Toastmasters and Soroptimists Celebrate ‘A Night for All’
Mullingar Toastmasters celebrated Culture Week with a special invitation to Mullingar Soroptimists, and it was the first time the two clubs had been in the same room together, although they work in tandem each year.
The Soroptimists run an annual public speaking/ debate competition for young women in secondary schools, and the winners visit the Toastmasters to receive feedback on their speeches as they prepare to compete in the national competition.
Sarah McCormack from Mullingar Soroptimists spoke about the culture of the organisation and how they transform the lives and status of women and girls through education, empowerment, and enabling opportunities.
There were three other speakers on the night – Philip Howlin, on how to achieve a fulfilling life and the skills to live well in later years; Pat Kenny, who delivered a fantastic, humorous speech on the classic Irish chestnut of football and funerals; and Niamh Tubridy, who gave a detailed speech on dealing with difficult situations and showed us how to handle a tough crowd.
All three speakers were evaluated by John Waldron, Derek Walsh, and Tony Viney.
Deirdre Bigley had a special creative corner, where she described a piece of art that illustrated mothers protecting their families. She wrote an open letter to world leaders, asking why we need to lose future husbands, wives, and families to war, and inquired, ‘Do they ever think of the implications of their actions?’.
Pauline McCabe was Toastmaster on the night, Mags Healy Donoghue gave an excellent word for the night and described the language of the meeting beautifully. Brian McLoughlin forced all present to use their brains in table topics, as he provided quirky subject for an entertaining session, as only Brian can run. John Coyne gave a masterful general evaluation to close the meeting.
A special ‘get well soon’ goes out to Pat Cavanagh, who is recovering from an operation, and members hope to see him back in the club soon.
The next Toastmasters meeting is this Thursday, October 9, at 8pm in the Greville Arms Hotel. Guests are always welcome; make contact on Facebook or at mullingartoastmasters@gmail.com.