1. PRESIDENT’S
CORNER
A
s the New Year pronounced its
arrival, I was faced with setting
goals for each aspect of my
life. There are short and long-term
personal goals, goals in which I will
gently impose upon my husband,
goals in which I will demonstratively
suggest to my children, and finally
goals for South Cobb Toastmasters-the
finest club in the land.
The Toastmasters’goals are the ones
that permeated my mind and arrested
my attention for a number of days, as I
realize it will take a village to catch the
vision and the whole town to make it
happen.
We will call these goals SMART
BHAG’S. SMART is an acronym for
Specific, Measureable, Attainable,
Realistic and Time limited.
These simple, but essential words will
be the parameter that will embrace
the Bold Hairy Audacious Goals for the
rest of the year.“
Suppose, just suppose, we won all
three membership contests,”I quietly
whispered to myself one evening
while engaging in goal setting.
“That will be phenomenal!”In
addition to that accomplishment,
I also entertained the idea of the
club accomplishing President’s
Distinguished status in the
Distinguished Club Program by
acquiring all ten DCP goals.
A final vision that danced in my head
as sugar plums in the old Christmas
Nursery Rhyme was one in which
each member would raise their caliber
of speaking so as to include more
creative props and/or interactive
activities.
The purpose of this move is to cause
members to think on an evaluative
level, and it will empower us to
actually remember the speeches as
they are spoken. This standard of
speaking was demonstrated vividly
through our South Cobb veteran
members at the onset of the year.
Jerry Warren, our Area Governor,
had the club walking around the
room making choices between
ideas for change. Joy Anderson
engaged members in political panel
discussions.
Finally, but most recently, Angela
Johnson invited the members to
construct a pentagon from materials
she provided.
This pentagon was symbolic of the
process in which one would rid
themselves of their“circle”of friends,
those who do not exhort, and begin
to strategically place more significant
friends on each of the five vertices of
the pentagon.
In essence, we will accomplish the
following by June 30, 2015:
• Smedley Award (August
1-Septemeber 30)
• Talk Up Toastmasters- (February
1-March 31) 5 new, reinstated, or
dual members
• Beat the Clock- (May 1-June 30) 5
new, reinstated, or dual members
• All Ten DCP Goals- 6 have been
accomplished to date
• Raise the caliber of speeches -
sprinkles of this is evident
Just as it takes a village to raise a
child, it will take all of South Cobb
Toastmasters to realize such SMART
BHAG’s.
JANUARY 2015
Upcoming
Events
SAVE THE DATE
TUE. 1/20/2015
CLUB CONTEST – 6:30pm – 8:30pm
South Cobb Regional Library
805 Clay Rd
Mableton, GA 30126
SAT 1/24/2015
TOASTMASTER
LEADERSHIP INSTITUTION
Loudermilk Center
40 Courtland St. NE
Atlanta, GA 30303
SAT 2/28/2015
AREA CONTEST – 1:30pm – 4:30pm
Powder Spring Library
4181 Atlanta St. Bldg. 1
Powder Springs, GA 30127
SAT 2/28/2015
CONTEST JUDGES
CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP
1831 Bill Hutson Pkwy,
Marietta, GA 30008
5/1-2/2015
DISTRICT 44 SPRING CONFRENCE
Renaissance Concourse Atlanta Hotel
1 Hartsfield Center Pkwy
Atlanta, GA 30354
8/12-15/2015
TOASTMASTERS
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
Las Vegas, NV
www.southcobbtoastmasters.comJanuary 2015

2. 2
OFFICERS
TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL MISSION
We empower individuals to become more effective communicators and
leaders.
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.
TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL VALUES
• Integrity
• Respect
• Service
• Excellence
A TOASTMASTER’S PROMISE
Being a Toastmaster means more than simply making a commitment to
self-development. Everyone who joins a Toastmasters club is making a
commitment to the club, to its members and to the organization as a whole.
MEETING ADDRESS:
South Cobb Regional Library
805 Clay Road
Mableton, GA 30126
V.P., EDUCATION
Tiffany Tolbert
vpe@southcobbtoastmasters.com
V.P., MEMBERSHIP
Chinye Enurah
vpm@southcobbtoastmasters.com
V.P., PUBLIC RELATIONS
Herschel E. Chalk III
vppr@southcobbtoastmasters.com
SECRETARY
Alverro Brown ACB, ALB
secretary@southcobbtoastmasters.com
TREASURER
Tanya Thompson
treasurer@southcobbtoastmasters.com
SERGEANT OF ARMS
Lee Louis
saa@southcobbtoastmasters.com
EMAIL:
admin@southcobbtoastmasters.com
I was born in South Georgia with three brothers and my grandparents in a
four bedroom, shot gun house, where one was able to see from the front
to the back porch. We had an old potbelly stove that sat in the middle of
the house and was used to heat all four bedrooms. The outhouse was only
12-feet from the main house and on a hot day you couldn’t differentiate
between the smells of the outhouse or the farm animals. With an abundance
of corn, okra, greens and beans there was always something being planted
and vegetables to be eaten.
Eventually my family sold the farm and we moved to Atlanta where I was
nicknamed“light pole”because I was so tall and skinny. I had an uneventful
four years of high school but shined after graduation upon joining the
Armed Services. In less than a year I was trained and on a plane to Saigon,
Vietnam assigned to the 1st
Infantry Division, 16th
Calvary, Air Support Unit.
There I earned the coveted Purple Heart in the name of the President of the
United States due to injuries sustained while in battle.
I joined Toastmasters after being introduced to the organization by a close
friend and fellow Toastmaster Dennis Smith. Immediately I saw the benefits
and rewards that being a part of this organization could provide. It has
helped me in my competent communication skills on the job, church, and
even in the elevator. I’ve found Toastmasters to be the key that has opened
several doors to my life. This has become one of the best investments I’ve
ever made.
WEBSITE:
www.southcobbtoastmasters.com
PRESIDENT
Elaine Swain ACB, ALB
president@southcobbtoastmasters.com
EVERY TOASTMASTER’S
JOURNEY STARTS WITH A
SINGLE SPEECH
Toastmaster Ronnie Gooch

3. 3
www.southcobbtoastmasters.com
I
t all began in 1924. Ralph Smedley invited a few men to meet
in the Santa Ana, California YMCA where he conducted the first
meeting of what would eventually evolve into Toastmasters
International.
One person initiated a program that would go on to affect
millions of people. In his honor South Cobb Toastmasters added
five new, dual, or reinstated members to its roster between
September 1st and October 31st. In so doing, the club will receive
a“Smedley Award”ribbon to be displayed on our club banner.
We would like to thank our Vice President of Membership,
Chinye Enurah, for hosting a wonderful and successful Family
and Friends Membership Drive. It proved successful, and the
members immensely enjoyed the friendly competition, which
was designed to bring potential members into the club.
Competent
Communicator
Award
Congratulations are in order for Justin
Nichols on the completion of his Competent
Communicator project.
To qualify a Toastmaster must complete
ten speech projects, which provide training
and practice in basic speech craft including
speechwriting, speech delivery, research,
and visual aids.
An evaluator offers feedback on each of the
speeches, helping Toastmasters to improve.
Competent Communicator is a prerequisite
for advancement, in the Leadership Track, to
Advanced Leader Bronze.
Justin’s 10th speech focused on his journey
through life and how his faith has sustained
him to this point.
He will be exercising his faith as he moves
his family to Missouri as a public servant in
the same area Mike Brown lost his life.
Smedley Award

4. 4
I
f you were among those who attended THE
POWER OF CHANGE Conference, you had the
opportunity to meet and engage with the who’s
who of Toastmasters in District 44.
We were entertained by thought provoking,
accredited, and entertaining speakers who have all
received outstanding accolades for their ability to
move and motivate audiences worldwide.
In addition there were many education sessions on
communication and leadership skills presented by
various professionals. Among those, South Cobb
Toastmasters Julius White ACB, ALB and Dawn
“Soy”Kamara ACS, ALB delighted and informed
the crowd with their social media training entitled
“Taking Control of Your Social Media.” From this
session attendees learned skills to navigate the
numerous social media platforms and to implement
strategies to ensure the most success.
As if the entertainment from the District evaluation
and humorous speech contests weren’t enough,
we were also delighted by the next generation
of Toastmasters. As youths from across the state
competed in a speech competition for the title of
best speaker.
The conference concluded with an exciting and
mystic masquerade ball.
Attendees were EDUCATED, ENLIGHTENED, and
ENTERTAINED!
You surely don’t want to miss the upcoming spring
conference scheduled from May 1-2, 2015.
DISTRICT 44 Fall Conference
The Power of Change

5. 5
www.southcobbtoastmasters.com
HOLIDAY
PARTY
The first person opened
a wrapped gift and on
subsequent turns, each
person received the
opportunity to open a
new present or to steal
another club members
unwrapped gift.
When that individual’s
gift was stolen that
person was able
to choose another
wrapped gift to open or
steal the gift of another
club member. Gifts
included humorous re-
gifts in addition to used
and inexpensive items
from the home.
Our presence was
also greeted by
Distinguished
Toastmaster and Past
District 44 Governor
Janice Andrews, and
Area 11 Governor Jerry
Warren ACG, ALB.
N
o club parties like South Cobb
Toastmasters where we are“FIRED UP!”.
The club held its annual holiday party
at Mexico Lindo, more commonly referred to
as“The Spot”. Mexico Lindo provided us with
an authentic taste of Mexican Style food in a
fun and eventful atmosphere.
Club members participated in a“white
elephant”gift exchange whereby each
participant supplied one wrapped gift.
The gifts were then placed in a central
location, and participants determined in what
order they would take turns selecting them.

6. 6
HOLIDAY GALA
The Gala was
a wonderful
experience of live
entertainment, a trip
raffle, and 50/50
draw.
Toys, books, clothing
and other items
were donated to
needy and homeless
children and their
families.
Several South Cobb Toastmasters
celebrated the holiday season
surrounded by fellow Toastmasters from
District 14 and 44.
In its first holiday gala located at the
Atlanta Marriott Gateway attendees
enjoyed a festive evening featuring
fine wines, hor d’oeuvres, dinner, and
dancing. Over 200 guests attended
this inaugural event and shared in the
festivities.

7. 7
www.southcobbtoastmasters.com
From The
Batter’s Box To
The Stage
BY BRIAN D. BARTON, ACB
N
o matter how you look at baseball, some life lessons
can be learned from the game, including how you
overcome failure or deal with success. When you think
about it, baseball can even help you be a better speaker. It
helped me.
OWNING THE STAGE
As a child, I was afraid of standing in front of a room and being
the center of attention. Reading a prepared speech would
send chills down my spine and leave me a nervous wreck.
On the baseball field, I was a different person. I embraced
the crowd and the cheers – I soaked it all up. I saw playing
baseball as a performance, and I knew how to own that stated.
I didn’t view public speaking the same way. Eventually, that
changed.
Before going on stage, I learned to visualize myself stepping
into the batter’s box while the crowd cheered me on. I imag-
ined the field’s bright lights and the opposing team’s pitcher.
This visualization process made me more at ease – I was ready
to“step up to the plate,”or in this case, the lectern.
THE PREP WORK
In the game of baseball,“the routine”is extremely important
to players as they prepare for each game. From the time I
arrive at the field to the start of the game, my routine is strictly
regimental. In addition to stretches and exercises, I also pre-
pare mentally. I even do some light reading. But every player’s
routine is different. It’s not about putting on that lucky pair of
socks for physical comfort, it’s about the emotional aspect.
I now apply a similar regimen when I prepare for a speech. I
follow a disciplined routine of outlining my thoughts, gaining
a thorough understanding of my topic and practicing my de-
livery. It has made all the difference. I practice enunciating my
words, projecting my voice and matching my body language
to the content of my speech. This settles my mind and has
made me a more confident speaker.
GOING FOR THE HOME RUN
The home run is one of the most exciting plays in baseball. It
brings the crowd to its feet. There is nothing like the euphoric
feeling of floating around the bases after connecting with a ball
that sails over the stadium fence.
I am learning how to get this same effect form my audience as I
speak. I set people up by building their anticipation – and then
WHAM! I knock it out of the park with my message. If I get the
desired response (laughter, applause or tear, depending on the
anecdote), I know I’ve hit it out of the park.
PLAYING SMALL BALL
We cant all get home runs every time we’re up to bat. At times,
we have to play a little“small ball.”In baseball, that means
accomplishing the smaller tasks, like taking one base at a time,
bunting and moving other runners toward home base. Each
small task is important in the game. When speaking,“small ball”
means paying attention to every details of my delivery. Even if I
initially think these details won’t matter, they do.
CLOSING
One of the most difficult things to do in baseball is to close
out a game, especially when teams are neck and neck. It takes
composure, confidence and good instincts to get the job done
when the game is on the line.
The same holds true when competing in a speech contest. I
learned that success depends on how well I close my talk. I
don’t want to jeopardize my entire presentation on a weak
ending, so, when I get to the end, I bring in the“closer,”just like
baseball teams bring in the closing pitcher.
A successful speech, just like a winning game, depends on how
you open, play and close. Every part, every second counts.
5 Ways Baseball Made
Me A Better Speaker

8. 8
T
he club’s first ever Table
Topics-A-Thon was
a huge success and
allowed the opportunity for
everyone within the club to
practice their impromptu
speaking skills. Over 10
Toastmasters participated in
this HIGH ENERGY incredible
night and delivered an
impromptu speech.
It served as an excellent
opportunity to see speaking
contestant Toastmasters in
action and to learn from the
multiple styles of each speaker.
In addition it allowed those
who may not traditionally
participate in speaking roles
the opportunity to showcase
their skills and talents.
TABLE
TOPICS-A-THON

9. 9
www.southcobbtoastmasters.com
SOUTH COBB TOASTMASTERS
TO HOST SPEECH CONTEST
Mableton Event to Prepare Speakers for
International Competition
T
he South Cobb Toastmasters
are pleased to announce a free
speech contest.
South Cobb Toastmasters“Club
International and Table Topics Speech
Contest 2015”will be held Tuesday,
January 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the South
Cobb Regional Library, 805 Clay Road
in Mableton. The event will prepare
competitors for the Toastmasters
International Speech Competition, to
be held in Las Vegas in August of 2015.
Speech contests are a Toastmasters
tradition. At the event, participants
will be able to listen to members
compete using skills gained from the
club. The competition will begin on the
club level. Winners will then proceed
competing at the area, division, and
district levels.
“We’re thrilled to be able to organize
this exciting public speaking
competition right here in Mableton,”
said Lee Louis, Contest Chair.
“Toastmasters is an invaluable
resource to anyone wishing to
improve their communication
skills, and this event will
allow some of the area’s best
speakers to shine as they
prepare for the international
competition.”
For more information about the event, contact
Toastmaster Lee Louis at leelouisis@yahoo.com.

10. 10
If you’re spending
countless hours online
but wiping out and not
reaping the benefits of
your online outreach,
it might be time to
change your social media
approach. Follow these
power steps to help
supercharge your social
media strategy and ride
today’s social wave.
CREATE A CALL
TO ACTION
Make sure that your
website visitors are asked to
do something once they arrive
at your site. If you can only get
them to do one thing, what
would it be? Give you their email
address and name? Or, view a video? Whatever it is, try to have
no more than two calls to action and always ask them for their
contact info in a subtle but powerful way. If you have made
the call to action compelling enough and they want what you
are offering, they will gladly give you their contact info. Also
make sure to clearly communicate what you will be doing with
their information. This can include how many emails you will
send every month and what you’ll be sending, e.g. resources,
product information, specials, etc.
When you go online and post in a status update area, do not
just talk at or to people; speak to them. Tag people in a post
and ask them a question. Tagging simply means that you write
directly to a person on their Facebook wall or on their Twitter
feed. On Facebook you put the“@”sign in front of their profile
name, for Twitter this sign would go in front of their username.
Also, take a few minutes to stop by the“neighborhood”of
each social site that you frequent and say hello, find out what
your neighbors are up to, and post a quick reply. By actively
engaging in these spheres, you keep your business top of
mind.
ENGAGE
MORE
It is not just about
posting online you need to
take time every day whether
it is 15 minutes or two hours
and talk with people online.
Be social. It isn’t called anti-
social media! This is what
starts to turn relationships
into referrals and revenue. It
is the same thing in face-to-
face encounters – you need
to talk with and not at people
to build relationships and
ultimately get the sale(s).
POWER-
UP YOUR
PROFILES
Make sure that
every social profile you have
is completely powered up
with rich keywords for your
industry and company, and that every single section and
box is filled out completely. This not only helps you with
search engine optimization, it also puts you in a high level
networking position and the more people know about you,
the more likely they are to connect.
CONNECT WITH FAMILY AND
FRIENDS
Do not forget to reach out to the people who already
know you; this can often be your best source of referrals and
business. Do not be afraid to become the business you on
your Facebook profile, that is what Facebook is all about –
connecting with people you know and letting the people you
don’t know get to know you and learn about what you do.
FIND YOUR TARGET MARKET
Use the advanced search functions to locate and reach
out to your target market online. This function can be
found at searc.twitter.com for Twitter and/or in Facebook’s
search box, and or LinkedIn’s advanced search option located
in the upper right search box. Look up your target market by
keywords such as“women in business”or“CEO”, you can also
look up the media by typing in the media outlets name and
the title or position, for example,“Los Angeles Times Editor.”
FIVE POWER STEPS TO
SOCIAL MEDIA PROFIT
By: Herschel E. Chalk III
www.slideshare.net/chalkh

11. 11
www.southcobbtoastmasters.com
GREAT READS FROM OUR CLUB MEMBERS
BRIAN BARTON – Mindset
Have you ever thought for a moment
about the effects that everyday life
has on you? Do you feel that these
effects have an overwhelming
impact on how you live your life? The
environment that surrounds us every
day influences the decisions we make
and the way we think a multitude of
ways.
Brian Barton, a former major league
ANGELA JOHNSON
Brand Legacy: Make Your Mark
Brand Legacy is a guide for those
who dream of something more
than their current occupation,
and are considering a change
from their present (physical and/
or mental) circumstances to their
intended future. Through the
HERSCHEL E. CHALK III
Once Upon A Time:
The Art of Storytelling
Everything begins with the impulse to
tell a story. This is not a luxury, but an
essential part of our genetic makeup.
We need stories. In some cultures, a
person’s story is considered his greatest
treasure, his most sacred resource.
LEND AN EAR AND
TUNE-IN-
COFFEE TALK
Coffee Talk with Soy is an
inspirational talk show
designed to empower our
audience to live a healthier
lifestyle. Dialogue is
encouraged to motivate and
challenge listeners to search
passionately within themselves
to learn about themselves.
Your attitude determines your altitude and positive thinking
is necessary for success. Start your day with“Coffee Talk with
Soy.”
The show airs every Saturday morning at 10:00 am Eastern
Time.
Available at: www.coffeetalkwithsoy.com
baseball player with the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta
Braves, puts aside the bat and ball to debut his book, Mindset:
Awareness and Action. The Los Angeles native was motivated
to write this book through witnessing the perilous effects that
everyday life has on the mindset, especially in impoverished
communities. Mindset is written to be a thought provoking
commentary that promotes awareness of these effects while
promoting guidance and action for developing a healthy
and enhanced mentality. His philosophy is that exposure
eliminates mental enclosure.
This book will bring insight to the effects of a social mentality
being adopted as part of a personal mindset. The decision
then becomes our own to empower our thinking and
strengthen our mentality.
Available at: www.brainbartonaccess.com
use of Brandercises (branding
exercises), vivid real life stories and
key transitional tips, Brand Legacy, educates you on how to
understand your value proposition in order to accomplish
your dreams. It instructs you on how to live a passion-filled,
purpose-driven life that leaves a legacy that communicates
your narrative.
Available at: www.mayartis.com
Without stories, how would we live?
Niche marketing success is all about two basic fundamentals
traffic and conversion.
You need to get targeted visitors to your website and you
need to be able to convert those visitors to customers.
One of the most powerful weapons in your arsenal is
STORY…
You should be telling stories that share your personal
experience with the products you are promoting…stories
that demonstrate how existing customers benefited form
what you are offering prospective ones…stories that help
your prospects to get to know you and trust you…even
imaginary tales that help them to visualize what their lives
will be like after buying what you’re selling or promoting.
There’s no better way to make a human connection and
communicate the features advantages and benefits of doing
business with you than by telling a good story.
Available at: www.onlinedollarscholar.com

12. 12
New Member Alert
CONNECT
WITH US
VIA
SOCIAL
MEDIA
FRANCOIS KERSAINT
Independent Sports
Professional
SYLVIA REILY
Certified Public
Accountant
NELLI SARKUCHIKOVA
Certified Public
Accountant
LAKEISHA SINGLETON
Professional
CANDACE STENNETT
HR Manager
DELANA WATKINS
Network Project
Manager
DONALD WILCOCK
SR. Inventory Analyst
LIKE US – www.facebook.com/SouthCobbToastmasters
FOLLOW US – www.twitter.com/SouthCobbTM
WATCH US – www.youtube.com/user/SCobbToastmasters
MEET US – www.meetup.com/SouthCobbToastmasters
GOOGLE US – www.plus.google.com/+SouthCobbToastmasters