Link Up Business Expo

DeKalb Area Toastmasters was present at the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce Link Up business expo on Tuesday, May 11.

This Afternoon - Chamber LINK UP Expo at the YMCA!

This afternoon the DeKalb and Sycamore Chambers of Commerce host the 12th Annual Business to Business Expo. The LINK UP Business Expo will be held at the Kishwaukee Family YMCA (2500 Bethany Road). This year the event is open to the public. All the vendors will be in one area for increased exposure.

This evening at 7 p.m. is our regularly scheduled Toastmasters meeting. Please join us for our May 2010 meetings tonight and on May 25, 7:00 pm at the American National Bank (lower level) located at Route 23 and Bethany Road. Hope to see you soon!

Spring 2010 Update

Hello everyone. Tonight is one of our regularly scheduled Toastmaster meetings - hope to see you at 7 pm. However we are meeting at Oakcrest and not at the American National Bank - they are close and the meeting location has been included in the email blasts to members.

Oakcrest Retirement Center
2944 Greenwood Acres Drive
DeKalb, IL 60115

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Dekalb&state=IL&address=2944+Greenwood+Acres+Dr&zipcode=60115-4949&country=US&latitude=41.964378&longitude=-88.727395&geocode=ADDRESS

Tonight's meeting will be informative, fun and provide you a voice in the future direction of our club. We will be appointing a nominating committee for elected positions and after our regular club meeting will be a short executive committee meeting.

Dan Rey
President

2010 Is Off to a Great Start

We've kicked off 2010 with two great meetings. Our January 14th was preceded by a DeKalb Chamber of Commerce after hours event. We were able to showcase both Toastmasters and network with many people from various businesses in the area. Our January 28th meeting was also well attended with the return of one of our Chamber guests, a visitor to our 14th meeting and many other new visitors (and I believe a couple of them have officiailly joined!). Members were almost outnumbered by guests, so I would encourage you to try and attend our next meeting to introduce yourself and meet some of these new visitors/members.

This month we'll have a regular meeting on Tuesday, February 9th with an officer meeting immediately following for reviewing the Distingished Club goals, our Chamber membership and any other Toastmasters business. We will be holding our club contest (Spring 2010 International speech and evaluation) at our February 23rd meeting. John sent out an email with the details on January 27th.
Finally I hope everyone has a great 2nd half of the week and hope to see all of you at our meeting Tuesday!

Take care,

DanR
President, DeKalb Toastmasters

Start Your New Year with a Resolution You Can Keep – Attend DeKalb Chamber of Commerce's First After Hours Event of 2010 & See Office 2010!

January 12, 2010 5-7 pm
American National Bank (1985 DeKalb Ave.)

DeKalb Area Toastmasters will host the Chamber’s first after hours event of 2010. Come and learn about Toastmasters and leave with a beta copy of Office 2010. Food and beverages (pop, coffee and water) will be provided.

- Become an effective public speaker

- Improve existing public speaking skills

- Learn how to best utilize presentation resources (projector, white board, hand outs, etc.)

- Improve your professional skills – this can translate into new opportunities, promotions and better sales

- Meet and Socialize with others in your community

EVERY attendee will leave with a beta copy of Office 2010!

Club Christmas Party

DeKalb Toastmasters held its club Christmas/holiday party on Tuesday, Dec. 8. The members of the club, along with their families and friends, enjoyed refreshments and conversation. We then held a short meeting with two activities: White Elephant with a twist, and Toasts of the Season.

White Elephant with a Twist: Everyone brings an item they want to declutter (like that 20-year-old bottle of Sutter Home, or the old ceramic chicken that your aunt gave you), wrapped to give. Everyone chooses a gift. When people open their gifts, they give a short speech about how much they like the gift, how they'll use it, etc. After all, that's what you have to do with when you get an awful gift from your relatives, right? Toastmasters gives you practice for the real speaking situations of life.

The club then did Toasts of the Season: Everyone makes a brief toast to someone or something. That's why they call us toastmasters! DeKalb toasts ranged from the pedestrian to the sublime, and from 10 seconds to 2 minutes 10 seconds.

Finally, before and after the party one of our guests, a 14-year-old daughter, provided live music to cheer the conversation and warm the hearts.

Holiday Party Dec 8

DeKalb Toastmasters will host a holiday party December 8 at 6:30 p.m. at First National Bank. Please check our website for location details.