Induction Ceremony!
We had a happy meeting this time. We were happy because we welcomed a new member in an induction ceremony.
In an induction ceremony, the new member makes a pledge, and the existing members make the club's pledge. This can be viewed as a formality, but it is important because Toastmasters is a non-profit organization that has to be run by each and every member of the club. This is why our membership is extremely reasonable at 9,000 yen for a six-month period while a 90-minute session would cost 5,000 yen or more if we were to enroll in a course offered by a for-profit business.
That being the case, let us show you the content of the member's pledge here. As a member of Toastmasters International and the Shin-Osaka Leaders Toastmasters Club, I, ___________, promise To attend club meetings regularly, To prepare all of my projects to the best of my ability, basing them on the Toastmasters education program, To provide fellow members with helpful, constructive evaluations, To serve my club as an officer when called upon to do so, To treat my fellow club members and our guests with respect and courtesy, To bring guests to club meetings so they can see the benefits of Toastmasters membership, To act with Toastmasters' core values of Integrity, Respect, Service, and Excellence during the conduct of all Toastmasters activities.
We also had a 2-month old member deliver her first speech, the Ice Breaker speech. She looked somewhat nervous but with a lot of moral support from the audience members at the venue, she completed her speech with a big smile. This is another important aspect of Toastmasters. We see Toastmasters as a place you can try and screw up without any substantial adverse consequence. We, at Shin-Osaka Leaders, believe that we learn things by trying and making mistakes in a secure environment.
You can have another look at what this meeting was like on our Facebook Page.
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