Truthfully, the room is in a totally different building, but it’s just across the parking lot.

We’ll be meeting in Building C, right across parking lot from our normal Building E.

Once you arrive at Building C, take the elevator to the second floor and turn right to Room A.

If THAT doesn’t work for you, call Bill Kovach direct at 404-626-6408. He’ll carry you to the room.

When official business is carried out at a Speakers Roundtable meeting, the Secretary is encouraged to post the minutes at this website in the category of Clues for Member.

When the business meeting results in a vote being held, the post containing the results of the vote should be accompanied with the tag, “voting” so that all such posts can be readily found later.

The exception may be votes for new members when application is denied, so as to avoid any unnecessary embarrassment.

I hope by now each of you has bookmarked www.toastmastersatlanta.com and that you are keeping up with all our meeting news and recaps.  For instance, Speakers Roundtable Meeting # 3 at 5775 Glenridge Drive occurred Monday evening, October 19, 2009.  President Bill Kovach welcomed four guests before turning the meeting over to Toastmaster Keith Schroeder.  Now Keith made a strange, but wise decision which evolved around music.

We interrupt this discourse to bring you important news regarding the next meeting of Speakers Roundtable Advanced Toastmaster Club.  Our November 2, 6:00 p.m. meeting may be relocated within the complex due to the possibility of a GMAC Quarterly Meeting in the Building E Conference Room.  You will be notified via this website and special e-mail if, indeed, our meeting location moves for that one evening.  Donna Satchell, Toastmaster, has a wonderful program in store for all of us, regardless of where we are called to order!  Expect to hear great speeches from Steve Cohn, Paul Johnson, and Bill Kovach.  (Must be guys’ night!)  Kelly Vandever heads the evaluation team of Cara Iovino, Grammarian; Keith Schroder, Camera Person; and John Schwartz, Timer.  Donna’s meetings are fun and focused so come prepared for another outstanding Toastmaster evening!

We now return to the meeting recap already in progress.

Keith realized that although he had three speakers, two speeches at four to six minutes and one at five to seven minutes, he was going to have time to spare.  So, via e-mail, Keith encouraged us all to draw parallels between the speaking world and the music world, which we (I)  dutifully did.  However, it turned out to be musical stealth Table Topics interspersed between our three speakers.  Merrilee Morris, Bill Kovach and Cara Iovino were each called upon after hearing a few measures of a special song to describe what feelings the music evoked in them.  Sad to say, one person didn’t even recognize Aretha Franklin “RESPECT” when she heard her.  Her initials weren’t CI.

Keith introduced our first speaker Gary Clement, who was giving his first speech to the club.  The purpose of his speech was to inform and was entitled, “A Vegan’s Journey.”  Gary kept us engrossed with his journey starting as a 10 year old having to go to fabric stores with his mom.  We watched him buy a Baby Ruth candy bar and hang it from the corner of his mouth like a big cigar, until he felt something crawling on his face and in his mouth!  He shared how his mom’s car accident had left her depressed and how a Dr. Carlton Fredricks had helped her through diet.  Gary has adopted his vegan life style not only to spare the slaughtering of animals, but because of the numerous health benefits.  Gary closed with a special quote from John Robbins of Baskin Robbins fame.  Nicely done, Gary!

Kelly Vandever faced the challenge of creating a new story that offered a moral . . .  and indeed, she did just that.  In her story, “The Gift,” Kelly introduced us to Sheila, a retired lady who delivers meals-on-wheels to shut-ins on an 8 mile trek.  Frank Fowler, the last senior on her route, always puts her in a ‘fowl’ mood.  Sophie, Shelia’s dog, tends to break down the people barriers when she samples Frank’s meal.  Sheila reverses her delivery route so she can leave Sophie with Mr. Fowler while she delivers the other meals.  A family emergency causes Sheila to ask Frank to watch Sophie.  Without realizing it until she reads his letter, she has given him the gift of being needed.  It’s a warm, fun story with a definite moral, delivered by one fine story teller.  A beautiful and creative job, Kelly.

Following our seven minute break, Keith introduced us to our third speaker, Mark Parham.  As with Gary Clement, this was Mark’s first time speaking before our club.  The title of his speech was, “I Want That Award.”  Mark was warm and conversational when he took us on his corporate journey to win awards.  He described his company mentor in un-glowing, but funny terms.  Next we met Deloris when she is transferred into his department.  To put it in Mark’s terms, she had been labeled incompetent and violent.  Mark uses his management skills to grow Deloris into an exceptionally valuable employee.  He takes greater pleasure in her successes and awards than in his own.  In spite of having wanted awards, Mark chooses to be more people focused and less award driven.  Well done, Mark Parham!

Vicki Willard wrapped up the meeting by calling for reports from the timer, Paul Poodt, the Camera Person, Cara Iovino, and the Grammarian, Bill Kovach.  Once again we’d experienced an enjoyable, educational, and fun evening.  This was due to the vitality and creativity of our Toastmaster Keith and three excellent speeches.  Our guests are becoming familiar faces and one guest was indeed a previous member.  It was good to see and visit with Cindy Cannon.  Let’s see everyone here on November 2^nd at 6:00.

Monday, October 5, 2009, found Speakers Roundtable meeting for the second time at our new location all high in anticipation of a great evening of speeches, food, and fellowship.  But first, a word from our sponsor:

Speakers Roundtable (SRT) is an Advanced Toastmaster Club meeting at 6:00 pm the first and third Monday of each month.  Our next meeting will be Monday, October 19, 2009, 6:00pm at 5775 Glenridge Drive, Building E.  Our Toastmaster Host for the evening is none other than the talented and fun Horizon DJ, Keith Schroder.  Keith has the following exciting speakers lined up for the evening; Iris Grimm, Donna Satchell, and Kelly Vandever. (It must be “Lady’s Night!”)  The evaluation team is headed by Vicki Willard with Cara Iovino as Camera Person, Bill Kovach as Grammarian, and Paul Poodt as Timer.  Guests are welcome, members are expected, and break food is sporadically good. We now return to our regular programming. 

Tonight’s meeting was hosted with charm and classy wit by our talented Paul Johnson.   Darlene Jordan stood in as General Evaluator and Deborah Hill-Flach stood in as Camera Person.  However, both Claudia Brogan and Bill Kovach fulfilled their roles of Grammarian and Timer, respectively.

Merrilee Morris,  first up to speak,  gave a non-manual speech entitled, “Thou Art the Potter.”  She had spoken at the 15^th Anniversary Memorial of the Crash of USAir Flight 427 at Pittsburgh and wanted to know if the talk would work for non-survivors and the secular world.  Based on the Old Testament Book of Isaiah, thou art the potter, I am the clay;  Merrilee compared her life to a beautiful vase which had shattered on the ground along with the plane.  She blamed God, raged at Him, until she came to realize she could not order Him around, that He truly was the Potter and she the servant, the clay.  With the help of the Potter, she is learning to embrace and love her not so lovely, ugly vase.

Rui Li was definitely a ray of sunshine when she stepped forward and entertained us with “Add Flowers to Life.”  We learned many wonderful things about our Rui that can’t be posted here for fear of government eavesdropping.  Just kidding!  This self-described Bargainholic led us on a merry story of purchasing a wonderfully cheap perfect blouse and then damaging it while removing a price tag with big kitchen shears.  We went on the internet, we embroidered flowers, we went off to Michaels Craft Store for beads and finally, we were treated to the beautifully decorated (repaired) blouse.  Rui suggests that sometimes we have things that may mar and disrupt our lives.  She invites us to be creative, to mend and repair the damage that comes into our lives in a beautiful and happy way.

Our break lasted almost 11 minutes, but we all came back eager to hear our third speaker, Keith Schroder.  His speech, “The True Story of Mr. Gilbert” had as the objective to use creativity to enhance his message.  Keith introduced us to his college friend, Scott Gilbert.  They were best friends who managed to stay in touch in spite of going different directions following graduation.  On a visit,  Scott let a disbelieving Keith know he had a serious kidney disorder and would die without a transplant.  Keith ripped a business card in two when he told us that one kidney was already non-functioning and the other rapidly failing.  Keith introduced Scott’s parents with wit and fun all the while further ripping up the business card, describing Mr. Gilbert donating a kidney and Scott receiving the kidney.  Keith then unfolded and showed us his business card without a tear in it while telling us that Mr. Gilbert’s gift of a kidney had made his son Scott whole again.

Darlene Jordan called for reports from her evaluation team.  Bill reported that all speakers stayed within their requested times, though the oral evaluations and our break ran over.  Deborah had filmed all three speeches using Paul Johnson’s mini-hand held something.  Paul will up-load the video for the speakers.  Claudia gave a thorough, but gentle grammarian report.  Darlene closed the evening evaluations by thanking everyone for being part of a wonderful evening of speaking, learning and camaraderie.

President Bill complimented Paul on his genius gift of a wonderful toastmaster style.  Paul’s low keyed, fun wit made him seem more like an incidental part of the evening that we looked forward to seeing after each speech and evaluation.  Bill asked our four guests to comment on the evening’s meeting.  They all expressed great interest in the club and membership.  The schedule for October 19^th was read and the meeting adjourned.