"Sarah's Challenge" - We did it!

Sarah's Challenge Winners: Mike, Jason, Ania, Craig, Sarah, Jeff celebrating their awards

Doesn't it feel great to get to the peak of a mountain you've climbed? A sip of water tastes like heaven, and the views from the top are amazing.

Six of our club members can attest to that. The end of June marked the closing of the Toastmasters 2011/2012 year and they all achieved their speaking and leadership goals, receiving anywhere from Competent Communicator awards to the Advanced Communicator Gold Award. Impressive!

It all started with an innocent challenge proposed by Sarah: "Let's finish up our goals by the end of this year," - she said to Jeff. Jeff took a deep breath: "End of  the Toastmaster's year? You betcha!" -  before Sarah had a chance to explain she meant the end of 2012. The ambitious challenge was born and others were invited. Even better: everybody finished up their projects and nobody lost the bet!

All the individual successes added to the club's total success: at year-end (June 30th), Toastmaster's World Headquarters calculates the number of goals the club achieved and recognizes it as either a Distinguished Club (at least 5 of 10 goals met), Select Distinguished Club (7 goals), or President’s Distinguished Club (at least 9 goals) based on the number of goals achieved and the number of members it has. Electric Toasters were awarded the President's Distinguished club for the year 2011/2012! Amazing job everybody!

Where are you with your book today? Do you want to finish it by June '13? Are you ready for a Sarah's Challenge 2?! Leave a comment or email!

Posted by: Ania Osińska-Bulloff

Meeting Location

Hello Electric Toasters and Visitors!  We meet every week in the 2 World Trade Center building (the Conference Center).  The meeting room is posted outside the building doors near the elevators.  We also set up the banner outside the room to help make us easy to find.

See you soon!

Mike Fajen
President, Electric Toasters

An Electric Summer...

Happy Summer! 

Finally, we can bask in the sunlight and not excuse the wasted days in pajamas on the couch watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy in June because its raining.  With the coming of sun, we can relish watermelon in the backyard, outdoor concerts, secret river spots, impromptu picnics on Mt. Tabor and anything else you relate to summer in Portland.  Also, it is the time when Electric Toaster officers past the baton to their successors.



To celebrate Portland's true summer arrival date, July 4 (a little late I know), I thought we would get to know some of our new officers and their favorite past times and sentiments about our nation's birthday.   


Note that some did send thoughts in and others did not have the chance... for those non-respond-ers, well any Electric Toaster actually, I invite you to respond to the post and let us know what inspires and excites you about summer and/or July 4 or what is your fondest memory of the 4th of July:

• President – Mike Fajen: The 4th of July has always been kind of magical to me.  The anticipation of slightly unpredictable fireworks - shared by friends and family makes for a memorable moment, but the point of Independence Day also reminds me of some things I appreciate about our country.  Our country is a full spectrum:  On one end, our freedom creates opportunity for corruption and greed.  But on the other end, our freedom creates opportunity for immeasurable good.  As we seek to improve our communication skills, we're better equipped to improve our world, to tap into immeasurable good and find ways of extending good to others.  For that and other opportunities, I celebrate our freedom! 
• We see Mike's eloquence flows from his speeches to his writing.

• VP-Public Relations – Jeff Brooks: Jeff and his wife tied the knot on July 5th, so the 4th always helps remind him not to forget his anniversary!  (Good call on setting that wedding date) The morning of the 4th is typically spent outside doing something fun (this year water-skiing is planned) and then usually BBQ with family & friends in the afternoon / evening.  

• Secretary – Kat Latet: You might have alluded from my opening paragraph some of my favorite summer pastimes.  On top of these, I would partner my watermelon with a healthy portion of BBQ, brisket, chicken, pork shoulder, I am not picky and a great local Oregon beer.

• Sergeant-at-Arms – Joanne Neavoll: What she enjoy most about the 4th of July is baseball, not Beaver baseball, but Red Sox baseball,  the coast and ice cream...my favorite is Ben & Jerry's New York super fudge chunk.

Just for your records, our other electrifying, Electric Toaster Officers are:

- Wei Chiang, VP of Education

- Angela Mahoney, VP of Membership

- Craig Jones, Treasurer

Here's to the next year of Electric Toasters and here's to summer!