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A Toast To Better Speaking

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By BARBARA ROUTEN

Tribune correspondent

Published: March 18, 2009

VALRICO - The idea of crashing and burning when giving a speech in front of a packed room may be the most frightening experience some people can imagine.

The Valrico Toastmasters Club can help folks overcome that fear by education, example, evaluation and encouragement. Meetings are opportunities for members to practice speaking in front of each other.

Toastmasters International Clubs around the globe help people gain leadership skills, learn to conduct meetings and speak more effectively.

Newcomers are welcome to attend meetings from 7 to 8 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at the Campo Family YMCA, 3414 Culbreath Road. The next meeting will be Tuesday.

People with all levels of English skills are encouraged to participate, from college English majors to people just learning the language.

"You don't have to speak exactly correct," said club President Julie Ames. "It's OK."

The Valrico meeting includes some members from South America and India who add a depth of unique linguistic, cultural and religious perspectives, said Ames. "It's not boring," she said.

The Valrico group's officers include Heidi Johnson, vice president for education; Deidria Todd, vice president for membership; Sriram Ramachandran, secretary; Arun Marballi, treasurer; and Kavita Marballi, sergeant-at-arms.

"Each group has its own personality," Ames said. "Each is run professionally, gives each person a chance to speak and has its own goals and objectives."

For example, some businesses host Toastmasters International groups in their buildings for employees. Some professionals meet before work. Some schools have Toastmasters groups for their students.

For information about the Valrico Toastmasters Club, visit www.valrico.free toasthost.us or write to Dl@aetna.com.
Facing History And Ourselves

BRANDON - Congregation Beth Shalom of Brandon, 706 Bryan Road, invites the public to its second annual Scholar-in-Residence Weekend Program this weekend. The free event, called "Never Again: The Responsibility of the Individual in a Post-Holocaust World," will feature Mary Johnson of Boston, a senior historian with Facing History and Ourselves.

The Friday night presentation will begin with services for Sabbath Eve, called Erev Shabbat, at 7:45 p.m., and Johnson's discussion, "Hopes of a World Made New." She will examine the establishment of a universal care ethic founded on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Genocide Convention and the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials.

At 10 a.m. Saturday Shabbat morning services will include a study of Judaic texts and a talk by Johnson about "Listening to Our Sources: What Judaism Says about Obligations to Others."

After a Havdalah service to mark the end of the Sabbath at 7:30 p.m. Saturday Johnson will present "The Meaning of the Holocaust in the Modern Age: Opportunities and Challenges in the 21st Century Global World."

A light Kiddush lunch reception will be served after the Saturday morning presentation. A potluck dessert will be shared at the conclusion Saturday evening.

For details, write to Lawrence S. Greenfield, chairman of the congregation's adult education committee, at lsgmd4@yahoo.com, or call the synagogue office at (813) 681-6547.
Congregation Beth Shalom also will offer a Passover Practice and Prepare workshop, including cooking and art instruction and a seder study, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

Adults and children are invited to attend any two of the following four workshops: Hands-on Cooking with Beth Kennon; Discover and Create Your Inner Four Children with Keren Vergon, religious school curriculum coordinator; Take-Home Seder-Leading Tips with Rabbi Betsy Torop and Sandy Santucci; and Art for Your Table pottery painting.

Prepayment of a materials fee for only the pottery workshop is required. However, attendance at that workshop is optional. The other workshops are free.

To make a reservation, contact the temple office at (813) 681-6547 or at cbs -admin@hotmail.com.

Lenten Events At St. Stephen

VALRICO - St. Stephen Catholic church invites the public to a fish fry prepared by the Men's Club and the Community for Women and served by various youth groups from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 27 and April 3 at 5049 Bell Shoals Road.

Guests will be led through meditations on the Stations of the Cross after dinner. Visiting the stations is a common Lenten devotion during which people move from one picture or statue of an event representing Jesus' journey to the cross while reflecting prayerfully on his sufferings.

Cost for the dinner is $8 for shrimp, $7 for fish, $7.50 for a combination and $5 for pizza. Proceeds will benefit the church's building fund. Dinners may be eaten on site, carried home or picked up at a drive-through.

For information, call the church office at (813) 689-4900.

Free Concert At Episcopal Church

VALRICO - A free, mid-Lenten concert will be presented by the Holy Innocents' Episcopal Church choir at 5 p.m. Sunday at the church, 604 N. Valrico Road.

The German chorale entitled "Da Jesus an dem Kreuze stund," along with pieces by Samuel Barber and others, will focus on Jesus' passion and the last seven words he spoke from the cross.

Matthew Woods, organist and choirmaster, will direct. Barbara Glaser will be the featured soloist.

For details, call the church office at (813) 689-3130.

Lunch With Easter Bunny

BRANDON - Young children and their parents are invited to attend Lunch with the Easter Bunny and hunt for brightly colored eggs at 11 a.m. March 28 at Center Place Fine Arts and Civic Center, 619 Vonderburg Drive.

The lunch is sponsored by Pat's Corner, the Gift Shop at Center Place, and the Brandon Newcomers Club.

Tickets must be purchased in advance for $5.50 for members and $6.50 for nonmembers.

For details, contact Center Place at (813) 685-8888.

Send news and photos of community interest to Barbara Routen at The Tampa Tribune, 505 W. Robertson St., Brandon FL 33511, e-mail neighbors@tampa bay.rr.com or call (813) 657-4531.

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