The brightest event in October (demo-meeting in Lviv)

“If you do not go forward, you may be backward” – was the motto of the first, but an astounding Toastmasters meeting in Lviv held on October, 21 for the company SoftServe! The meeting was conducted by the astounding team of Kyiv Toastmasters:

• Olga Yeryomina (Dnipro Hills)
• Ludmila Povaliy (Art-Talkers)
• Alla Khoroshikh (Toastcrackers)
• Elena Domotenko (Top Talkers)
• Vitaliy Karpets (Top Talkers)
• Yulia Usova (Art-Talkers)
  

As promised, during the astounding meeting the participants have known about Toastmasters organization and the most interesting aspects of its educational program, got possibility to take part in an impromptu speech session and … had fun! The result of the meeting is – opening of the first Toastmasters club in Lviv!

There will be other astounding Toastmasters meetings in Lviv. You are welcome not only to attend them, but to take an active part, because if you do not go forward…

Yulia Usova, President of Art-Talkers TM Club

Wish You Were at Toastmasters…

  When Yulia Usova proposed some members from Kyiv Toastmasters Clubs conduct a demo-meeting for SoftServe employees in Lviv, we agreed without hesitation and went to Lviv with great enthusiasm – to attract young people who want to improve themselves and develop public speaking skills.
  We were 6 in Kyiv’s team: Vitaliy Karpets and Olena Domotenko (Top Talkers), Alla Khoroshykh (Toastcrackers), Olga Yeryomina (DniproHills), Yulia Usova and Lyudmyla Povaliy (Art-Talkers). The figure “six” reminded the famous Redyard Kipling’s saying: “I have six honest serving men…” and we made a wish – to come to Lviv in a year and meet there intelligent and talented people who will combine their leisure with self-education and self-improvement.

  …At SoftServe’s office we were pleasantly surprised – everything was ready for the meeting. Being honest, on Saturday morning we couldn’t expect so many participants who later confessed that they had come with great desire – to meet new friends, get to know about Toastmasters and have fun together.
  “If you want the world to change, look at the world with new eyes”, Yulia Usova addressed the audience while opening the demo-meeting. “Look at yourself, your world and your opportunities with new eyes and create Toastmasters for your self-development”.
  There were great prepared speeches that day: “About Toastmasters Organization” and “If you Don’t Go Forward…” Then SoftServe employees participated in Table Topic Session. Some of some were nervous a bit, but tried to get rid of fear and speak with confidence. Those were excited moments — with jokes, smiles and friendly laughter, especially during evaluations of speeches.
…Time flies quickly when you’re busy with something useful and exciting. Even after the meeting we continued to talk with SoftServe employees, encouraging them to be creative and experiment with new approaches to become better communicators and leaders. The TM program is successful because it meets fundamental human needs for personal development and team work. And I’m sure that in the nearest future Lviv’s Toastmasters members will take an active part in Toastmasters events as International speech contests, trainings, Autumn Ball, Summer Picnics and many other activities.

Lyudmyla Povaliy, UUPN member and Art-Talkers PR Expert

P.S. When I finished writing this info, I received the e-mail from Lviv:
“Your Toastmasters demo-meeting made a significant impression on me and my co-workers. You did light the fire, and now we can’t but keep it burning. Who knows, may be once you’ll come to Lviv in order to have a speech in the first Lviv Toastmasters club. Anyway, you are always welcome here”.
Sincerely,
Oksana Mykhaylyuk
CSR / QA Analyst, JC
SoftServe, Inc.

Art-Talkers’re always on my mind… or TM Ball celebration

Every autumn Kyiv Toastmasters community have a very special and bright event – Toastmasters Ball.
This year TM ball was held on November, 1 and all Toastmasters were welcomed to participate in it. Toastmasters from all Kyiv clubs had opportunity to have a united meeting – to watch the best presentations and meet old and new friends! They could show theirs evening dresses and costumes and enjoy the charm of formal event in informal atmosphere.
The official part of the ball began from “speakers-evaluation” presentations according to the standard toastmasters agenda and creative presentations of every Kyiv TM club, prepared by members of the clubs. It is necessaryto admit that at this autumn ball the most active clubs were Art-Talkers and Toastcrackers – their members participated in the standard presentation part and also entertained the audience by humorous and witty performances. Toastcrackers presented their vocal variety with the song “Yellow submarine”. And Art-Talkers released a new version of “Star Wars” – film “Art-Wars” demonstrating the strength of a word as a real weapon and sang the song “Art-Talkers’re always on my mind” (remix of “Pet Shop Boys” song).
There are the photos to prove that all participants enjoyed the event. And some of them (may be with your smiling face) placed here… And you can read also an article about Toastmasters’s Annual Ball wich was printed in “What’s On” magazine (October 13-19).

Jane Kokhan, VP PR of Art-Talkers TM Club

September, 9 in British Council

If you visit sometimes Art-Talkers’ meetings, you have a great chance to find yourself at Art-Talkers’ web-site!Now you see the place where we meet: British Council library room, bright and comfort place which inclines toastmasters to make wonderful speeches.

What is the recipe of Lyudmyla’ success?

Practice, training and public speaking…

    On behalf of Art-Talkers’ I’d like to greet UUPN member Lyudmyla Povaliy who not only delivered the most impressive speech at Toastmasters’ Autumn Ball, but was also highly recognized by the guest audience that brought her 2 awards – The wisest and the most artistic Toastmaster of 2006.
    When I proposed Lyudmyla to be a speaker at the Toastmasters International Autumn Ball she hesitated only for a moment, then took a deep breath and exclaimed: “Of course, I will! It was my dream!”
    At the Ball Lyudmyla made her prepared speech “Have you ever been a volunteer?” inspiring the audience to become volunteers and be helpful for the communities.
    “A year ago when I came to the 10th anniversary of Toastmasters as a guest, I couldn’t even imagine that in a year I would be awarded”, said Lyudmyla receiving certificates from Levon Petrosyan, area Governor. “Toastmasters Clubs in Kyiv and Art-Talkers, in particular, helped me grow as a person, develop new skills and discover my unique gift”.
    Lyudmyla’s talk is always stimulating and wonderful, her speeches “Once upon a time…”, “Love… Love?..”, “Do men like to cook?” are unexpected, unusual and sincere.
    After the Ball, very excited she confessed that her success started with a dream. I think the truth is that she created a special recipe – a recipe for success. The ingredients in that recipe are practice, training and public speaking.

Yulia Usova, Head of Kyiv Toastmasters’ Marketing Committee

The Story of One Speech

Pepper, cucumber and cheese… or Do men like to cook?

The idea to make the presentation “Do Men Like to Cook?” came to my mind when Art-Talkers’ President Yulia Usova gathered the officers at the café “Vienna’s pastries”. We tasted the English cheese-cake, enjoying warm and cozy atmosphere at the café. Suddenly I remembered unforgettable months spent in Great Britain, where I polished my journalism.

Once our trainers took us to the small village of Hay-on-Why, which is famous throughout the world as a kingdom of bookshops. I don’t know why, but I decided to choose a cooking section, where men had been looking for recipes’ books. Actually, the British don’t cook every day, but a weekend is an exception. It’s a great chance to show the family that a husband and a father is capable not only to earn money for the family but to make a salad, fried chicken and even a cake. And no one considers this task difficult or boring. On the contrary, kitchen helps them to relax after weekdays.

So, I prepared for the presentation, and finally decided to make a surprise for Art-Talkers’ members and guests.

“I’ll take some vegetables, bread, cheese and olives”, I said to myself, “and ask a man to make some sandwiches during my speech. He will help me to prove that men like to cook. It’ll be great!”

In the morning I put a plate, a fork, a spoon, cheese and olives into my bag, then washed vegetables and … instead of bag put them into the fridge. Automatically, through habit.

… Having come to the British Council half an hour earlier to “hide my surprise”, I opened my bag… Oh, my God! I was in shock! There weren’t vegetables there… I left them in the fridge!

Mariya Kapustyan, having seen my confusion, rushed to the metro and brought some vegetables.

Then during my speech Victor Fursov prepared very nice sandwiches – with cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese and olives. I should say, he did it so professionally as if cooking was his hobby.

I’m very grateful to Art-Talkers members. They helped me to save my speech and make it colourful and exciting.

Lucy Povaliy, UUPN and Art-Talkers member