Low Yat Seow, DTM of D'Utama Advanced Toastmasters
Club ( 007564 ) has been selected to receive the Toastmasters
International Presidential Citation Award. This Award will be presented at the
81st International Convention in Orlando, Florida in August 2012.
This was Yat Seow message
after all the congratulatory message from members of D’Utama Advanced
Toastmasters Club.
Dear members of DU Advanced Toastmasters Club;
Thank you for the congratulatory messages that
I received; my most sincere thanks from my heart.
Looking back, it all started by a friend, Amy
Wan, who asked me to join Toastmasters back in 1994, as I was impressed by her
speaking skills when she was an external trainer for the firm which I served.
I assume most of us joined Toastmasters
because someone introduced it to us; and that is the magic of sharing.
It was not a single second in my mind when I
joined that: I would become a DTM, much less a DG, not even need to mention TI
Presidential Citation Award. When I joined, I was only interested to improve my
speaking skills.
Another friend, the late DTM Wu Tze Seng,
encouraged me to take up leadership role. Along with Wei Seong, we served as
Committee members (not even SAA) for one year. I took some roles, the 1st
Speech Craft that I took part in: my role was a timer for the entire 2 days.
But I learnt to listen.
DTM Subra was the DVG. I attended my first COT
under him; and since Committee members were not part of the 7 club officers, I
was put, together with Wei Seong, in the SAA group; the trainer was Ramdas (our
incoming DG). He explained the role and duties of SAA well.
Then, I served as a Club Secretary. I still
remembered Peter helped me to insert the AGM letters and reports inside
envelops as I was the Secretary. It was a Sunday and Peter agreed to help me to
do 40+ letters.
Later, I served as the Chartered VPE under DTM
Chee Wah. He was my President. He can attest how I was then, did not speak a
lot in Committee meetings; spoke with little emotions and
delivered my speeches by memory.
Then , it was my turn to be the President; and
guess what, DTM Sheila was my VPE. She was such a great VPE, not only
attractive, but such a good host as we had our Committee meetings in her house
in S Jaya and she always treated us with sumptuous food. She also advised me
how to dress (at that time, my tie was longer that my belt level). Here it
goes: one of the benefits when your VPE is a prof image consultant.
Then, Chee Wah, Peter and I worked together in
the Division C Council (back then, there was only one Division in KL/Selangor).
The late DTM Wu was the DVG, and I served as the Asst DVG Edu and Training.
Along the journey, I met Dr Arul, we helped a new club belonging to a medical
university in PJ. Dr Arul was such an eager learner that he even asked me :
areas of improvements after he made a speech. In my heart, I was thinking: did
I have such credential to advise a doctor and a fluent speaker? So, there is
the magic of Toastmasters, sometimes, others can see potential in us that we
can not see.
Along the journey again, I met Bernard, Weng
Tuck, Ken, Regina (still remember the outstation trips when we travelled as a
group on Conventions; it was so fun) and many more.
The most important person whom I will like to
thank is: my wife, Waiping. Without her patience and support, I will not be
able to achieve what I want to do in Toastmasters. There were certain times in
Toastmasters when I was so involved that I spent very little times with the
Family, and she looked after that part for me.
I can go on and write my Toastmasters journey;
better to keep a stop, and I will like to thank the Creator for introducing me
to Toastmasters, I am grateful and blessed to receive such as Award.
Rgds,
Yat Seow
