Wednesday, July 22, 2026

We traveled all over during our Igniters meeting on Tuesday July 21^st. Our toastmaster Elaine started the expedition right at 7:00 PM with the theme worldly travel. The word of the day was travel and our Grammarian Emma introduced the challenge word - expedition.

We buckled our seatbelts immediately for our smooth travels over our 1.5 hour expedition. And what an expedition it was! We started with a mentor moment by Jey who spoke about our strong mentoring program in Igniters where he emphasized mentoring fosters growth for both the mentors and the mentees as both parties share and learn while standing shoulder to shoulder.

We then switched gears to listen to Derrick’s icebreaker speech where he regaled us with stories of his childhood in Nova Scotia and how his desire to ski compelled him to move to Calgary where he met his future wife who turned out to also be from Nova Scotia. We also got to hear about how he proposed to his soon to be wife while cycling across Canada in 80 days.

We were then treated to a speech by our Mentoring Coordinator Mona who spoke about her expeditions with leadership where we learned that having a challenge stirred leadership in her. She was a District Director of District 42, which developed her listening skills, and in turn helped her establish her own counselling business. Skills developed in Toastmasters transfer to our personal and professional lives. A key message she shared is:

Are you showing that you’re listening to the words they express?

Are you hearing their words?

People want to be heard, understood, and validated.

Then we set off on a journey with Table Topics! Our Table Topics Master, Trish, challenged speakers with three adventurous travel questions Jey defended his choice of a window seat as though his life depended on it. His reason? He's hoping to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights someday.

Chamila shared how a quick trip for gas turned into an unexpected expedition after a traffic jam, hailstorm, and a check engine light transformed a simple errand into a repair adventure. Derek recalled a travel mishap in France that ended on a heartwarming note. After leaving his bike outside while searching for a campsite, a kind Frenchman invited him to pitch his tent in his yard instead.

As always, members voted for the Table Topics winner, and this time the honors went to Jey. Congratulations, Jey and may your next window seat come with a dazzling display of the Northern Lights!

Our club is blessed with excellent speech evaluators. First, we had Ali evaluating Derek’s Icebreaker speech , then Jey evaluated Mona’s speech and Marvin was our Table Topics Evaluator. Our General Evaluator was Ksenija. Everyone gave positive and constructive feedback to help participants learn and grow.

We enjoyed traveling via the stories shared and some members even shared photos of their world travels via their zoom backgrounds. We enjoyed Emma’s backgrounds of Amsterdam, Bratislava, Zurich, and London.

Our next meeting is Tuesday July 28 and is in-person at Parkdale Community Association located at 3512 5 Ave NW. All are welcome! We start at 7pm. Emma will be Toastmaster with a theme on beating the heat. We will have a speech from Diane and our Division E Director, Lina, has a special announcement. Come and join in the fun!

VP PR Emma

Thursday, July 16, 2026

Catch Some Rays... Catch Some Confidence!

Mona - passionate Mentoring
Coordinator. Congrats on
winning Table Topics!

Summer is the season to grow, stretch, and shine and that's exactly what happened at Igniters!

On July 14, our new President Yvonne kicked off her first meeting as Toastmaster with warmth, enthusiasm, and plenty of positive energy. A new guest was welcomed.

The Word of the Day was Nature, while our newest member Tamil introduced the Challenge Word: effulgent. It means radiant, brilliant, shining brightly and members wasted no time weaving both words into the introduction round.

Every role matters. Our Ah-Counter Ksenija helped us replace "ums" with confidence, while our Timer Marvin reminded us that great speeches respect the clock.

The Thought for the Day by Nandini posed a simple challenge: How will you stretch this summer? Learn a new skill? Deliver your Ice Breaker? Compete in a contest? Members were invited to email our Vice President Education Trevor with their goals because at Igniters, no one grows alone. We help each other succeed.

That theme continued as our Meeting Mentor Ali encouraged everyone to step outside their comfort zone and keep growing this summer.

First speaker Elaine "Shake It, Baby!" gave a hilarious and informative speech exploring the history of handshakes. From the bone crusher to the wet noodle to the genuine, every handshake told a story while giving the speaker a chance to shine through expressive gestures.

Our second speaker Trevor took us to Portugal, where one memorable encounter became a lesson in leadership. Understanding different leadership styles helps us connect, communicate, and lead more effectively.

Table Topics Master Lenore kept the summer spirit alive as members tackled impromptu questions about the season. Three speakers Derek, Ksenija, and Mona accepted the challenge, with our third speaker earning top honours.

Three evaluators Nandini, Diane, and Darlene offered supportive, constructive feedback, highlighting each speaker's strengths while suggesting ways to grow. At Igniters, every evaluation is a gift, helping members build confidence one speech at a time.

Another Igniters meeting. More laughter. More learning. More stretching.

See you online next week with dynamo Elaine leading the meeting.

Nandini - VP PR Committee

Monday, July 06, 2026

Step Up, Speak Up, Shine On!

If you could hop into a time machine and land in June 2027, what would make you smile and say, "Now that was a great Toastmasters year!"

That was the inspiring question our Vice President Education Trevor recently asked each member in a personalized email. Maybe your answer is earning another educational award, stepping into a leadership role, competing in a contest, mentoring a new member, delivering a speech everyone remembers—or simply staying connected to a club that makes Tuesday nights something to look forward to.

The email also included two simple reminders that can make a big difference: keep a pocket speech ready for those unexpected opportunities, and sign up for meeting roles in advance. Success loves a little preparation!

Looking for another way to grow? Join one of our enthusiastic executive members on a committee. It's a fun way to build leadership skills, share fresh ideas, and make a real difference.

President Yvonne
VP Education Trevor
VP Membership Trish
VP Public Relations Emma
Treasurer Ksenija
Secretary Marvin
Sergeant at Arms Elaine
Past President Marvin

Our members are the heart of Igniters. When everyone brings their talents, ideas, and enthusiasm, amazing things happen!

Nandini - PR Committee

Wednesday, July 01, 2026

Excellence Recognized by District Leaders

Two More Awards From the District Trio! $25 Gift Bundles each award. Way to go Igniters!! VPPR Nandini

Hello Igniters!
Congratulations! The Pathways Powerhouse Club Award honors District 42 Clubs that demonstrate exceptional commitment to the Pathways Education program by ensuring every member is actively enrolled.

This award celebrates a club's collective dedication to personal development and continuous learning, highlighting their role in fostering growth and achievement through Toastmasters' innovative pathways curriculum.

In order to receive this award, your club has 100% of their members enrolled in Pathways by June 30th of the 2025-2026 program year.

Wishing you all the best in the next Toastmasters year!

Debbie Stearns, Stacey Kaminski, and Stanley Vong

District 42 Trio

2025-2026

Hello Again Igniters Club!

Congratulations! You have earned the Calendar Champ: Early Renewal Award which recognizes clubs for staying ahead of the calendar and keeping your club's momentum strong. Your club has renewed a minimum of 8 members before September 15th AND March 15th of the 2025-2026 program year.

Wishing you the best in the year ahead.

Sincerely,

Debbie Stearns, Stacey Kaminski, and Stanley Vong

District 42 Trio

2025-2026

Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Sweet Success! Year End Celebrations!

Presidents Distinguished Club!!

Some meetings are memorable. Others are truly worth celebrating!

On June 30, 0ur Year-End Celebration at Mona's brought together everything that makes our club special - friendship, laughter, learning, and recognition. We looked back on a year filled with inspiring speeches, supportive evaluations, growing leaders, and members who consistently stepped up to help one another succeed.

One of the highlights of the evening was celebrating our achievement as a President's Distinguished Club. We achieved 9/10 goals! This recognition reflects the dedication of every member who gave speeches, took on meeting roles, mentored others, invited guests, dedicated club officers and contributed to creating a welcoming environment where every member can grow.

Induction of New Officers

We were honored to welcome our incoming Division E Director Lina, who joined us to celebrate this special evening. Our Area E6 Director Diane and fellow Ignite led an enthusiastic induction of our incoming club officers for the 2026–2027 Toastmasters year.

Our Incoming President Yvonne closing message was one we'll long remember. With honesty and courage, she shared her journey with an autoimmune disease and reminded us that growth begins when we dare to take risks. The challenge is set: take the speech, accept the role, embrace the opportunity

Cheers to our Award Winners

District Awards:

President Marvin and the Awards Committee selected the award recipients. Congratualations to all the winners!

Toastmaster of the Year - Ali
Rookie of the Year (joined since January 1, 2025.) - Nora
PR or the Year - Nandini

Our unique Club Igniters Spirit of Success Awards July 2025 - June 2026:

Igniters Spirit of Success - New Member (joined since July 1, 2025.) - Derrick
Igniters Spirit of Success - Communication and Leadership - Emma
Igniters Spirit of Success - Speech Achievement - Nandini
Igniters Spirit of Success - President Choice - Yvonne
Igniters Spirit of Success - Igniting Spirits - Club vote - Elaine

Looking forward to another amazing year Igniters!

Nandini - VP PR

More Celebrations - Year End Party

Happy Birthday Lenore!

Adding to the festivities, we celebrated Lenore's birthday, making the evening even more joyful. Her sister, Darlene, brought a heartfelt card signed by the Igniters to honor this special occasion. The room was filled with laughter, warm conversation, and, of course, delicious treats that made the celebration even sweeter.

Igniters is a special club built on the power of mentoring, learning, and friends helping friends succeed. It is more than a club it is a community where growth is shared, leadership is nurtured, and every member is lifted higher by the success of others.

Where friends don’t just grow together they ignite each other’s success.

30 Years in Toastmasters - Surprise!

For three decades, President Marvin has embodied the true spirit of Toastmasters by learning, leading, and lifting others along the way. His mentee Ali delivered an inspiring toast and certificate honoring his impact as a dynamic and dedicated leader. The celebration continued with a heartfelt card shared by Nandini signed by all members, followed by a sweet finishing touch: a homemade cobbler crisp from Mona. Congratulations!

Nandini - VP PR

Sunday, June 07, 2026

Open House June 16! Go after your Goals!

Join us for our Open House on June 16!

6:45 PM – Networking and refreshments 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM – Meeting

Looking to strengthen your communication and leadership skills in a supportive and encouraging environment?

Enjoy an evening of food, fun, and friendly members while discovering how Toastmasters can help you grow both personally and professionally.

One of Igniters greatest strengths is our Mentoring Program. Whether your goal is to become a more confident speaker, a stronger leader, or simply more comfortable expressing your ideas, our experienced mentors can help you achieve your goals faster.

An inspiring evening!

John Hallet, an accomplished speaker who has competed numerous times and earned 3rd Place at the District 42 International Speech Contest in April 2026, will share one of his engaging speeches.
Ali Haider, incoming Div G Director will be delivering the final speech needed to complete Level 1 of Pathways, an exciting milestone in hisToastmasters journey.

Every speaker receives constructive feedback from skilled evaluators, demonstrating one of the most valuable aspects of Toastmasters continuous learning and improvement.

Come see why so many members say Toastmasters has transformed their confidence, communication, and leadership abilities.

Guests are always welcome. We look forward to meeting you!

Where Confidence Grows, Leaders Emerge, and Friendships Begin.

Whether you're looking to advance your career, become a more effective leader, or simply gain confidence speaking in front of others, you'll find encouragement, support, and opportunities to grow. Join us for an evening of learning, laughter, and inspiration—and discover what is possible when you invest in yourself.

Nandini VPPR

Wednesday, June 03, 2026

Splash - Tastic Meeting!

Singing in the Rain! Yvonne and Elaine

What a splash-tastic Toastmasters meeting!

Our Toastmaster Yvonne's theme Water made waves from start to finish. The Word of the Day, Growth flowed naturally throughout the meeting, while the challenge word Deluge kept everyone thinking.

Members shared how Toastmasters has helped them grow through increased confidence,stronger communication, leadership development, better listening skills,and lasting friendships.

Ali inspired us with a speech on the value of water and three lessons we can learn from it:adapt, reflect, and grow.

Derek a new member took on timer role with precision!

Lenore celebrating with Diane!

Congratulations to Diane who completed Level 1! Her W.O.W. evaluation offered thoughtful and encouraging feedback that showcased the value of supportive evaluations.

Trevor shared stellar feedback on the value of videotaping speeches, encouraging us to be kind to ourselves as we watch. His simple formula: find two strengths, one area for improvement, and two more strengths

The second half was filled with learning and laughter with Marvin as Table Topics Master. Elaine shared about her farming roots and water, and we enjoyed entertaining water-skiing stories from Darlene—including a swimsuit that didn't quite cooperate! We applauded a guest who stepped outside his comfort zone to share a story about playing in the water with a very tall friend. We finished with Emma sharing why Vancouver Island is her favorite island. Nandini offered feedback with the TAP method, recognizing what was Terrific, opportunities to Accelerate, and each speaker's unique Power

A fun, engaging meeting that reminded us all that, like water, we can adapt, reflect, and continue to grow.

Tabs