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