Business Meeting

Jim Akers presiding

Club Host Steve Lazar introduced three guests Nancy Shear, Terry Surrency and Ray Gordon.

Toastmaster David Rafanowicz made a motion to accept the membership application of Myrna Gordon. The motion was duly seconded, opened for discussion and approved. Welcome aboard Myrna Gordon. Myrna’s new e-mail address will be: Myrna@toastofjax.org. 

Elections of Club Officers for the July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2004 term were held. A Nominating Committee made recommendations and nominations were also accepted from the floor. The following candidates were elected:

Vice President Public Relations Beverly Farnell announced that an article written by Toastmaster David Rafanowicz', "To Web or Not to Web, Now That’s a Question!" was accepted by Toastmasters International and will be published in an upcoming edition of The Toastmaster magazine.

Regular Club Meeting

Toastmaster

Ulrich Leinhase

Word of the Day

Ardent – 1. passionate: feeling passion, or felt passionately  2. enthusiastic: feeling or showing great enthusiasm or eagerness 

Ribbon for best use: Graemme Matthews

Table Topics

Yurania Causey (Propose a Toast to . . . )

Millie Tannen

the Couple at a wedding reception (1:22)

Danny Pritchard

Milo Holt on his retirement (you’re a VP of the company) (0:58)

David Rafanowicz

your daughter's graduation (1:35)

Steve Lazar

a 15th Spanish Birthday Celebration (1:15)

Jim Akers

the New Year on New Years Eve (1:24) (Best)

Speakers

Roy Kenski

Party Platform (Elect Me Mayor and We’ll Party Hardy) (6:09)

Shauib Karim

What is Islam? (Don’t Believe Everything You Hear in the Media – Look at the Whole Picture) (8:50)

Ron Johnson

Marketing and Advertising - I Haven't Decided Yet (The Confusing Choices in Purchasing a Computer) (7:28)

Beverly Farnell

Trail Dust (Howdy Ho There Neighbor – Lessons form the I’m OK, You’re OK Corral0 (5:55) (Best)

Evalumaster

Mel Epley (Another great meeting)

Evaluators

Milo Holt (3:05)

Graeme Matthews (3:09)

Kamlesh Fadia (3:07)

Betty Gambill (2:59) (Best)

Educational

The Educational Speech was annulled due to time consumed in the election process. Thanks to Jim Domenico for being prepared.

Miscellaneous

Guest Comments

Terry Surrency- Guest of Toastmaster Chris Spears. Commented on the apparent benefits of being a member and the diversity of our membership. Interested in joining.

Ray Gordon- This is Ray’s second visit to Toast of Jax from his home club in South Africa He will be heading back home and has felt very welome at our club. He will stop back in to visit our impressive club anytime he comes to Jacksonville.

Guest Nancy Shear had to leave at 8:45 due to a work commitment, so did not have an opportunity to comment.

Joke Meister

David Rafanowicz  (Which Party for You?)

A prominent female politician from an unnamed Party died suddenly one day and found herself at the Pearly Gates.

"Welcome to Heaven," said St. Peter. "We seldom see many politicians from your Party here, so we weren't  sure what to do with you. Orders from above say you’ll have you spend one day in Hell and one in Heaven.  Then you can choose where to spend eternity."

St. Peter then escorted the politician to the elevator and she went down, down, down to Hell.  When the doors opened she found herself in the middle of a green golf course.  All her friends and political associates were there and dressed to the nines. They greeted her warmly, said they were happy to see her and hoped that she would stay. As it turned out, even the devil himself didn’t seem as bad as she had expected. She had such a good time that before she realized it was time to go.

The elevator went up, up, up and the door opened in Heaven to a beautiful golf course Everyone was having a marvelous time and greeted her with open arms.  They all had such a good time that before she realized it 24 hours had passed. St. Peter appeared and advised that it was time to make her decision.

She mulled over it and responded, "Well, all things being equal, I think I’d rather spend eternity down there among my old friends.”

Saint Peter escorted her to the elevator and she went down, down, down to Hell. But when the doors opened she found herself in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. She saw all her friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags. The Devil came and laid his arm on her neck.

"I don't understand," stammered the politician, "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and we ate lobster and caviar. We danced and had such a great time. Now all that's here is a wasteland full of garbage and my friends all look so miserable.”

"Well," the Devil smiled, “yesterday we were campaigning; today you’fe already voted for us!"

Announcements

President Jim Akers congratulated all the new club officers on their election. An officer induction ceremony will be held at the last meeting in June.

Discussion was raised concerning the planned Dramatic Reading Contest for June 21 and the impact of other matters on the schedule (Memorial Day, an Advanced Manual presentation and Independence Day). A motion was made and seconded to cancel the Dramatic Reading Contest this year. After discussion, debate and a membership vote, the motion carried.

Attendance   23 members and 3 guests

Presiding Officer Jim Akers adjourned the meeting with a decidedly Presidential flourish at approximately 9:19 a.m.

Another great meeting and a good time was had by all!

Yurania Causey reporting

David J. Rafanowicz, Editor