Yes we can , 19May 2011 – by Estella Minnaar
Givemore Mashingaidse, the Toastmaster of the Evening opened with Toast about Rise after we fall.
The Speaker Assignments followed:
Lance Brown did his CC9, entitled ‘Now is the time to act’. He urged the audience to look for new opportunities by using their TM acquired skills to network and approach people.
Jon Jon San Juan’s speech was entitled ‘ See a city with lesser crime/ get out and coach those who best need it, or fund them’. He compare crime statistics of Cape Town with those of LA and explained with personal examples how each person in the audience can make a difference in their community.
Berry Ger. CC10 was appropriately entitled Finish what you start.
His very memorable message was that all tasks are not worth finishing. All finished tasks don’t have to be perfect. You have to review your tasks. Set a fixed time. Keep track of progress with an end in sight. You have to decide to end the project, delegate or finish it.
Finish it to learn from experience, get on with life, have something to show. Stop making excuses (time, money, fam life, work)’.
Rehana Rutti also had a moving message about making a difference. We are here to give and not to take. It’s not what we do but how we do it. We are not here merely to make a living but to enrich, to amplify, to hope and to achieve.
We must lead, inspire, dream, lead an example. Reinforcement happens through self-approval and self validation.
The guest speaker was Chris Callagan, who did his AC28 – expertly telling a very entertaining story about his chance meeting of chinese-looking Nadine – to be his wife of many years. He danced with her at a wedding and actually managed to track her parent’s address down months after the wedding and the rest is history as they say. Such a great story of how one that persists in a great cause will succeed in the end!
Philip Robinson did a very informative and eye opening speech about one of the most actual topics and buzzwords today – the carbon footprint.
His speach ‘ The silent killer of our earth’ used tons of really usefull examples to explain how to help saving the natural resources of the earth.
A few handy examples are:
-turning off of appliances not in use,
- turning down central heating or you geyser slightly,
-installing time switches,
-completely filling up your washing machine/ dishwasher while
- only filling your kettle with as much water as needed,
- doing your weekly shopping in one single trip,
- hanging out laundry in the sun to dry instead of tumble drying,
-using tap water instead of bottled water,
-buying local grown fruit and veg and other products made locally,
-recycle as much as possible
-using lightbulbs that lasts longer and saves energy,
-insulating your hot water tank/ loft walls,
-Recycling ‘grey water’ and
-Replacing your old refrigerator
The Speaker Assignments of 19 May were about a rich variety of topics. It was very inspirational, entertaining, motivating and educational. Yes We Can. No one can argue with that after such a successful night!
