DTM Speech

This a copy of my speech that I will be giving May 15 2007:

With this speech, I earn Toastmaster’s highest award – the DTM. For those of you are new to Toastmasters, DTM is an acronym for “Don’t Time Me.”
Fellow Toastmasters and guests, I want to take the opportunity to explore how Toastmasters has impacted my family and me. I recently looked at the records and discovered that I joined Toastmasters in 1983.
I remember at one of my first meetings at a restaurant in Peoria, IL, that I passed around baby pictures of my daughter, Rachel. This is a recent picture of Rachel, who is now with an accounting firm in Bethesda, MD.
Rachel experienced Toastmasters first hand when I decided to do a Youth Leadership Program –mini-Toastmasters – in her 5th grade class at North Ridge.
I went into Rachel’s class every week for 8 weeks, and every week Rachel covered her face in embarrassment. She told me that no one liked the class, but the students’ enthusiasm told me a different story.
I remember one week there was an ice storm where the school board cancelled classes after they had already begun. I went to tell the teacher that a fellow Toastmaster coordinator couldn’t make it and that we would have to cancel the session. No way! There were 11 people who were prepared to give a speech – and they did. I gave everyone a ribbon – and Rachel was upset because she thought she had the best speech.
At the time, there was a cable Toastmasters, and Rachel gave her speech about selling Girl Scout cookies, “Making Dough from Cookies,” on TV!
Rachel was one of the charter members of Raleigh Talkmasters – she made the 20th member. She gave several great speeches about her experience traveling around the world on Semester at Sea.
When Rachel applied for the job at the accounting firm, a partner noticed that Rachel had put her Toastmasters experience on her resume. Her boss said they interviewed approximately 600 people and only chose 6, and Rachel was one of them. Could it be that Toastmasters gave her the edge? I’d like to think so.
My son Daniel has not yet become an official Toastmaster, but he has learned some lessons. When Daniel was 5th grade at Durant, I also conducted a Youth Leadership course. I remember taking Daniel to Toastmasters, where he competed in a Table Topics contest against Angus Jackson. Daniel was 9 at the time, and Angus was a spry 89. Angus won, but I really think Daniel should have.
Daniel joined the football team at Millbrook High. Daniel has inherited my athletic genes, so his major contribution was giving the pep talks before the game. Daniel was award the “Team Over Self” award for his efforts in getting the team to the 3rd round of the state championship.
Daniel, like Rachel, went on to Appalachian State in Boone. Daniel has become politically active and heavily involved in pro-Israel activities. He went to a rally in Washington and has pictures of himself with 5 U.S. Senators. Daniel organized a pro-Israel rally for 150 people in Boone where he was the moderator and Republican Congresswoman Virginia Foxx and a Democratic professor were the speakers. In addition to moderating the panel, Daniel was called on to give concise answers to hostile questions. Table Topics in action. Now Daniel is planning to go school in Israel, and I can only hope he will learn to communicate in Hebrew better than I can.
I’ve been saving the best for last. Toastmasters has had a real impact on my wife, Bracha. Bracha and I were separated for a year many years ago. As a condition of reconciling, I asked her to go to a Toastmasters club near her job in RTP.
I went one day to take escort her from work to the club, but found out that she had called in sick that day. I went to the club, where Rosa, an older, black woman, volunteered to make sure Bracha came to the next meeting. And Rosa kept her word.
Bracha was a regular member of the RTP club for many years, giving about 6 speeches in as many years. She enjoyed being Table Topics master because she liked having total control.
Bracha was recently on a panel discussing the situation of Jews from Arab countries, where she did an excellent job. She was poised and confident and she received a number of compliments.
Bracha does have a way of getting her point across effectively. It’s obvious for those that know us, that Bracha and I have an ideal relationship working together in our garage. Bracha is well aware, that because of my Toastmaster’s experience, I listen attentively to every word she says and all my evaluations use the Oreo-cookie approach.
I can’t imagine what my life would have been without Toastmasters. I have made many friends throughout the years and developed a support group and contacts.
I want to mention a few of my mentors – Angus Jackson and Merle Nall who were in High Noon. We have created an award – the Merle Nall Spirit Award in High Noon and the Angus Jackson Award for Talkmasters to honor their commitment to the goals of Toastmasters.
I have been fortunate to be involved at levels higher than the club. Through Toastmasters, I literally have friends in every part of the state. I especially want to mention Past International Director Jay Nodine from Kannapolis. Although only about 5’ high, he is one of the people I look up to. Many years ago, Jay was in a coma for 12 weeks and said that prayers from Toastmasters saved his life. Jaywas recently awarded a “Lifetime Achievement” award for his activity on the state conference last month.
At the club level, John Castleberry has been a real inspiration. And I owe a big thank you for the friendship, help and advice Mary Kreul-Starr has given my family and me over these many years. And I look forward to her receiving her DTM shortly!
I want to thank High Noon for organizing this event.
I am very proud to be associated with such a wonderful group of people who become involved in the organization.
I have certainly taken the long road to reach this accomplishment. As you can see, I am a long way from being a professional speaker. However, my goal has been to make friends, have fun and learn new things – something that I accomplish at every Toastmasters meeting. And, with G-d’s help, I can be telling stories at Toastmasters for many, many more years.