmasters meets weekly on Friday mornings from 7:45-8:45 in the lower level of the State Bank (Main Branch) at 175 N. Leroy Street in Downtown Fenton. Guests are always welcome and are strongly encouraged to attend. For more information, call Stacy Lukasavitz at (810) 599-4813, or visit www.fentontoastmasters.org.

The Table Topics competition is a based on impromptu speaking, where members have 1-2 minutes to think on their feet and speak about the chosen topic. Unlike at Toastmasters meetings, each contestant is escorted out of the room and are individually brought back in to speak on the same general topic. By Toastmasters rules, the first and second place winners of a contest are eligible to advance to the next level of competition. If either of the top two are unable attend the next competition, the third place contestant serves as the alternate.

Such was the fate of Van Every. When Milton Wendel, who finished second in the club contest, was unable to make it to the area competition, she stepped up to the plate and came home with the first place trophy.

Now it’s Lukasavitz’s turn. Because of a scheduling conflict, Van Every is unable to compete in Sarnia, Ontario, on October 18th at the Eastern Division Table Topics Contest, which means Lukasavitz will be going in her place, competing against the first and second place winners of each of the four area contests held in the Eastern Division. Should she place in the top two in Sarnia, she will be competing at the District 62 Conference finals on October 26th in Grand Rapids. Toastmasters District 62 includes all of Michigan and Western Ontario.

Toastmasters International is a worldwide, nonprofit organization. The Fenton Area Toastmasters meets weekly on Friday mornings from 7:45-8:45 in the lower level of the State Bank (Main Branch) at 175 N. Leroy Street in Downtown Fenton. Guests are always welcome and are strongly encouraged to attend. For more information, call Stacy Lukasavitz at (810) 599-4813, or visit www.fentontoastmasters.org.