USF Blue Sky

by Maria Martinez, CC, ALB

I am passionate about sharing with others the Toastmasters message and what it has done for me and my career as a Personal Coach and Entrepreneur. Thus when our division governor approached us with the opportunity to speak at the USF Blue Sky, I knew I could not say no. However, I realized that to effectively deliver a presentation that could convey all the intricacies of what Toastmasters is all about I needed artillery.

After a few weeks of preparation and coordination, the team showed up at the Blue Sky facilities in beautiful Downtown Lakeland. The mission? To deliver a 60-minute "Toastmasters Experience" to their clients. Wendy Plant, Business Development Manager said "We knew this was going to be an entertaining and informative program from the time we met with Maria Martinez to organize the event, and we were certainly not disappointed." As soon as Blue Sky opened, we were there to meet the guests and even with no gavel, the meeting began promptly at 8:30.

After a brief opening, sharing the Toastmasters mission and setting the tone for what was to come, the program went on with two speeches, two evaluations and get this, even a Table Topics segment! Just like in a regular meeting, we rotated roles thus showing the leadership aspects of our organization and to make sure everyone was comfortable with the Table Topics, prior to the meeting we scoured for volunteers.

With her speech, "Communication" Beth Strayer, ACS, ALB achieved her Advanced Communicator Silver. Using visual aids and a firm, yet approachable, style, Beth delivered a solid performance. DTM David James (also known as Mr. Enthusiasm) with his speech "The Fear of Public Speaking" humored and entertained the audience with his own story of how it took him 15 years to join Toastmasters and how it has contributed to him finally getting over the
fear.

Bill Brisbin, CC, ALB and Martha Malkowski, CC, ALB evaluated respectively. Girish Surio, CC provided the backdrop and subsequently lead the Table Topics segment.Towards the end of the presentation, we gave participants an opportunity to ask questions and to take materials, handouts and brochures home. One of the handouts we had prepared contained club information for all the clubs in the area. As we addressed each question, we pointed to each person in the direction of what would be closest to them. When providing feedback, Ms. Plant added that " Everyone in the group of Toasties was professional and enthusiastic, and the attendees all gave high praise for the presentation. It was wonderful to see how a Toastmasters meeting runs, with the speeches, supportive evaluations and impromptu table topics. Many attendees were excited about the opportunity to find a group where they could attend meetings regularly. We are looking forward to having workshops with the Toastmasters in the future."

I would love to highlight several aspects of this experience! Besides the opportunity that it gave each of us to make a presentation outside of the club setting, we have established a great relationship with the USF Blue Sky program. In fact, they were so impressed that we have started to discuss the possibility to deliver a Speechcraft for them. Another win is this presentation served as a Membership Drive for all the local clubs as well as increased
awareness for Toastmasters International as an organization. And on a personal note, I learned to bring applications to any type of presentation! The program was so effective that one of the participants subsequently attended a club meeting and asked how come we didn't have applications available the day of!

But what is more...I gained a new sense of admiration and respect for my fellow club members. As we worked together with a common mission, I rediscovered how much each of us loves Toastmasters...Where Leaders Are Made!

In gratitude! I would like to thank the Blue Sky Team (as we affectionately called ourselves during this process) David James, Beth Strayer, Bill Brisbin, Martha Malkowski, Girish Surio and David Loyd (who had a family emergency and could not attend the day of the presentation).