Hank's minutes 2/15/17

​Ken “toastmastered” the 18 members (including newest member Courtney Quarterman) and three guests with a theme of using one word to describe ourselves.  “If you’re not willing to risk the unusual, you’ll have to settle for the ordinary”.  Word of the day was Belie – give a false representation.
 
Marcus was the first speaker with his Ice Breaker entitled “My Mama Almost Named Me Ponce”.  It was a humorous and animated presentation that belied his representation of himself as a self-admitted dork and introvert.  The fifth born in his family, he was quite happy that his mother steered away from the sobriquet of Ponce to Marcus (war like).  Lori was up next with “Love Languages”.  She talked about the five primary ways people have of expressing their love:  1) Quality Time;  2) Physical Touch; 3) Acts of Service; 4) Receiving Gifts; and 5) Words of Affirmation.  Each of us has a primary type and often a secondary.  Being in touch with both yours and your significant others is important.  Anne opened with song as she launched her speech entitled “Dream of Freedom”.  She talked of meeting Carter G. Winston author of “The Miseducation of the Negro” while at the University of Tennessee.  She talked of the Tuskegee Airman and other interesting and significant events in black history and reminded us that education is the stepping stone to being successful.  Greg P., the evening’s winner showed his humorous side in “Receding Hairline”.  Do girls date bald guys?  He had always harassed his father about his lack of hair and is now finding that he’s the target now.  He asked for a moment of silence about his hairline.
 
Beverly handled the Table Topic duties.  Mitzi thought that Martin Luther King would probably be disappointed about what a divided people we’ve become.  Visiting Area Governor Audrey Shredrick thinks that one month for black history should not be the issue – it should be incorporated in the teaching of American History and not an artificial divide.  Suzanne says that teachers inspire and change lives and are worthy of higher pay than pastors.  Perennial visitor Zeal Okoger, the evening’s winner also talked about MLK and wished he were here to see what Barack Obama achieved.
 
Yours truly handled the General Evaluator duties.  Lee appraised Marcus, Carin assessed Lori, Justin, the evening’s winner critiqued Anne, and Jim reviewed Greg P.  Cynthia covered the grammar, Mitzi reported on the shilly-shallies, and Andrea delineated the timing.