Dear Toastmasters,

The world is not made up of atoms and molecules

Our world has always been made of stories

- Gea Ban Peng

We can give two people

the same manuals on lion taming.

We can teach them

to use body language, 

to use vocal variety and 

to use words to paint pictures of the mind and to move hearts.   

We can send them into the lions cage

dressed in identical uniforms,

equiped with identical whips and

giving identical commands.

One of them

will get the big cats to roll on the floor, to dance and to jump through hoops.

The other

may be eaten by the lions.

Not everyone

can become the World Champion of Public Speaking.

But

all of us

can achieve our dreams

to become a better speaker

when we prepare, we practice and we deliver our project speeches.

Call you club VPE.

Book a time slot to deliver your next project speech.

Do it now.
 

Dear Toastmasters,

The Year of the Wood Rooster

begins at 11.00pm on Tuesday 8-February-2005.  

The Chinese New Year party

will be held

on Saturday 19-February-2005.

at the Xenbar

located in the heart of ChinaTown

at 34A Pagoda Street, Singapore 059191

ChinaTown MRT Station Exit A

from 7.00pm to 2.00am.

I invite you to join us.

Ground Floor - alfresco dinning and refreshments  

Dance Floor at level 2 - Salsa, Rock & Roll, Tango, Cha cha cha, other social dances  

Dance Floor at level 3 - Disco

Roof top - beer garden - optional

Do it now.

- Helga Wolski

Dear Toastmasters,

"How do you know if a man loves you, mamma?" 

"You just do."

"How did you know?"  

 Did pa say "I love you"

 and give you a nice card or something and then you knew?" 

"Does that sound like your pa?"

"Then how did you know, mamma?"

"I just did."

"But how, mamma, how?"

extract from The Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnell

There are many things

your papa don't know and your mamma could'nt tell you    

but

there is one thing

you know for certain and you can tell everyone.

It does not matter if you are rich or poor,  

it does not matter if you have a university degree or not, and  

it does not matter if you own the company or if you only work there or if you have a job at all

the ability to communicate your ideas

is the key to your success.

Toastmasters has helped you

become a better listener, a better thinker, a better speaker and a better leader.  

Help others  

enjoy the benefits of Toastmasters training

by inviting them to join your club.

Do it now.

Dear Toastmasters,

We don't have to know the victims

to understand the anguish of

a man who lost his wife,

a mother who lost his son,

a child who has been orphaned, or

a family still searching for missing members.

- Lee Hsien Loong - Prime Minister, Singapore

Good morning.

Thank you

for the many phone calls

and

for the e-mails.

I understand

there are no casualities

from Toastmasters and their families

in District 80 and District 51.

Millions are suffering.

They need help.

Please help them

in cash and in kind.

Do it now.

Dear Toastmasters,

Conquering others requires force.

Conquering oneself requires strength.

- Lao Tzu - Tao Te Ching  

The Chinese read, write and think in pictures.

The written words

are stylised pictorial representation of the the world.   

The Chinese character for money

is made up of three pictorials.

One symbolises gold.

The gold is flanked by two symbols for spear.

The gold represents value, wealth, and assets.

The two spears represent the struggle, the fight and the conquest.

The first spear represents the battles we have to fight within ourselves. 

The second spear represents the inter-personal struggles.

We must succed

in the struggle within and in the struggle without

to be worthy of the gold we desire.

Each time 

we prepare, rehearse and deliver our project speeches

we fight the battle within us

to become a better thinker, a better speaker and a better leader

and

we fight the battle without

for the hearts and the minds of the audience

and

when the battle is done

we know we truly deserve the reward

that comes with having walked the distance.

Call you club vice-president education.

Book a time slot to deliver your project speech.

Do it now.

Dear Toastmasters,

Good morning.

One-
 

I thank

all the delegates, speakers and guests

at the KL2004 District 51 and District 80 joint convention

held on 25,26,27,28-November-2004 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia  

for helping write this wonderful chapter in the story of my life.  

It felt like the pen was held by the hand of God. 

My special thanks

to the organizing committee led by Kiang Faang Pyng

to members from District 51 led by DG Dr. Arul DTM and

to members from Australia led by DG Alix Fortiscue

to special guests

TI Second Vice President Johnny Uy DTM,  

TI International Director Maimunah Natasha DTM,

World Champion of Public Speaking 1990 - David Brooks and   

World Champion of Public Speaking 2001 - Darren LaCroix.  

My biggest thank you

to members, appointment holders and officers of District 80.

Two-

The mission is the journey

The journey is the mission.

- Monk - Journey to the west.  

I congratulate

all who participated in the speech contests

for the benefits they enjoy from taking the journey.

Special congratulations to:-  

Speech Evaluation Contest

Champion              : Nimmi Agnes Jayathurai - Nanyang Brasstacks TMClub - Division Z

First Runner Up      : Ellen Zhang - Island TMClub - Division K

Second Runner Up : Edward See - Tampines Changkat TMClub - Division S  

and he never got a chance to see his dreams come true.  

Do it now.

Dear Toastmasters,

va-va-voom

adjective - the quality of being exciting, vigorous, or sexually attractive

-  the 11th edition of the Oxford Concise English Dictionary

One-

The good news is

the TI Third International Vice President - Johnny Uy DTM - Phillipnes,

the 2001 World Champion of Public Speaking - Darren LaCroix - USA,  

the District 51 Governor 2003/2004 Ho Fong Ming DTM,  

the District 51 Governor 2002/2003 Dr. John Lau DTM,  

the District 51 Governor 2001/2002 Lillian Lau DTM,

the District 51 Governor 1995/1996 Augustine Lee DTM and

the District 51 Territorial Council Chairman 1992/1993 Dr. Foo Say Wei DTM and

your entire District 80 leadership team including

yours sincerely District Governor Gea Ban Peng DTM,   

your Lieutenant Governor Education and Training Dr. Khong Chooi Peng DTM,

your Lieutenant Governor Marketing Poh Kim Siong DTM,  

your District Public Relations Officer Lynn Desker DTM,  

your District  Secretary Michael Rodrigues DTM and

your District Treasurer Wong Jian Bing ATMS

are all ready  

to welcome you

to the va-va-voom dinner and dance

to launch the new TI District 80

Two-

The bad news is

the party is fully booked and overbooked.

There is no ticket sales at the door.

The last traded price post "IPO"

I was told is $250 per seat.

Please call

Tay Yiang Ping at 9622-1803 

if you have not received your e-tickets.

Three-

The good news is

the Novotel Apollo Hotel has agreed to waive cockage charge.

You may bring your fine champaign

to celebrate the launch.

Reminder

Dress code - Ethnic - Cultural - National costume

Cocktail reception - commences at 6.30pm

Four-

Good news

for those who cannot get a ticket

to the va-va-voom dinner and dance

You have a special opportunity

to watch the 2001 World Champion and the Third VP in action

tonight Friday 9-July-2004

at the Chua Chu Kang Toastmasters Club

from 7.00pm to 9.30pm.   

Limited seats

Call Poh Kim Siong at 9-66-44-248

Do it now.

 Sincerely,

Gea Ban Peng DTM

Dear Toastmasters,

The mission of the District is

to enhance the performance of the club and

to extend the network of clubs

in order that more people can enjoy the benefits

of the Toastmasters educational program.

The obligation of the leaders of the movement is

to offer supervision, explanation, suggestions, advise and inspiration and

to cooperate with local leaders

in order that our purposes may be fulfilled

in the helping of every member gain what he needs.

- Dr. Ralph C Smedley