Sunflower 2009

It was a rainy Tuesday evening, Sunrise Toastmasters Club had their New Year Mock Countdown Event at their last meeting at Taipei City Library Wan guan-yin Branch, December 30th, 2008. It was a windy Wednesday evening, I walked into Sunflower Toastmasters Club year-end Party at Golden Flying Club, December 30th, 2009.

After D67 Fallcon 2009 in late November, Toastmaster Athena Lien, District Governor 2003-2004, thanked me for counting her in Taiwan Toastmasters Chorus to sing at the diner party. She was also happy to visit the elderly home and perform singing the previous day. She told me that she was amazed by my enthusiasm and energy to bring toastmasters together to reach out people in different communities.

After being flattered, I couldn't turn down her invitation to the Year-end Party at Golden Flying. One more reason prompted me to the party is to check out the new look of Golden Flying after a recent remodeling. I admire Athena's determination to devote herhself to English education in Taiwan. She started Golden Flying Training Center single-handed more than a decade ago.

My eyes were wide open to two big tables covered with turkey, stuffing, salad, vegetable soup, fruits, desserts, red wine food, drinks, when I walked into Golden Flying, a full house of party goers. My mouth watered and I felt at ease surrounded by many familiar faces, more than half of the attendants.

The party program started at 7:50PM with a short greeting from Toastmaster of the Year-end Party Bill Wan, followed by President Skylar Hu's Reminiscence of 2009, and many talent shows. After a while, I finalized realized it was the year-end party of Mandarin-speaking Sunflower Toastmasters Club. I was probably the only guest from other Toastmaster club.

At the end of the party, President Skylar Hu lead a session of gratitude by saying thankful words to her members, holding a candle in her hands. After her inspiring speech about what a warm and supportive toastmasters club is to develop members together, she circulated the candle among members from one to another. When I got the candle, I stood up to talk about my coming visit in Mongolia in January to charter a Toastmasters club to nourish the learning attitude of human beings in the north. Every member came to greet me after my announcement.

I arrived at Sunflower Toastmasters Club's Year-end Party as a stranger, I left Sunflower Toastmasters Club with lots of blessings from the members, including a young gentleman from Sweden who is an eager student of Mandarin in Taipei. I shall always remember this evening. I wonder what would take place in Toastmasters, on the 30th of December, 2010! Let's wait and see!