FOCUS 2024 [12th Issue]

About MORATUWA TOASTMASTERS CLUB

Moratuwa Toastmasters Club, chartered on June 29, 2011, proudly bears the club number 01861319. Affiliated with Toastmasters International, it operates within District 82, specifically in Division D, Area 03.

Toastmasters International Mission

We empower individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders.

Toastmasters International Core Values

Integrity

Respect Service Excellence

Toastmasters International Envisioned Future

To be the first-choice provider of dynamic, high-value, experiential communication and leadership skills development

District 82 Mission

We build new clubs and support all clubs in achieving excellence

Club Mission

We provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth

A Message From Our President

The president's first task is to s understanding the basics of effectiv money in the club to strengthen people s relationships is a tenacious type of significance that prioritises the club's value The president is responsible for all club operations, including monitoring programmes connected to various meetings, maintaining an effective Distinguished Club Programme, and effectively coordinating with the Area Director.

The method can be carefully articulated to strengthen its essence through the personal development of club members. Increasing member recognition will assist the club in a variety of ways, including improving its standing and resilience By adding value and developing the essential abilities of its members, the team may strive for greatness while instilling a feeling of community. Essentially, it is critical to understand a club's culture when keeping a watch on it. Creating a strong foundation within the club can be accomplished by modifying one's understanding of its culture and inventing to solve challenges

To inspire the club in a visionary fashion, the president's ultimate goal is to plan events that will assist others in cultivating knowledge and unity For a president, the platforms of organisation, critical thinking, and problem solving present the most difficult challenges. However, determining the underlying aim of these indicators will assist the club in managing overall behaviour and discipline by calibrating improvement

TM Ruchira Fernando President

Moratuwa Toastmasters Club

2023/2024

"Unveiling the hidden potentials and talents within a team, and fostering their development, ultimately paves the way for robust and successful opportunities for growth."

"Education serves as the compass navigating us through the uncharted realms of knowledge, empowering us to illuminate our world with the light of understanding "

"Communication acts as the bridge linking minds, forging pathways of understanding and weaving a tapestry of shared meaning into the fabric of human connection."

President

TM Ruchira Fernando

Vice President Education

TM Harshi Wijewardhana

Vice President Membership

TM Lasantha Sameera

"At times, the qualities that set you apart may feel burdensome, but more often than not, they are the very elements that contribute to your greatness."

"Assisting hands intricately weave the fabric of compassion, stitching kindness into the tapestry of humanity "

"A pessimist complains about the wind. An optimist expects it to change A leader adjusts the sails "

"Time acts as the sculptor of success; diligently work within its constraints, and witness your ambitions take shape."

Secretary

TM Maneesha Thotagammana

Treasurer

TM Chanil Karunaratne

Sergeant-at-arms

TM Rusira Bandara

Vice President Public Relations

TM Thiviru Gunatillake

Editor’s Message

Beginning with the twelfth edition invites you to embark on a litera and happenings from November 2

This book is a watershed moment in our club's history because it captures our common purpose of communicating and leading effectively Curating this newsletter has been a self-discovery trip for me as Vice President of Public Relations, and it has been an excellent opportunity to reflect on Toastmasters' transformative power

With heartfelt gratitude, I appreciate TM Ruchira Fernando, TM Arosha Kalupahana, TM Raveen Lankanatha, and TM Chakrangi Dahanayake for their exceptional efforts Their insightful articles have transformed "FOCUS" into an information and inspiration hub, reinforcing the sense of community that defines our Toastmasters family. I would also like to thank TM Arosha Kalupahana and TM Ruchira Fernando for her great assistance in compiling this newsletter. Their unwavering support and push has been a beacon of hope, pointing the way to a magazine that captures the spirit of the club.

Your combined efforts, together with the time, thoughts, and effort supplied by each club member, result in a successful tale for "FOCUS " No matter how big or small, every contribution has played a key role in establishing this book as a reflection of the Moratuwa Toastmasters family's collaborative attitude.

Finally, I hope you find anything useful on these sites. May "FOCUS" evolve from a basic record of events to a method of empowering and teaching each Toastmaster, inspiring unity and cooperative success on our journey together

TM Thiviru Gunatillake Vice President of Public Relations Moratuwa Toastmasters Club 2023/2024

A Message From Our Division Director

AToasttoMoratuwaToastmastersClub: CelebratingAchievementsandTogetherness!

Dear Moratuwa Toastmasters Club Members,

A huge congratulations on reaching 10 DCP points this testament to the dedication and hard work of each and every member. Reaching this milestone as a club shows a strong commitment to personal and collective growth within the Toastmasters program

What truly sets Moratuwa Toastmasters Club apart is the energetic and enthusiastic atmosphere you've cultivated Your meetings are known for being engaging and fun, fostering a sense of camaraderie that feels more like a family than just a club. This unique sense of togetherness is a valuable asset, as it creates a supportive environment where everyone feels comfortable learning and growing

Research shows that having fun is a key factor in learning and retention By incorporating elements of fun and enjoyment into your meetings, you're creating an environment where members are more likely to stay engaged and motivated. This, combined with the strong sense of support within the club, creates the perfect recipe for success.

Reaching 10 DCP points is a fantastic achievement, but it's just the beginning! With your continued dedication, positive energy, and focus on fostering a supportive environment, there's no doubt that Moratuwa Toastmasters Club will continue to achieve great things in the years to come.

We look forward to seeing your continued growth and success within the District Here's to raising a glass (of metaphorical courage, of course) to the amazing Moratuwa Toastmasters Club!

Warm regards,

TM Raveen Lankanatha Division Director - Division D District 82, Toastmasters International

A Message From Our Area Director

Embracing Excellence and Toasting to Success in Moratuwa Toastmasters Club

Dear Moratuwa Toastmasters,

I trust this message finds you all in high spirits and brimming with enthusiasm. As we navigate through the exciting journey of personal and professional development, it brings me immense joy to witness the vibrant energy, enthusiasm, dedication, and camaraderie that defines Moratuwa Toastmasters Club

Our recent meetings have been a testament to the commitment of your members to personal and professional development. In the spirit of growth, the energy and the inspiration in the club meetings have been nothing short of electrifying It is heartening to see new faces joining us, eager to embark on their Toastmasters journey, as well as seasoned members continuing to refine their communication and leadership skills I want to take a moment to applaud your club members for their participation in various roles during meetings. Your willingness to step out of your comfort zone, whether taking on a prepared speech, evaluating, or leading as a Toastmaster of the Day, is what makes your club thrive. Remember, each role you undertake is a step forward on your path to mastery, and I encourage everyone to continue challenging themselves In the spirit of continuous improvement, let us also focus on providing constructive feedback. Let us ensure that our evaluations are not just a formality but a genuine effort to help our fellow Toastmasters grow. A well-crafted evaluation has the power to inspire and guide, so let us make every feedback session count Looking ahead, let us focus on setting and achieving our personal and collective goals. Moratuwa Toastmasters Club is not just a place to overcome the fear of public speaking; it is a community where we empower each other to reach new heights and unleash our full potential.

Lastly, let us celebrate your achievements, both big and small. Every speech completed, every leadership role fulfilled, and every milestone reached deserves recognition Toast to your successes and let them fuel your motivation to aim even higher. Thank you for your dedication to the Moratuwa Toastmasters Club Together, let us continue creating an environment where we inspire, learn, and grow.

Here is to another year of excellence and camaraderie!

Chakrangi A. Dahanayake

Area Director- Area 03- Division D

District 82, Toastmasters International

The Core Values Of Toastmasters

The core values of Toastmasters’ include the pillars of Integrity, Respect, Service and Excellence. In the spectrum of Integrity, the most robust value that can benefit a club is to have honest and strong moral principles which in fact, will create an admiration among the members due to the versatile abilities, qualities and achievements crafted by everyone Acting with integrity is the true desire to commit to create a professional environment by adapting the thoughts and actions in align to create a better mechanism which will ultimately produce optimistic results to create better opportunities In the Executive committee and within the club itself we have always tried to be decisive in what we say, show and do to create a better example on how to commit to improve the growth factor of the club.

In the pillar of Respect, the core value interprets its most distinguished nature where, the uniqueness of members is taken into prior consideration. it is a mandatory task to understand the unique disciplines of every individual which consist of talents, skills, thoughts, strengths, ambitions and even weaknesses of which they nee to work on to improve their character Respect can be considered as more than a thought. It can be a factor which states the true identity of oneself. Respect is served with the character that we tend to deal with. When everyone shows the significance of respect ad courtesy within the toastmasters, the environment that individuals strive to be will look fabulous Its not just to others that we have to respect but to our self as well. If one knows how to respect himself, he/she knows how to respect others as well. Therefore, respect is a top- precedent criteria that individuals must follow to nurture themselves to see the world in a more visionary manner

Service is a factor that shows the resiliency and spirit of an individual to act as a leader. Stepping up and serving the club despite the challenges and circumstances will depict the true colors of an individual that is motivated to fulfill the requirements Providing service is not just for the betterment of an individual but also acts as a stepping stone to create numerous opportunities for every member to benefit from the club. Specially for the club leaders, their service must be planned and delivered to meet the requirements in-order to create a better outcome attained by recognition and success Member achievement plans and to create a member progress plan has always been a guided tool in the Moratuwa Toastmasters club. Sustaining to create more opportunities to spark the character and to nurture the improvement can be identified as the goals that these service criteria will define upon its execution

The core value of excellence speaks to perform for the best of our ability. Performing the duties, tasks that need to be fulfilled and to access the required goals are determined by the executive committee and its affiliated team Therefore, facilitating to conquer the plans to create a better version of performance and support can be identified as a major tool to be incorporated to a club Defining the standards of the club can be interpreted upon the true service that it provides. Continuous efforts and planning to commit to create a better plan will always define the newest possible outcomes that a club can induce to its members. Creating a feedback source to understand the development stages of the club can be an added advantage to create a platform of mechanisms which will help analyze the true identity of the club.

Through all these core values, Integrity, Respect, Service and Excellency, what it states is to conquer the extra-ordinary and to be visionary in the work that the club tries to perceive on. These core values can be accessed upon teamwork and this teamwork will define the real passion hidden within its members to process a valuable perception of enthusiasm, teamwork, discipline and most prominently the personality of a member which will act as a true example to benefit the improvement of its character and ingenuity.

As the president appointed for the tenure 2023/2024, my responsibility is to create a growth factor that will benefit the long run where, the correct forms of actions will be made to equip any situation with proper planning and implementations. Encouraging members to plan and proceed with different projects, events to induce awareness and interaction within the organization, to properly facilitate services by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of club members, guiding the members to realize their hidden potentials and to motivate them with passion to fulfill their duties and obligations to prevail in the effective manner.

Effective leadership is a concept that has been prevailing in the organization where in, taking measures to create an impact upon people by successfully influencing and supporting them to understand the true essence of their leadership procedures. This criterion of leadership takes real discipline and courage to forecast among the club but through the correct forms of strategic implementations, giving a boost to accommodate effective leadership skills by influencing others with the correct maneuverability criteria will ultimately benefit everyone that is involved. Encouraging everyone to take up the risks despite the circumstances can directly create a resilient character out of which people will start to recognize their true inner voice which will lead to discover more opportunities that will help everyone to manifest their goals in the toastmasters.

FOCUS

Working together as a team can be the real task which will denote the extra mile that the club will step forward to. To create a team of individuals that will facilitate from their perspectives for the betterment of the club can be termed as a real gem to the club When people try to coordinate, communicate and to interact by identifying the incidents, situations, the tendency to learn and grow by sharing ideas happens at the same time. Different disputes, arguments, interruptions will create more and more opportunities to think further and to act with the correct form of measurements to impact in a positive way As members of the toastmasters organization, we must always commit to work as a team without competing against others but to facilitate and to share new ideas, goals, objectives that will certainly help everyone to understand on how they really need to improve and to be capable of developing with what they have as their skills and talents.

Sometimes working as a team may be difficult due to complex ideas, lack of long-term implementations, poor and incomplete information being shared, operational issues faced by members, increased workload and difficulty in balancing personal work and club work. But all these situations can be sorted by attaining a platform where you see the problem as an opportunity, creating another opportunity to deal with and to set target will neutralize the complication by acting as a supportive unit. These new opportunities are not just created but it has to be discovered through unity. If the members are neglecting their duties and making excuses to cover up the situations then obviously, the club will suffer and the club will face numerous difficulties

If the team members along with the other members of the organization are focused to achieve through determination and commitment then unarguably that type of a team will sustain and conquer the challenges without facing tragedies But the possibility is to have a strong backbone to deal with these problems as someone with practiced experience. When we focus on these problems through visionary mindset, we will understand that these problems can be made to act as effective purposes to create more value to the club Through a good leader, and with the availability of good members and with the presence of a clear stated vision, the specified objectives can be achieved without any hesitation. If the members can focus on to create a successful form of management to deal with the goals of the club, the club will attain its true recognition and reputation because of that wonderful element called unity.

TM Ruchira Fernando President Moratuwa Toastmasters Club 2023/2024

Importance of planning Educational Goals in Toastmasters

Education programs are designed to concentrate on building a professional speaker with the process of attaining true performance skills to target the abilities to be crafted as a good communicator, a passionate leader, and to practice the art of communication in the appropriate hierarchies. Therefore, as a club it is our top mandatory desire to help create a supportive unit with effective, safe club environment to understand the hidden potentials of all the members.

Through the system that already exists in the committee, the plan is simply to cater by understanding the requirements of members, supplying resources of Toastmastersrelated activities and criterion can help members to find helpful in-order to create a proper curriculum and a path to focus with the intention of achieving the positive outcomes in an effective manner.

Prioritizing the support rendered by experienced individuals can create an exemplary education-based learning hub to incorporate among the young members to realize what they are truly capable of Some examples and situations where members can network with experienced members would be,

Mentor-mentee system in the club

Educational sessions customized within the club Interactive learning sessions to create talent in the club Opportunities to visit other clubs

The above mentioned opportunities can be really favorable when processing members within a club. The true values that has to be set as a level to the club comes by the discipline, motivation rendered to value the assets of good leaders, good members, good supportive pillars of the club

The guidance and support given to members when completing their pathways can simply add a lot of inspiration to the young members where they learn from the bottom to the advanced level through pragmatic formulation. Sharing ideas and linking to create more vivid educational opportunities will help relive the fears of public speaking as well as to determine the core values of being a good communicator to adhere and create numerous opportunities that will craft the person in long term.

Our goal in Toastmasters’ should be to create a background or an environment with better speakers, improved communicators, and leaders where the purpose is to keep striving in-order to become the best among the best to pursuit the real necessity of being a good exemplary leader in the different aspects of Toastmasters’

The recognition created through the DCP Points

Through the Distinguished Club Program supports clubs to provide its club with the determined assurance of consistent, high-quality experience to achieve the roots of public speaking and vision through the goals that members commit towards to These goals which are related to the platforms of Education, Membership, Training procedures, and administration methodologies combine to make a program with significant goals and ambitions that will support the club to grown and enhance its powers of reputation and commitment through steadfast mechanisms associated to culminate its growth credentials in the suitable manner The club committee has always made efforts to attain these goals to create an environment of true colors and essence by providing a trademark in the Toastmasters’.

The next category of importance can be termed as the pathway learning experience

Through this platform a member is entitled to select a pathway competency that will assure the improvement of his/her career by understanding the real necessity to formulate a plan to sustain the mechanisms of public speaking. The toastmasters have provided with 11 different options to create a strong platform for any member to identify its situations of competencies and learning experiences

This opportunity can be termed as the most prominent and resourceful engagement activity that will demonstrate the ability to enlist in a self-learning, self-crafting educational platform that will create a dynamic experience within its members to step foot into the world of public speakers and talented individuals Through the pathway program that has been designed, it gives access to its members to become the best versions of themselves by selecting a path that they think will work for their betterment and growth Through the support rendered by the mentors and experienced people in the toastmasters club, the members will be given opportunities to brainstorm, to analyze the best type of pathway enhancing program that will ultimately create a robust outcome in the skills of its members if executed in a consistent manner

The sets of goals to thrive onto, As a toastmaster, the aim must be to fulfill its requirements of creating a developed, improved version of himself/herself to attain the golden strategies of becoming an artist in the field of effective speaking the strategies that will derive one particular person is taught in an analytical way once you are a member of the Toastmasters organization. Learning to learn, share and network with members inside and outside of toastmasters will directly assure the recognition created upon the member through the styles of commitment and leadership that he/she maintains in toastmasters. Through the correct process, the engaged performance, the final results will be fabulous. In toastmasters, a member gets the opportunity to be versatile and to adapt, overcome and to calibrate its importance are other advantages of becoming a member in the Toastmasters organization A member must learn how to be an expert in their field of professional career as well to ideally deal with the importance and service that he/she will create for the betterment of his career development process as well.

Furthermore, the best dimensions of being a toastmaster is to learn how to be confident and robust in the personality identified through the tactics of self-preservation. As of myself, who joined Toastmasters in the year of 2020, I can literally mention the advantages that Toastmasters has brought to myself. Starting from the improvement that has attained through communication, public speaking, leadership and many more Any member in Toastmasters are attained to explore more and more through their unique ideas and thoughts which work as a real turning point in their careers. Through the guidance assured by involving in many programs in the organization, your confidence, mentality will be boosted and made multifarious to overcome challenges without being hesitant under pressure. Getting to know the skills that determine us and teach us the steps of our career can be a real motive to whomever associated to Toastmasters.

The discipline and character are the next segment that we should interpret about Through a meeting the different programs are aligned to manifest wide scopes of skill development and improvement When you are managing a meeting and managing the scenarios that combine the optimistic ideas of a particular meeting, the idea that is generated through it ensures everyone to work in accordance to a plan. Adhering to a plan and adhering to the responsibilities to bring out the best in that meeting will automatically create a stronger version of yourself too. It can be described not just a role in the meeting but a task that will create yourself to be more confident and to be more self-realistic on how to improve yourself in the correct manner Through these meeting roles, responsibilities and even through a smaller/minuscule task you can still learn a lot when it comes to the improvement in your personal experience and for the perspectives of career development as well.

Leadership and integrity play a massive role and it is with utmost passion that a member has to understand the core competencies that Toastmasters depict to oneself Being able to become an effective speaker along with the characteristics of being a capable leader who will guide its members to seek the optimistic passion can be the best form of resilience and robustness when identified upon its goals. Here in Toastmasters everyone is designed to be a part of a safe, understanding community where the motive is only to share, learn and gain through experience

If a certain individual sustains to practice, appreciate the little things, support others, build team spirit, motivate and inspire others through their work, the organization will bring wonders to the club. Visualizing success is the first step one can make in-order to attain the links of being successful as a good member to this club The requirement is pretty simple, the necessity is to not be a great leader but to be a hard- working member who really understands and commits for the betterment of this club. In Moratuwa Toastmasters Club, there are many individuals who can maneuver this club to greater heights of resilience, talent and growth if they commit to understand the real importance a club can provide to their future. As the President for the tenure 2023/2024, myself with all the members here in the club believe that we can

TM Ruchira Fernando President Moratuwa Toastmasters Club 2023/2024

VOXIQUE

A Remarkable Experience: Organizing the Division Event

It was an exhilarating experience to spearhead the organization of the division event for the first time. Tasked by our Division Director, Toastmaster Raveen Lankanatha, with just two weeks to plan, I embraced the challenge as the event chair. With unwavering support from my division council members, and the creative touch of our Division PR Manager, stunning flyers were crafted to promote the event

Area Directors, including Toastmasters Shani Gunasekara, Chakrangi Dahanayake, Yashodara Hemachandra, and Sajan Pushpanathan, lent their immense support, ensuring the success of the event The primary objective was to bring together Division D clubs, fostering team building and personal development while providing moments of entertainment.

Themed around Valentine's Day, the event took place on February 10, 2024, at the Mercantile Cricket Club grounds, commencing at 4:30 pm DTM Zameen M Saleem led a Heart Sync team-building session, while Toastmaster Ludmila Bopitiya conducted a Love Lock grooming session, enriching participants with valuable insights

Each club within the division was duly recognized and presented with plaques by the Division Director. Approximately 70 participants graced the occasion, with entertainment provided by various clubs, including a captivating performance by the Moratuwa Toastmasters band

As a token of appreciation, all Toastmasters were gifted a red rose and a heartfelt thank-you letter from the Division. The event garnered positive feedback from numerous members, cementing it as a memorable experience for all involved

The success of the event stands as a testament to teamwork, dedication, and the spirit of Toastmasters. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to such a remarkable gathering, leaving a lasting impression on the hearts and minds of our members.

TM Arosha Kalupahana

Immediate Past President

Moratuwa Toastmasters Club 2023/2024

Mastering The Art Of Event Planning

Whether it’s a conference, a wedding or a simple birthday party, behind every successful event is a team of efficient and capable event planners Event planning requires a mix of creativity, organization and attention to detail. While it can get stressful sometimes, it is often an exciting process where you get the opportunity to improve communication, collaboration and problem-solving skills. As the event chair of the Open House Meeting which was held on March 23rd, 2024, I am excited to share what I have learnt from my experience. In this article, I aim to explore three main phases in event planning and provide useful tips to master the art of event planning.

1. Plan

As they say, failing to plan is planning to fail. Before organizing any event you need to lay out a plan for what needs to be done In order to do this, you will first need to research more on the event and understand the requirements of the involved parties. Once you get the requirements, brainstorm with your team, gather inspiration and unleash your creativity. Plan out how you can make your ideas a reality and set a timeline You may need to confirm venue, date and time at early stages I used a checklist with a timeline to keep track of tasks

2. Delegate

Depending on the scale of the event, you may want to build a team and delegate tasks. Eventplanning is rarely an individual effort. Most successful events are results of a team with great communication and teamwork. When it comes to delegating tasks, you may want to divide the team into subcommittees, or in the case of a smaller team, assign each member a role In the open house preparation, we had the roles, Publicity Chair, Membership Chair and Program Chair to name a few. Delegation of tasks not only reduces the total workload of a member, but also provides an opportunity to improve communication and collaboration skills among team members

3. Act

A plan is meaningless without action. To act according to the plan, I used the checklist I made during the planning phase. The checklist was ordered according to a timeline and had tasks mentioned for each role This allowed to keep track of the tasks completed and the tasks yet to be done. But despite all the thorough planning, events can unfold differently than expected. The action phase is the phase where you get to face unexpected challenges. Some roleplayers can get sick, some orders may get cancelled due to unavoidable circumstances, some technical difficulties may arise even despite preparation and that is when your problem solving skills and people skills come in to play. Be flexible to accommodate changes as needed while you keep your team positive and enthusiastic Your optimistic perspective can make a great deal in making your event successful despite all the challenges.

I believe understanding these key phases will provide insight into mastering the art of event planning Furthermore, I want to thank my fellow members of the organizing committee of the Open House Event and the Moratuwa Toastmasters Club for providing me an opportunity to plan an event.

TM Maneesha Thotagammana Secretary Moratuwa Toastmasters Club

2023/2024

Member Highlights

Achievements

International and Table Topic Speech Contest 2023/2024

Club Level Area D3 Level

International Speech Contest

First Place - TM Romel Michael

Second Place - TM Thiviru Gunatillake

Third Place - TM Arosha Kalupahana

Table Topics Speech Contest

First Place - TM Shereen Fernando

Second Place - TM Thiviru Gunatillake

Third Place - TM Arosha Kalupahana

International Speech Contest

First Place - TM Romel Michael

Second Place - TM Thiviru Gunatillake

Third Place - TM Avindya Withanarachchi

Table Topics Speech Contest

First Place - TM Shereen Fernando

Second Place - TM Avindya Withanarachchi

Third Place - TM Thiviru Gunatillake

Meeting Highlights

Upcoming Meeting Write-ups

Exciting Adventure in Matara:

Get ready for an unforgettable adventure! Join us on a trip to Matara this April vacation. It's not just about sightseeing; it's about building connections and creating memories outside the meeting room. Let's recharge and bond over engaging activities in the vibrant setting of Matara.

"Annual Day Out" during the April vacation:

Recharge and build connections during our Annual Day Out in April This event provides an opportunity for members and guests to strengthen bonds outside the meeting room, fostering camaraderie through engaging activities.

"Hiking Trip":

Embark on a rejuvenating hiking experience with the Moratuwa Toastmasters Club, combining the beauty of nature with meaningful conversations This trek is designed to promote both physical well-being and effective communication among members in a scenic outdoor setting.