The Holidays are approaching.

The meeting last Thursday, December 3 was very educational, as usual. The club was delighted to have Aung Moe as a special guest. Julian Hernandez delivered speech project number 3, Get to the Point, titled Scarface. Selena Balecha effectively evaluated the speech, a tall tale about dreams.  Aung had the opportunity to participate in table topics. He plans to come back next week and join the club.

The holidays are approaching. Therefore we will have two more meetings in December before taking a recess for the holidays.

Thursday, December 10, at 7:00 p.m.  Theme: Leadership Opportunities

Thursday, December 17, at 7:00 p.m.   Theme: The Holidays

Hope you can join us.

Let’s Talk Turkey!

Frankly, Palisades Toastmasters Club will not be rebuilt in a few months.  But, since meetings resumed last March of this year the Club achieved Distinguished Club status in three months. By June, the end of the fiscal year, the club was Distinguished again after more than 3 years.

A lot has been happening in the last three months or so. Let’s get down to the basics facts of the matter:

• We had two new members last September: Selena Balecha and Leticia Bido.
• Last month we resumed the indoor meetings every Thursday once again at Burger King in Union City.
• Thanks to Leticia, the club secured the party room in the second floor of Burger King to conduct our meetings.
• We’ve had fun and educational meetings with themes such as Fire Prevention, Columbus Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving.
• We have one new member this month: Fausto Molina.
• Selena has expressed that she is very grateful to the club for she is now more confident doing her presentations at work.
• Next month the club will elect new officers for the period January to June 2010.

Stay tuned for the best is yet to come!

There will be no meeting this Thursday, November 26 due to the Thanksgiving holiday.  The next meeting will be next Thursday, December 3 at 7:00 p.m. at Burger King, 3501 Bergenline Ave., Union City, NJ.

There are many things one is thankful for during this holiday.  Palisades Toastmasters Club is very thankful to each and every one of you who continue to contribute to the success of the club.

Have a nice Thanksgiving!

Autumn’s Here!

The club had its last outdoor meeting of the season last Thursday, September 24 at Ellsworth Park, New York Ave. and 24th St. Union City. The theme was Autumn’s Here!. Julian Hernandez did an ice breaker speech titled “One of My Favorite Seasons” effectively evaluated by Leticia Bido, who joined the club on that date.  Selena Balecha did an excellent job as the Timer. The club was honored to have Karen Fisher as a guest. The next meeting will be held indoors (check with the club for location) Thursday, October 1 at 7:00 PM. The theme will be Fire Safety.  

Still Meeting Thursday Nights in the Park, but

The Palisades Toastmasters Club is still having meetings at Ellsworth Park, located at New York Ave. and 24th St. in Union City.  However, there seems to be rain in the forecast for this Thursday. Therefore, the meeting on Thursday, September 24 will most likely be held indoors. Please check with the club for meeting location.

The themes have been from Salsa, Merengue and  Cumbia, to Back to School, Labor Day and Dreams. The theme last Thursday was Impromptu Speaking. Speaking of impromptu speaking the Area 53 Impromptu Speaking and Tall Tales Contests are being held as we speak at the Heights Community Toastmasters Club in Jersey City Heights. We don’t have a representative at the contest, but we do have a new member of the club. Selena Balecha joined the club and has already delivered 3 speeches. Leticia Bido, did her ice breaker speech and plans to join the club, too.

The club participated with its sister club, Toastmasters en Español in the Sixth Annual Union City Arts, Crafts and Music Festival. Thanks to all the people that stopped by the table. We look forward to seeing them at our next meeting.

The next meeting will be this Thursday, September 24 at 7:00 PM.   Please check with the club for meeting location. The theme will be Autumn’s here!.

Travel and Leisure

Travel and Leisure was the theme of the Palisades Toastmasters club meeting last Thursday, August 13.  Our special guest ,Selena Balecha got a personal “tour” through a club meeting as Julian Hernandez explained the different roles and responsibilities of the Toastmasters meeting. Julian also explained to Selena the process of becoming a member of the club, which is not a splurge (word of the day).  Selena plans to do her ice breaker speech at the next meeting scheduled for Thursday, August 20 at 7:00 p.m. at Ellsworth Park (New York Ave. and 24th St. in Union City).  Please remember to call 201.334.2713 for rain location. After the meeting there will be a concert  called the Best of Salsa, Merengue and Cumbia http://www.gracetheatre.com/theatrefestivali.html.  Therefore, the theme of the meeting will be… take a guess… take a wild guess… you got it!. The theme will be Salsa, Merengue and Cumbia. See you then.

National Night Out and Smedley Award Campaign

Palisades Toastmasters Club had a table (which we shared with our sister club Toastmasters en Español) at the National Night Out Against Crime last Tuesday, August 4 in New York Ave about 26th St. in Union City. Thanks to all the people that stopped by to inquired about our organization.  The club was really excited to be part of this event which gave us the opportunity to launch the Smedley Award Campaign.

It all began in 1924. Dr. Ralph Smedley invited a few men to meet in the Santa Ana, California YMCA where he conducted the first meeting of what would eventually evolve into Toastmasters International. One person initiated a program that would go on to affect millions of people.

History continues at the Palisades Toastmasters Club right here in Union City. Palisades Toastmasters Club celebrated Dr. Ralph Smedley at its meeting last Thursday, August 6. The next meeting will be Thursday, August 13 at Ellsworth Park located at New York Ave. and 24th St. The theme will be  Travel.

 

Friendship

Since this Sunday, August 2 is Friendship Day, the Palisades Toastmasters club meeting last Thursday, July 30, was all about friendship. It was a beautiful evening for an outdoor gathering.  at Ellsworth Park. The word of the day was perennial an adjective which can be found in a quote by Pinaki Prasad Mohanty: “Friendship is like a perennial river which flows forever. It may change its path but will never ever dry up.” Nowhere else can friendship  show its true colors but at a Toastmasters club, where members and guests come together to support each ohter in building self-confidence and personal growth.  After the meeting we enjoyed clasical music played by pianist Angela Yerchenko in concert.  

Palisades Toastmasters Club plans to participate at the Union City National Crime Out – America’s Night Out Against Crime, on Tuesday, August 4th, from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. at 22nd St. – 29th St. on New York Ave. Enjoy a night of entertainment and fun. Please stop by the Toastmasters table which we are going to share with  our sister club in Union City, Toastmasters en Español. The members of the clubs will be happy to talk to you about our organizations.

The next meeting will be on Thursday, August 6 at 7:00 p.m. at Ellsworth Park (New York Ave. and 24th St.). Please call club first (201.334.2713) for rain location. The theme will be Smedley Award.

Happy Friendship Day!

Ice Cream

In honor of Ice Cream month, July, the theme of the last Palisades Toastmasters meeting last Thursday, July 23 was… Ice Cream.  It rained that evening, so we gatehered at Burger King. The brief history of ice cream; the first ice cream parlor in the US;  favorite ice cream flavors; the word of the day, scoop; as well as other interesting ice cream facts; provided plenty of opportunities to improve our communication skills. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, July 30, at 7:00 p.m. at Ellsworth Park (New York Ave. at 24th St). So far, there’s rain in the forecast. So, call first (201.334.2713) for alternate location. Let’s hope it doesn’t rain. This way after the meeting we can enjoy Russian pianist Angela Yurchenko, in concert http://www.gracetheatre.com/theatrefestivali.html.  Since the first Sunday in August is Friendship Day, the theme will be… Friendship.

Distinguished Club 2008-2009

It’s official! Palisades Toastmasters Club received the 2008-2009 Distinguished Club ribbon in the mail. The Club was chartered in 2003. This is the first time in four years the club earns Distinguished recognition:

2008-2009 Distinguished Club

2007-2008

2006-2007

2005-2006

2004-2005 President’s Distinguished Club

2003-2004 President’s Distinguished Club

The Distinguished Club Program helps the club accomplish its purpose by focusing on two areas:

Educational awards.The number of Competent Communicator (CC), Advanced Communicator Bronze (ACB), Advanced Communicator Silver (ACS), and Advanced Communicator Gold (ACG), Competent Leader (CL), Advanced Leader Bronze (ALB), Advanced Leader Silver (ALS) and Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) awards issued to members determines the club’s success in helping its members learn not only speaking skills but leadership skills as well.

Membership. In order to properly conduct the educational program, the club should have at least 20 members. Membership turnover is unavoidable as members relocate, change jobs or encounter other situations that take them away from the club. The club will continually strive to bring in new members to combat this natural turnover, to provide a stronger leadership base and to bring a flow of fresh, new ideas and personalities.

This year (fiscal 2009-2010) the club is committed to achieve President’s Distinguished Club, the highest recognition a club can earn from Toastmasters International. Stay tuned!

Michael Jackson: The King of Pop

Forever, Michael

Michael Jackson’s legacy was the theme of the Palisades Toastmasters club meeting last Thursday, July 16th. Julian Hernandez’s speech titled The Man in the Mirror was a call to action to club members and to himself to ”make the change” and become better communicators and leaders.  Conveniently, the word of the day was “moonwalk”. After the meeting all enjoyed the concert of Nicole and Ray, also presented at the Ellsworth Park. The next meeting will aslo be at the same park Thursday, July 23 at 7:00 p.m. The theme will be Ice Cream.