Is the Fare Change Fair?

Tuesday, May 1, 2007
11 attendees
Word of the Day – Roil

Due to room access issues, the meeting started a few moments behind schedule. Club President Falan Guan followed Word of the Day and Invocation with announcements. She shared her experiences in the recent Division Contest and encouraged members to take the leap in upcoming Toastmaster’s activities.

Guest Jennifer Gill repeated her role from last week as Table Topics Master. This week’s topic revolved around the Fare Changes Metro is proposing. A hot button issue in Southern California, members and guests expressed their feelings on what an increase means to the Agency and our customers. We had two winners today, with first-timer Mike Gainor and Gayle Anderson (Secretary) offering intriguing opinions on the cost of transit worldwide (in comparison to Metro) and how a change will affect those at the lower end of the socio-economic level.

Bertha Bruner, Vice President of Education was our featured presenter today. As is always the case, she presented “Teachers, We Remember” in her trademark smooth and distinguished style. Bertha's calming voice and engaging delivery always draws you in to her message.

The goal of this speech is to utilize body movements to enhance your topic. For the fifth speech in the Communication and Leadership program, "Your Body Speaks", Bertha would deliver her topic in five to seven minutes. She touched on the role teachers have in our children’s lives and highlighted the heroism of the 67 year old professor at Virginia Tech University who held (Bertha used an effective gesture to illustrate) the door while some of his students escaped the deranged gunman bent on destruction. Poignant and eloquent, Bertha did a wonderful job.

As members Paul Burke, Bertha Bruner and Gayle Anderson approach completion of their workbooks, come out and lend your support. If we haven’t seen you in a while, stop on by, bring your lunch and say hello. See you Tuesday!