ACM #42 - Summary

Just before Christmas on 23rd December, ACM #42 took place and It was fantastic to see a great turnout to the meeting though it was the holiday season. It was let by my immediate 'boss', the immediate Past Division B Governor DTM Zaharah IBRAHIM, she facilitated and moderated the meeting with her usual demeanor; Calm, Cool and Compose.

The meeting started on time but there were a few re-shuffling of the Assignment Speakers as the traffic jam for that evening somewhat notorious (than usual). Thus our GAN Poh Lin, CC ALB took to the stage first with her Story Telling manual: Project #2 - Let's Get Personal. Her speech title was 'Do you have a friend called P.I.G.?' and she shared about the sleeping habit and character of her partner ... *'Insider' sources revealed that the speech may be exaggerated or contains part of fiction (hehee ...).

Poh Lin's Panel of Evaluators were composed of CHEONG Kuok Sum, CC CL, Janice LEE, CC and Ivy CHERNG, ACS, ALB, and the Lead Evaluator was SOH Fong Wai, DTM. The interesting take of this evaluation session was the confidence displayed by a particular Panel Evaluator during the Q&A session - she was confident, and took her ground when posed an alternative suggestion. The ACM truly builts confidence not only in the Speakers but the Evaluators as well.


Speaker 2nd was Geoff ANDREW, DTM who did another challenging advanced manual, Communicating On Television: #5 - Training on TV. The Live Presentation was truly an educational and interesting piece, BUT the challenge here was the evaluation would NOT be based on the Live Presentation but based on the Recording (that was took place during the Live).

Unfortunately, due to some technical difficulties, the recording playback was not possible and Evaluators (Lead Evaluator: Meyyappa MANICKAM, DTM, Panel Evaluators: Johnson YIKE, DTM, Julian GAN, ACB ALB, CHEAH Ai Ling, CC CL) were not able to provide their feedback. HOWEVER, the show much go on and Julian GAN commented on the possibility of having a ZOOM mic or a lapel mic that could be connected to the camera to capture the audio, and Johnson commented on the need for the relevant parties to have backup plans and not to assume. The evaluators will be evaluating THAT RECORDING eventually ... YouTube perhaps.


Our 3rd Speaker was our ACM veteran, GAN Teong Hock, ACB CL, who gave us a Dramatic Speech (The Entertaining Speaker: Project #4) based on his a holiday trip with his family. His story captivated the audience who were glued to his every word.

The Panel Evaluator consisted of Area P3 Governor, EU Choi San, CC, FOONG Xiao Thoong, CC ALB, and Richard YEOW, CC. His Lead Evaluator was Marian LEE, ACB CL. Each of them covered different aspect that could have spiced up the story ranging from stategic pauses, and vocal emphasis.




Our Facilitator, DTM Zaharah Ibrahim demonstrated her kind, caring, and gentle side by re-enforcing our Speakers and Evaluators - stating the improvement she had seen in each one of them compared to her previous encounter with them individually. Special thanks and acknowledgment was extended to ACG Lee Wei Seong for providing us the meeting venue since the start of ACM. Thank you ACG Lee Wei Seong !!!!

Our first time guest, Angeline Lee, CC from Friendship TMC.

(Chief Coordinator Soh Fong Wai, DTM presenting an Token of Appreciation to our Facilitator, Zaharah Ibrahim, DTM)

(Chief Coordinator Soh Fong Wai, DTM presenting an Token of Appreciation to our Organizer, Johnson Yike, DTM)

In conclusion, I really had a wonderful time being the Organizing Chair for the past six ACMs (from ACM #36 to ACM #42). It was truly an enlightening experience that have stected my knowledge especially in Publicity and Blogging. The mantel has now been handed over to Area W4 Governor: CHEONG Kuok Sum, CC CL who will be taking over from ACM #43 to ACM #48.


The date of the next ACM (#43) has been finalized on 26 January 2009 (Tuesday) and the Facilitator is LEE Swee Sing, ATMS from Premier Advanced Toastmasters Club. Confirm your participation soonest possible with Kuok Sum (kuoksum@gmail.com) and see you all there !!!!



Yours truly,
Johnson Yike, DTM
ACM #36 - #42 Organizing Chair
D'Utama Toastmasters Club