October 22, 2026 What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up? and An Off-The-Cuff Speech by a soon-to-be DTM

Wanda Caliman: What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?

Paolo Barone: An Off-The-Cuff 10-12 Minute Speech

 

October 15, 2026

October 8, 2026

 

October 1, 2026

 

September 23, 2026

 

September 10, 2026

 

September 1, 2026

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyRXL_F5i4o

Aug 13 2026: In Limbo

 

Table Topics

Becky Jo tried to get everyone to be insulting - but we were all just too nice, except for Gail!

Speeches

Jose - Fires in Spain

Pam - Garden Club Party

Notes: Chris Guld created this entry. Earlybirds needs to designate someone to regularly do this task - blogging. It's easier than it appears.

Aug 6 2026

 

Tribute to Ana Illsen - July 30

 A.I. Meeting Summary from Zoom

Meeting Introduction and Format Changes

The meeting began with introductions and welcoming attendees, including Marie's daughter Valentina. Pam led the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance, followed by Gail sharing a joke. Randolph announced that the format would be different, including a word of the day ("courage") and self-introductions, starting with Marie Rock.

Anna Tribute and Celebration Meeting

The meeting was a tribute to Anna, with Toastmasters and guests sharing memories and expressing admiration for her courage and contributions. Many speakers highlighted Anna's strength, authenticity, and the wisdom she shared about Cuban history and personal experiences. The gathering served as a celebration of Anna's life and the impact she had on those around her, with participants expressing gratitude for her friendship and leadership. The conversation ended with plans to start the formal agenda, including a video presentation.

Anna's Speech Compilation Presentation

Marie Rock presented a 13-minute video compilation of Anna's speeches, which Chris Gould and Jim Gould had created by collecting recorded speeches since April 2020. The video showcased Anna's legendary recaps and humorous moments from Early Bird Toastmasters meetings, including her stories about wearing masks, the origin of Fort Lauderdale's nickname, and her journey to joining Toastmasters in 2009 after receiving encouragement from friend Peggy Gallagher.

Early Birds Toastmasters Club Meeting

The video shared Ana's journey with the Early Birds Toastmasters club, describing how she joined after being impressed by the meetings and eventually held multiple leadership roles. She then shared personal stories about her Cuban heritage and family traditions, including how her mother used food to express love and care, and how her health habits evolved over time. Randolph Bastien and Chris discussed the video presentation, with Chris suggesting they should have arranged to serve flan in honor of the occasion at their former Denny's meeting location. The meeting then continued with Veronica Wininger's eulogy for Anna, describing her as a wordsmith who wrote three books and shared her experiences from Cuba, Spain, and America.

Anna Ilson Memorial Tribute Meeting

The meeting was a tribute to Anna Ilson, a long-standing member of Early Bird Toastmasters who passed away recently. Several speakers, including David, Aleta, Marie, and Becky Jo, shared memories of Anna's dedication to the club, her role as Vice President of Education, and her legendary meeting recaps. The speakers highlighted Anna's values of connection, generosity, and authenticity, as well as her impact on welcoming new members and fostering a sense of community within the club. The conversation ended with reflections on Anna's legacy and a commitment to continuing her spirit through the club's activities.

Anna Ilson Toastmasters Tribute Meeting

The meeting was a tribute to Anna Ilson, a beloved member of the Toastmasters club who passed away recently. Distinguished Toastmasters Mary Helen Day and Pam shared personal memories of Anna, highlighting her dedication to the club, her meticulous speech preparation, and her unique humor. RandolphBastien, the meeting president, expressed gratitude for Anna's courage and leadership, especially during Kip Barkley's transition, and encouraged the club to continue shining in her memory. The conversation ended with a message of support to Anna's family and friends, emphasizing the importance of finding strength in the face of loss.

Anna Memorial Tribute Meeting

The meeting was a tribute to Anna, with participants sharing memories and expressing gratitude for her impact on their lives. Jose shared a story about Anna's love for birdwatching at Lake George, comparing it to how her presence and "beautiful call" would be missed. The group discussed plans for Anna's memorial service on Saturday, with Jose promising to share a link for those who cannot attend in person. The conversation ended with thanks to RandolphBastien for organizing the tribute and plans to reconvene for the next meeting agenda at a later time.

July 23, 2026

 

Re: Profound thoughts and Preparing a Good Meeting - a rollicking morning at EarlyBirds

💖

K reacted via Gmail

On Thu, Jul 16, 2026, 7:40 AM Ana Illsen <aillsen7550@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Marie launched us with thoughts from Vietnamese peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh which reminded us to keep breathing in whatever we do - in case we forget!!

Flamingo emulator and Joke Master Kim is definitely putting her foot down...

And then TM Randolph gave us some picturesque thoughts to ponder....

* TM David concluded that perception is everything and leads to infinity, as parallel lines that never meet...

* TM Pam is practicing, practicing, practicing resting before she gets tired - it's a most non-productive habit, after all!  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* Guest Kim has difficulties finding clothes, let alone camouflage shirts, even in a town swarming with military.  She rollicks from store to store.

* TM Ellen loves to make a grand entrance - she causes whiplash from her fake eyelashes and dresses like an old hooker with a cane.  She Won Most Hilarious Use of Grammar and Imagery Award.

* TM Marie mused that whiteboards are indeed remarkable because everything changes and adults nowadays have the attention span of a gnat.

* TM BeckyJo tries to subtly let youngsters know that "she may know something about that" (particular pickle they've gotten into) but they throw it back at her.

* TM Aleta would jump from a moving van and break her ankle even if the boss didn't tell her to.... she's always considered herself lucky, except lately.

* Guest Manohar ("Mano") acknowledges you can't trust an atom cause they're everywhere but we must trust each other, except wild untamed animals to avoid stranger danger.

We had one outstanding prepared speech today...

* TM Aleta gave us 6 points to make a great meeting:  1)be prepared; 2) start/end on time; 3) respect timing requirements; 4) welcome guests; 5)Give focused intros and meaningful evaluations (no criticism on dry toast); 6) Keep members informed.  She Won Most Improved Speaker Award.

We had one evaluation today..

* TM Pam praised TM Aleta for giving an otherwise tediously challenging speech with great animation, rollick and a great sense of humor.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

ROLLICK, noun

To behave in a jovial manner, uninhibited, lively.

Example:  Our EarlyBirds meetings are always full of rollick.  If it's not fun, it's not Toastmasters!

The link to the recording will be forthcoming at some point.

See you next week!

Ana

Recap Writer

Link to today’s meeting