BET Meeting Minutes

January 13, 2026

Presiding Officer:

Jesus Mendoza

 

Theme: Resolutions

 

Roles & Responsibilities:

Opener:  Bill Martin

Toastmaster:  Chris Goldman

Word of the Day: Mike Costa

Gist – the main part of or essence of something

Humorist:  Rick Dixon

 

Table Topics: Terence Melonas

Table Topic Speakers:

1)    Bill Martin - :1:29

2)    Chandler Telfer – 1:12

3a) Alex  Dabich – 1:01

3b) Joe Stricker (guest) – 1:59

4)    Kristen Johnson (guest) – 1:10

5)    Mike Costa – 1:26

6)    Janet Schreibman - 1:43

 

Speaker(s):

1)  Kelli Dixon –  “YMCA” (requested 5-7 min) 5:33

 

General Evaluator: Susan Martin

Evaluator(s):

1)  Willy Baumgartner – 3:41

 

Ah Counter/Grammarian: Kianush Dixon

Timer:  Michael Lin

 

Club Business:

 

• Minutes for December meeting approved

 

Members Present: Chris Goldman, Janet Schreibman, Jesus Mendoza, Rick Dixon, Kianush Dixon, Kelli Dixon, Susan Martin, Bill Martin, Terence Melonas, Michael Lin, Mike Costa, Chandler Telfer, Alex Dabich, Rachel Mitchell

 Guest(s): Kristen Johnson, Joe Stricker, Brian Thomas, Jennifer Barbuto

 Virtual Attendees: Willy Baumgartner

 Word Users:  Janet, Joe, Terence, Susan, Kianush

 

BET Meeting Minutes

December 9, 2025

Presiding Officer:

Jesus Mendoza

 

Theme: Top 10 Christmas Songs of All Time

 

Roles & Responsibilities:

Opener:  Bill Martin

Toastmaster:  Rick Dixon

Word of the Day:  Chris Goldman

Macaron vs. Macaroon

Macaron – fancy, colorful French sandwich cookie

Macaroon – coconut haystack cookie

Humorist:  Jesus Mendoza

 

Table Topics: Kelli Dixon

Table Topic Speakers:

1)    Mike Costa - :55

2)    Janet Schreibman – 1:57

3)    Chris Goldman – :49

4)    Runsha Ninawe - 1:42

 Speaker(s):

1)  Kianush Dixon –  (requested 5-7 min) 7:17

2)  Willy Baumgartner– “My Cats” Engaging Humor #2-1 Know Your Sense of Humor (requested 5-7 min) 5:01

General Evaluator: Mike Costa

Evaluator(s):

1)  Janet Schreibman – 4:16

2)  Susan Martin – 3:32

 Ah Counter/Grammarian: Terence Melonas

Timer:  Runsha Ninawe

 

Club Business:

 

• Minutes for last meeting in November approved
• Next meeting January 13, 2026

Members Present: Chris Goldman, Janet Schreibman, Jesus Mendoza, Rick Dixon, Kianush Dixon, Kelli Dixon, Susan Martin, Bill Martin, Terence Melonas, Runsha Ninawe, Michael Lin, Mike Costa, Willy Baumgartner

Guest(s): Nick

Virtual Attendees: none

Word Users:  Janet, Willy, Mike, Rick

BET Meeting Minutes

November 11, 2025

Presiding Officer:

Jesus Mendoza

 

Theme: Gratitude to All Those Who Serve 

Roles & Responsibilities:

Opener:  Jesus Mendoza

Toastmaster:  Susan Martin

Word of the Day:  Terrence Mellow

Intrinsic, adj. – belonging to the essential nature or constitution on a thing; occurring as a natural part of something

Humorist:  Janet Schreibman

Table Topics: Kianush Dixon

Table Topic Speakers:

1)    Willy Baumgartner - 1:14

2)    Jesus Mendoza – 1:24

3)    Kristen Williams – 2:24

4)    Bill Martin - :55

 Speaker(s):

1)  Alex Dabich – Feedback “A Taste of Life” (requested 5-7 min) 6:20

2)  Runsha Ninawe– Icebreaker (requested 5-7 min) 6:06

3)  Chris Goldman – Level 5 Lessons Learned; “The Government Letter that Made My Stomach Drop” (requested 5-7 min) 6:06

 

General Evaluator: Rachel Mitchell

Evaluator(s):

1)  Bill Martin – 3:48

2)  Rick Dixon – 3:20

3)  Kelli Dixon – 3:12

Ah Counter/Grammarian: Kristen Williams

Timer:  Jesus Mendoza

 Club Business:

 

• Minutes for last meeting in October approved
• No second meeting in November due to Thanksgiving holiday. Next meeting December 9 which is only meeting in December due to holidays.
• December 9 meeting will conclude with a holiday social. Please bring your own non-alcoholic beverage and a sweet or savory finger food to share.

Members Present: Chris Goldman, Janet Schreibman, Jesus Mendoza, Rick Dixon, Kianush Dixon, Kelli Dixon, Alex Dabich, Susan Martin, Bill Martin, Terence Mellow, Runsha Ninawe, Michael Linn

 Guest(s): none

 Virtual Attendees: Willy Baumgartner, Rachel Mitchell, Kristen Williams

 Word Users:  Janet, Jesus, Alex, Kianush, Bill, Runsha, Susan, Rick

 

BET Meeting Minutes

October 28, 2025

Presiding Officer:

Jesus Mendoza

 

Theme: Ghosts

 

Roles & Responsibilities:

Opener:  Jesus Mendoza

Toastmaster:  Kianush Dixon

Word of the Day:  Bill Martin

deride, v - to be contemptuous of someone; to speak of or treat with contemptuous mirth; to insult or attempt to lower a person to mockery

Humorist:  Mike Costa

 

Table Topics: Susan Martin

Table Topic Speakers:

Impromptu Ghost Story marathon saga beginning with Terence and others!

 

Speaker(s):

1)  Rick Dixon - Level 3 Persuasive Speech "The $140,000 Liberal Arts Degree"

(requested 5-7 min) 7:15

 

General Evaluator: Rachel Shepard

Evaluator(s):

1)  Janet Schreibman - 3:59

 

Ah Counter/Grammarian:  n/a

Timer:  Chris Goldman

 

Club Business:

• Minutes approved for October 14th meeting
• Club currently has 20 members
• Only one meeting for each month of November and December due to holidays

Members Present: Chris Goldman, Jesus Mendoza, Rick Dixon, Kianush Dixon, Kelli Dixon, Mike Costa, Alex Dabich, Rachel Shepard, Terence Melow, Janet Schreibman, Bill Martin, Susan Martin, Runsha Ninawe

 Guest(s): none

 Virtual Attendees: none

 Word Users: Rick, Kianush, Mike

 

BET Meeting Minutes

October 14, 2025

Presiding Officer:

Jesus Mendoza

 

Theme:  Tis the Season....Contest Season!

 

Roles & Responsibilities:

Opener:  Bill Martin

Toastmaster:  Kristen Williams

Word of the Day:  Jesus Mendoza

miasma - an unpleasant or unhealthy smell or vapor

Humorist: Kelli Dixon

 

Table Topics:  Kristen Williams

Table Topic Speakers:

1)  Kianush Dixon -1:15

3)  Kelli Dixon - 1:46

 

Speaker(s):

1)  Michael Lin  - Icebreaker (requested 5--7 min) 7:26

2)  Terence Melonas - Icebreaker (requested 6--8 min) 8:00

3)  Rachel Shepard- Wedding Reception Toast: Special Occasion Speeches #1; Mastering the Toast (requested 3--5 min) 2:59

 

General Evaluator: Rick Dixon

Evaluator(s):

1)  John Travisano - 2:28

2)  Chris Goldman - 2:30

3)  Susan Martin - 2:44

 

Ah Counter/Grammarian: Willy Baumgartner

Timer:  Kianush Dixon

 

Club Business:

• ·        Minutes approved for the last three meetings

 

Members Present: Rick Dixon, Kianush Dixon, Kelli Dixon, Jesus Mendoza, Michael Lin, Pratysuha Pogaru, Rachel Mitchell, Chris Goldman, Susan Martin, Bill Martin, Kristen Williams, Janet Schreibman, John Travisano, Terence Melonas

 Virtual Attendees:  Willy Baumgartner

 Guest(s): Henna, Brandon

 Word Users: Kristen, Janet, Terence