The Glory Belongs To Kuantan TMC
Five years ago, I always sensed that I possessed the ‘inner fire’ telling me I need to go out there to meet more people, be vocal and conquer the fear within. I wanted to walk out of the comfort zone that I only talked to my dearest television during my free time that communication was through the window of the ‘square box’ and the window of ‘my soul’; if you don’t get me, I meant the communication was only practiced between the TV and my pair of beautiful eyes. Thank to my employer, I was ‘instructed’ to attend a camp organized by Rotary club, on that special occasion I met people from Toastmasters and it came to me like a BIG BANG!!! I told myself, YEAH!! THIS IS THE PLACE I WANT TO BE.. TOASTMASTERS MEETING. However, I did not join Toastmasters until two years ago due to my work and study commitments. The rule of thumb is… it is never too late to join a Toastmasters club!!!
Still remembered on my first few meeting in Vistana Hotel, I started to make more friends, Vince, Sarimah, Sabrina, Gunendran and many more. For the new members if you do not know how Kuantan Toastmasters club like those days… we had only few people attending the meeting, we needed to play many roles in order to ensure the meeting could run. At times, one hour before the meeting start, I would still received call from Vince asking if any of us can take up additional role because there were not enough role players in the meeting. Now, if you are wondering, how few members attending the meetings?? It was less then 10 persons; sometimes we had only 5 to 6 persons. If you are also wondering how was the situation of playing many hats? Imagine you are playing TME, the next moment you need to be the Table Topic Evaluator, right after the break you need to take the stage as an assignment speaker. Then your friend playing the timer also need to present an assignment speech next, you quickly jump in to his place as temporary timer!!! Phew!!! This could be extremely exciting and heart pounding experience to pick up both speaking and listening skills. Let me share the other challenges we faced besides the membership. Although Toastmasters Club existed in Kuantan since 2001; however, till 2007 we still had very few ‘experienced’ members who know about Toastmasters in their finger tips, all we did were purely just meetings, meetings and meetings! What about other interesting parts like contests? Fellowship? We needed to be very independent, because the nearest support we could find is from Klang Valley.
Kuantan Toastmasters Club is definitely not a weak club, it is a club that waiting for his glorious time to come, because we have people who loves Toastmasters, people willing to share about Toastmasters and people who are dedicated to Toastmasters. We have our main pillar of passion, ACB CL Vince Lim, during our most challenged time, it was our Area Governor who untiring reach out to all of us to become a member of this family. And also the strong and dedicated supports from Toastmasters from Klang Valley like Zaharah, Sue Ding, Dennis Wee and many more. We from Kuantan Toastmasters Club owed a big thank to all these people!!!
The term 2008/2009 was an important and very memorable term for all of us in the Exco, we believed in the motto that no matter how much other people would like to assist us, we need to be willing to assist ourselves. Right at the beginning of the term, the exco sat down together to discuss our dreams for the term, set it as our goals and ensure it would be a glory moment we will have a great celebration for our success. Kuantan Toastmasters Club achieved and breakthrough in many occasions in term 2008/2009, we sent our representatives to area B4 Humor and Evaluation contests on the first half of the term. And our winner’s humor speech in the contest still very well remembered among the toastmasters in Klang Valley, that is our beloved Vince Lim and his ‘talking money’. The second breakthrough on the other half of the term was our first ever conducted club level International and Table Topic contest. Our club winners, Sarimah and Sabrina that represented Kuantan Toastmasters Club to area level achieved a remarkable result too and before the term ended we had a fellowship join meeting with D’Utama Toastmasters Club. When the term coming to the end, it came the time for bigger celebration, Kuantan Toastmasters Club achieved 9/10 DCP that make our club a President Distinguished Club, first time ever in our history! In addition to that, during the Division B appreciated hi tea, Vince was awarded the Outstanding Toastmasters in reviving Kuantan Toastmasters Club, and it came to my surprise that I was also awarded the Division B Toastmasters of the Year (TOY). Today, Kuantan Toastmasters Club has become a name well-known in the big Toastmasters Family.
For information, I received a call from our Area Governor to share my happy moments for achieving the Div. B TOY, till now where what I am suppose to write is almost coming to an end, I really do not know what I could pen down about what I did alone for the club. I truly believe, the success of Kuantan Toastmasters Club today is not from any individual effort, it came from the contribution of everyone, from the members, exco and our toastmaster friends. If I am asked what Toastmasters Club is all about today? Besides the real meaning that Toastmasters Clubs as an NGO that assist in developing communication and leadership; well, I would say Toastmasters is a place where I find my life balance and true friends. Along the journey when we steered Kuantan Toastmasters Club to the path of glory, we too steered toward strong bonding of friendships; and I am confident that our new Captain Sabrina and her crew will also continue steer towards more better moments.
Pohlin
Proud Member of
Kuantan Toastmasters Club
