Julie Beeley has parleyed double brain surgery into a winning speech.
Beeley, a longtime member of the Pacific Rim Toastmasters club, won at the Club and District levels with her speech about self-identity. On March 26, she will compete in the Division level for a chance to move onto the Regional level and then the final level of World competition.
“My speech is about how you identify yourself. Pre-surgery, I identified myself as a business owner. Now, I identify myself as an authentic, hard-working person. There is way more to me than just work,” she said.
“How do you change the focus of your identity? If you lose you then it affects you. Your cup is empty and you can’t keep filling it up. You have to focus on you.”
A couple years ago, Beeley discovered she had a non-cancerous brain tumour and had to undergo two brain surgeries to remove it. She said the experience was life defining and changed her 1000 per cent.
“I hope my speech encourages people not to have big events in their life so that they don’t have to come to this. I’m not the same person I was. I’m way more real.”
Beeley, who has won two previous Club speech competitions, encouraged locals to give the Pacific Rim Toastmasters club a try.
“I started my Toastmaster career not even being able to speak. It’s helped me with my business skills, and leadership, and I feel more confident in networking. It’s a useful tool and practice makes perfect. It’s such a safe learning environment and a really fun group of people,” she said.
Pacific Rim Toastmasters meets every Monday night from 6:45 to 7:45 on Zoom. They currently have eight members, plus guests, and membership dues are $66 for six months.
“We are working towards a hybrid model where meetings would take place at the UCC theatre room and on Zoom,” said Beeley.
“One person came in to practice his dad’s retirement speech and he ended up staying in the club. He applied for a managerial position on Zoom and told us later that if it wasn’t for Toastmasters he wouldn’t have felt confident going into a meeting on Zoom,” Beeley said, noting that the guy was successful in landing the job.
Anyone interested in seeing what Toastmasters is all about can send an email to photos@alberni.net to receive a Zoom link to any Monday evening meeting.
nora.omalley@westerlynews.ca
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
READ MORE: Vancouver Island author releases murder mystery set at West Coast spiritual retreat
READ MORE: WOLF: Roundabouts and other pet peeves driving B.C. drivers crazy