Meeting 1187 - St Martin's Day

Remembrance, Reflection & a Little Mystery: Sandgate Toastmasters, 11 November 2025

Meeting 1187

2024 Execs — officially President’s Distinguished!

Our St Martin's Day/Remembrance Day meeting was one to remember — equal parts warmth, wit, and wonderful speeches. With six guests in attendance, the room was alive with energy as we honoured both Remembrance Day and St Martin’s Day, celebrating generosity and community in true Sandgate spirit.

Word Master - Carmy

President Helen and the executive team were congratulated for achieving the President’s Distinguished Award in 2024, and we proudly welcomed returning member Josh back to the club.

Our Toastmaster for the evening, Christiane, guided the night seamlessly. Jonathon’s toast—a touching tribute to his grandfather’s generosity—set the tone beautifully, proposing a heartfelt “toast to generosity.” The Word of the Evening, chosen by Carmy, was Memorial, reminding us of the significance of remembrance.

During the Round Robin, members reflected on whether Remembrance Day remains important today — and it was clear from the thoughtful responses that it truly does.

Prepared Speeches

1. Jillian opened with "The Art of Insights" (and how she became a gamer) — a witty, self-reflective piece exploring creativity and learning through play. (Evaluator: Arun)

2. Maddy followed with First Impressions, a fresh and relatable look at perception and authenticity. (Evaluator: Marlene)

3. Helen, joined by Peter and John, closed the session with the delightfully dramatic "The Mysterious Case of the Missing Easyspeak" — complete with theme music, quick wit, and a dose of 'it’s not a crime, it’s a strategy'. (Evaluator: Paul)

Marlene and Maddy

Helen, Peter and John T

Business & Table Topics

Carmy chaired the business meeting, keeping it short and sweet, Sandgate style, before Jonathon took the stage for a creative Table Topics session:

• When has someone’s kindness surprised you? — Josh

• Who or what do you want to remember with gratitude? — Scarlett

• In honour of Singles Day, how would you treat yourself? — TJ

• Have you ever been unexpectedly asked to lead? — Chris

• If you were to invent a patron saint of Sandgate, who would it be? — Peter

Returning member Josh evaluated the even table topics, while John T acted as General Evaluator, praising the team for their confident delivery and constructive feedback.

Awards & Highlights

Award Recipients: Helen, Chris (President), Peter, & Paul

🏆 Best Speech: Jillian and Helen (& Co.)
🌟 Most Improved: Jillian
💬 Best Table Topic: Peter
📝 Best Evaluator: Paul
🎉 Word of the Evening Winner: Christiane
🎟️ Raffle Winner: Carmy

Raffle Master - Chris

Special thanks to Eoin for keeping perfect time and to Chris for providing the raffle and closing the meeting with warmth and enthusiasm, as well as to all our guests for making the night extra special.

We’ll be back on 25 November for our next gathering — and if this meeting was any indication, it’s sure to be another night of laughter, learning, and community.

Want to grow your confidence, communication and leadership skills?
Join us at our next meeting! 👋

📧 Email toastmasters.int.sandgate@gmail.com to find out more!

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