What is Parliamentary Procedure? Bill Kirby Explains

What is Parliamentary Procedure? Bill Kirby Explains

GATM is excited to host an educational speech about what takes place in a parliamentary session, or business session, of our weekly meetings. If you are confused about Robert’s Rules of Order, want to know why it is a good idea to learn how to run a meeting this way, or brush up on rusty skills, this is the speech for you.

Please join us in our first session after the holidays, January 4th. This will be an in person meeting at Trafalgar Park Community Centre, 133 Rebecca St, Oakville, ON. 7.30 – 9.30 pm.

Toastmaster Bill Kirby has been with the organisation for 19 years. He has held all the club officer roles. He has twice been an area director, once a division director and once an alignment chair. He is currently the parliamentarian for districts 65 and 86. His home club is Cambridge Toastmasters.

Congratulations to Our Winners of the Evaluation and International Speech Contest at Glen Abbey Toastmasters

Congratulations to Our Winners of the Evaluation and International Speech Contest at Glen Abbey Toastmasters

GATM hosted on Wednesday December 14 the evaluation and international speech contest for its members.

We thank Tuula Redditt from Brampton and Winner of District 86 Toastmaster of the Year 2019 for being our test speaker for the evaluation contest. Toastmaster Tuula was evaluated by several GATM members. Congrats to Connor Grist, Past President GATM and Wajiha Sabrani for placing first and second.

Congratulations to Bahareh Tehrani, also a Past President GATM and Wajiha Sabrani for placing first and second in the Speech Contest!

Full Screen At Glen Abbey Toastmasters

Full Screen At Glen Abbey Toastmasters

November, 2022.

Chair Krista challenged us to face our fears as a recent meeting theme. What challenging role have you taken on lately? I gulped and was timekeeper for the first time in two years as a member. Five guests joined us, including special guest Area 83 Director, Shannon O’Callaghan.

Halloween At Glen Abbey Toastmasters

Halloween At Glen Abbey Toastmasters

October 19, 2022.

Captain JT steered his crew through another enjoyable GATM meeting that was spooktacular [word of the day], educational and fun. People shared their experiences of escaping out of a real haunted house, running away from meeting skeletons at the door for the first time (without knowing what Halloween trick or treat was), and dressing up as Barney to their first Halloween party because they’d committed themselves to wearing the first costume to be pulled out of the old costume box.

Workshop: What’s in it for me in Toastmasters Journey?

Workshop: What’s in it for me in Toastmasters Journey?

It’s your beliefs and values that drive every behavior, which, when aligned with your core, creates your life purpose and path.
Life purpose isn’t something to be achieved;
it’s something to be created.Would you like to create it ?

Attend the session by Club Retention Chair DTM Guerdah Felix
What’s in it for me in Toastmasters Journey?
Oct 22 Saturday 10 A.M est to 11 A.M EST

Registration Link –
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYtcumqpzkjHtc4_47GKtMYyPaDf1lq-ld4

First In Person Meeting 2022

First In Person Meeting 2022

GATM welcomed the new Toastmaster’s season with several guests in person at our new location.

This was Trafalgar Park Community Centre in Oakville.

We will be having a mix of in-person and online meetings.

Here pictured is Toastmaster Reema Duggal kicking off the prepared speeches section of the evening.

And…Toastmaster Chris Zhou with her Best Speaker Award. And…Toastmaster Roger Cogle with his Best Table Topics Award

And...Toastmaster Roger Cogle with his Best Table Topics Award

Congratulations!
Delivering A Winning Speech

Delivering A Winning Speech

Join us at Glen Abbey Toastmasters as we kick off our 30th year by welcoming the 2021 3rd Place Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking – Roger Caesar.

He’ll be speaking on Delivering A Winning Speech.

Roger has competed and become a semifinalist at the Toastmasters World Championships of Public Speaking 4 times. In 2021, he won 3rd place. He is also the Founder of Empire Coaching and Owner of Caesar Transport.

Date: September 7, 2022
Time: 7:30 pm

If you’d like to join, please let us know you’ll be coming.


Halloween Haunt

Halloween Haunt

It’s Halloween! Join us for some spooky speeches!

Chairperson Zehra Raza hosted a costume party titled: Halloween Haunt, on Wednesday, Oct 27, which was a load of fun!

It’s Fall Again & It’s Raining Gold

It’s Fall Again & It’s Raining Gold

It’s Fall again. What a beautiful season – especially the warm weather and beautiful colors.

We had a great meeting titled: It’s Fall Again & It’s Raining Gold

Chairperson Bahareh Tehrani asked us all to speak about the special activities, recipes or traditions that we love in Fall.

It was a great meeting sharing wonderful Fall memories. And we voted in another great new member – Zina!

How To Leave Your Comfort Zone

How To Leave Your Comfort Zone

Did you ever challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone?

We had a great meeting on Sep 29th, 2021, sharing our experience and thoughts about leaving the comfort zone with our Area Director, Ian Horne. Table Topic Master, Nisarg, challenged the audience with thoughtful questions below:

  1. What is your definition of Comfort Zone?
  2. How can someone leave their comfort zone?
  3. Why should someone leave their comfort zone?
  4. Can you give us an example when you had to leave your comfort zone?
  5. Can you give us an example when you decided to not leave your comfort zone?
  6. How do you encourage yourself to take risk(s)?

If you would like to challenge yourself for public speaking, please join our weekly meeting as a guest to hear more.

New Beginnings 2021

New Beginnings 2021

As Toastmasters International starts a new chapter for the year 2021-2022, in our club meeting on July 14th, 2021, Glen Abbey Toastmasters shared their plans in their Toastmasters’ journey.

We are all looking forward to this new year with a commitment to doing something new and interesting.

Happy New Toastmasters Year to you all!

Music Meeting 2021

Music Meeting 2021

What a great meeting on June 23, 2021. In honor of World Music Day on June 21, Chairperson Joan Teri encouraged us to share all our stories about music and what it does to our souls, ears, and more.  

Many Glen Abbey Toastmasters shared what music means to them and especially how during COVID – music brought joy and happiness.

Table Topics included a playlist of songs with famous dances, and a number of Toastmasters showed off their dance moves. The list:

  • The Time Warp
  • Jerusalema
  • Macarena
  • YMCA
  • Bad Romance
  • Gangnam Style
  • Jai Ho
  • Wavin’ Flag

Do you know the dances to these songs?

Adventures in Food Meeting 2021

Adventures in Food Meeting 2021

What a delectable (word of the day) night we had! Our meeting Chair Gordon Vuong sent this email to all of us five days before the meeting:


What is an Adventure in Food?

They say “variety is the spice of life”. 

I say the BEST way to get variety in life is through the literal spices, textures, flavours of yummy food! You can learn a lot about a country, its people, traditions, and culture through its food. Since we cannot really travel now, we can still go on a CULINARY ADVENTURE! 

I encourage you to support your local restaurants and order take out from a new place. If you’re feeling even more adventurous, experiment and cook a new recipe you’ve never made before. Not so adventurous? That’s okay, tell us all about your favorite comfort food that gives you warm fuzzy memories when you eat it.

Please come ready to share stories of your own adventures in food!   

Bon Appétit!
Your food obsessed Chair 


Of course the whole club jumped in to participate – because of course we all love to eat!

Great meeting theme Mr. Chair!

Earth Day Meeting 2021

Earth Day Meeting 2021

GATM celebrated Earth Day 2021 with a special Earth Day themed meeting.

The Toast to Planet Earth set the stage for our appreciation of the planet.

GATM Toastmasters spoke of how Earth Day impacts them and the many things they do to help the planet. During Table Topics, many spoke of the actions they take in their daily lives – from:

  • eating more plant based diets
  • how they are reducing, reusing, and recycling
  • how they have helped in reforestation
  • what they do for climate change, and
  • how they reduce waste when out

Also there were two great speeches on Different Abilities and Communication Styles!

Want to take actions for Earth Day this year? Check out the Earth Day Take Action page

District 86 Toastmasters 2020-2021 Conference

District 86 Toastmasters 2020-2021 Conference

District 86 is hosting it’s Spring Conference from April 10 to April 16, 2021. Over the course of the week, there will be 15 workshops, contests, the business meeting, and lots of fun events.

The conference is online and FREE this year. It is a great opportunity to:

  • Learn new ideas, strategies, and techniques to help your clubs, areas, and divisions succeed.
  • Connect face to face and network with like-minded Toastmasters from across Ontario
  • Spur your personal growth, thinking, creativity, and planning from outstanding workshops
  • Be Inspired by Distinguished Toastmasters and District Award Winners who are recognized for achieving their goals 
  • Be Amazed by fabulous contest speakers, motivated presenters, and selfless volunteers
  • Renew Friendships by coming home for a TM Conference – an annual gathering of new & old friends
  • Re-Energize your passion and regain your focus for your own Toastmasters journey
Spring Is Just Around The Corner Meeting 2021

Spring Is Just Around The Corner Meeting 2021

GATM welcomed spring on March 17th 2021 with a session theme “Spring is just around the corner!” and springy backgrounds. 

Hello Spring from Glen Abbey Toastmasters!

Valentines Day Meeting 2021

Valentines Day Meeting 2021

Everything was coming up hearts at the February 11th Valentines Day themed meeting at Glen Abbey Toastmasters.

Chair Gordon Vuong led the theme by sharing: This week, there are three big holidays that celebrate love – Valentine’s Day, Family Day, and Chinese Lunar New Year. The meeting theme was The Love You Give.

And he challenged everyone to wear red or have red in their backgrounds. Of course Glen Abbey Toastmasters delivered. Great meeting!

Christmas Meeting 2020

Christmas Meeting 2020

Occasion and special events are always an opportunity for GATM members to be creative, have fun and celebrate our wonderful culture!

In our online 2020 Christmas party, we played “Would you rather …” questions and answers, danced, stretched together and talked about 2020 highlights in our lives and what we were looking forward to in 2021. 

Not only did we have fun before the Holidays, but also we learned more about each other.

This is how the GATM family celebrated Christmas and welcomed 2021!

Halloween Meeting 2020

Halloween Meeting 2020

We celebrated Halloween at GlenAbbey Toastmasters like never before!

Unlike other years that we had an in-person celebration for Halloween, we met online for this year. However, that did not stop us from wearing costumes and having fun.

We changed our names to scary ones and told terrifying stories! This was one of the most memorable halloween celebrations at GATM!

Halloween 2019

Halloween 2019

We had our Halloween improv meeting on October 30, 2019! Everyone looked great in their costumes, and we had a lot of fun with the Improv.