Rowville Toastmasters Celebrates Annual Changeover Dinner

31-August-2023 | By Sanjiv Rajendran (VP Public Relations)

The Rowville Toastmasters Club held their annual changeover dinner on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at Tosaria Restaurant in Rowville. The theme of the event was “Ignite Your Passion,” and the restaurant was decorated accordingly.

The meeting was conducted by Toastmaster of the Day Shamir Ahmed, who aligned his speech to the theme. The keynote speaker was Distinguished Toastmaster Judy Murphy, who gave a talk on the importance of passion in public speaking.

Following the keynote speech, a humorous debate was held on the topic ‘:Men can’t multi-task’. The debate was well-received by the audience, and the participants did an excellent job of presenting their arguments.

After dinner, the club held an awards ceremony to recognise the achievements of its members. The President’s Trophy was awarded to outgoing President Menik Tissera, who was recognised for her outstanding contributions to the club. The President’s Award was presented to Steve Scott for his dedication and commitment to the club.

The Toastmasters of the Year award was presented to Manoj Nagpurker, who was praised for his outstanding speaking skills and leadership abilities. The Rising Star award was presented to Supun Weerakkody, who was recognised for his quick adaptation to the club and his potential for leadership skills.

The club also presented educational awards to several members who had achieved significant milestones in their Toastmasters journey.

Anna Vladimirova	Persuasive Influence 1 (PI1 Persuasive Influence 2 (PI2)
Justin M. Leung	Dynamic Leadership 1 (DL1)
Lewis Anthony	Presentation Mastery 1 (PM1 Presentation Mastery 2 (PM2) Presentation Mastery 3 (PM3)
Manoj Nagpurkar	Persuasive Influence 1 (PI1) Persuasive Influence 2 (PI2)
Troy Hanning	Presentation Mastery 1 (PM1)
Karl Hughes	Visionary Communication 4 (VC4) Visionary Communication 5 (VC5) 2nd Distinguished Toastmaster Award from Toastmasters International
Menik Tissera	Dynamic Leadership 2 (DL2) \| Dynamic Leadership 3 (DL3)

The changeover ceremony was then held, and outgoing President Menik Tissera passed the gavel to new President Anna Vladimirova. Anna gave a brief speech in which she outlined her plans for the upcoming year and introduced the new executive committee members.

The event was a great success, and it was clear that the Rowville Toastmasters Club is a vibrant and active community. The club’s members are passionate about public speaking and leadership, and they are committed to helping each other achieve their goals.