Brentwood Evening Toastmasters (BET)

Meetings are from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Tuesdays of each month.


@

Forest Hills United Methodist Church at 1250 Old Hickory Blvd in Brentwood, TN.

(BET is not affiliated with the church and is open to any and all individuals interested in self-improvement and effective communication. Through the open generosity of the church BET is able to hold meetings in one of its classrooms.)

Monday, October 26, 2026

 

BET Meeting Minutes

October 13, 2026

Presiding Officer: Rick Dixon

 

Theme: Cooking

Roles and Responsibilities:

Opener: Rick Dixon

Toastmaster:  Jesus Mendoza

Word of the Day: Christopher Wahlfeld

Cacophony – harsh, discontent mixture of sounds

Humorist: Conner Sarkovics

Speaker(s):

1.    Michael Lin – Presentation Mastery Pathway, Level 1 Evaluation and Feedback: “The Productive Rest in the Simmer” (requested 7-9 min) 9:47

Table Topics: Alex Dabich

Runsha Ninawe - :55 

Janet Schreibman - 2:27

3.    Bobby Bock - 1:30

4.    Kelli Dixon – 1:06

5.    Mike Costa – 1:24


General Evaluator: Kianush Dixon

1.    Evaluator(s): 

K  Kristin Johnson – 3:00

     Timer: Kelli Dixon

     AH Counter/Grammarian: Runsha Ninawe


Club Business:

  1. ·         Upcoming speech contests TBD
  2. ·         Minutes approved for Sept. 8th & Sept. 22nd meetings

 

Members Present: Rick Dixon, Kelli Dixon, Kianush Dixon, Alex Dabich, Janet Schreibman,  Mike Costa, Christopher Wahlfeld, Michael Lin, Jesus Mendoza

Virtual: none

Guests: Paula Ottaway

Word Users: Kristin, Kianush, Runsha, Jesus

Tuesday, October 13, 2026

 

BET Meeting Minutes

September 22, 2026

Presiding Officer:

Rick Dixon

 

Theme: Dolly Parton

 

Roles & Responsibilities:

Opener:  Rick Dixon

Toastmaster:  Kelli Dixon

Word of the Day:  Susan Martin

Altruism, noun – help others without expectations

Humorist:  Rick Dixon

 

Table Topics: Lydia Underwood -- Presented by Rick Dixon
(Lydia had to miss the meeting but she did provide us with prepared Table Topics.)

Table Topic Speakers:

1)  Kristen Johnson - 1:27

2)  Jesus Mendoza – 1:32

3)  Alex Dabich–1:14

 

Speaker(s):

1) Cornell Schultz (ice-breaker) -  Presentation Mastery #1-1 (requested 4-6 min) 4:53

2) Christopher Wahlfeld (ice-breaker) – Presentation Mastery #1-1 (requested 4-6 min) 7:25

3) Conner Sarkovics (ice-breaker) – Presentation Mastery #1-1 (requested 4-6 min) 5:11

 

General Evaluator: Kristen Johnson

Evaluator(s):

1)  Kianush Dixon–3:30

2) Jesus Mendoza – 3:43

3)  Mike Costa – 3:27

 

Ah Counter:  Michael Lin

Grammarian: Michael Lin

Timer:  Bill Martin

 

Club Business:

  • Coaches for ice breaker speeches
  • Party on the 5th Tuesday of September for Bill and Susan Martin
  • October 13 meeting roles.

Members Present: Jesus Mendoza, Rick Dixon, Kianush Dixon, Kelli Dixon, Mike Costa, Alex Dabich, Kristen Johnson, Michael Lin, Mike Costa, Terrence Melonas, Cornell Schultz, Conner Sarkovics, Christopher Wahlfeld, Bill Martin, Susan Martin

Guest(s): Tuang, Joe

Virtual Attendees: None

Word Users: Susan Martin

 

BET Meeting Minutes

September 8, 2026

Presiding Officer:

Rick Dixon

 

Theme: Nutrition/Food Pyramid

 

Roles & Responsibilities:

Opener:  Rick Dixon

Toastmaster:  Michael Lin

Word of the Day:  Bill Martin

verity - truth, fact or reality

Humorist: Janet Schreibman

 

Table Topics: Mike Cost

Table Topic Speakers:

1)  Janet Schreibman - 1:37

2)  Michael Lin - 1:31

3)  Chandler Telfer- 1:07

4)  Jesus Mendoza - :52

5) Conner Sarkovics - :24

 

Speaker(s):

1)  Kianush Dixon - Innovative Planning #4-2, Manage Projects Successfully:

(requested 5-7 min) 7:31

2) Rick Dixon - Presentation Mastery #3-18, Inspire Your Audience: "Public Speaking is Just Talking" (requested 5-7 min) 7:28

General Evaluator: Runsha Ninawe

Evaluator(s):

1)  Susan Martin - 3:19

2)  Bill Martin - 3:14

 

Ah Counter/Grammarian:  Kelli Dixon

Timer:  Terence Melanos

 

Club Business:

  • Minutes approved for August 25th meeting with corrections of evaluators times

 

Members Present: Jesus Mendoza, Rick Dixon, Kianush Dixon, Kelli Dixon, Mike Costa,  Terence Melonas, Janet Schreibman, Bill Martin, Susan Martin, Runsha Ninawe, Michael Lin, Conner Sarkovics

 Guest(s): Kyle Pickard, Sonya Guthrie, Glennis Taveras, Tuang Buansing

 Virtual Attendees: Chandler Telfer

 Word Users: none


 

Tuesday, September 8, 2026

 

BET Meeting Minutes

August 25, 2026

Presiding Officer: Rick Dixon

 

Theme: Ice Cream

Roles and Responsibilities:

Opener: Rick Dixon

Toastmaster:  Mike Costa

Word of the Day: Kianush Dixon

Avuncular – kind, friendly and helpful

Humorist: Kelli Dixon


Speakers:

1.    Alex Dabich – Presentation Mastery: #2-1 Effective Body Language: “I Swore I’d Never Live in the Suburbs” (requesting 5-7 minutes): 6:33

2.    Lydia Underwood – Visionary Communication #2-2 Understanding Your Communication Style: “Head and Heart” (requesting 5-7 minutes): 6:44

     

     Table Topics: Cornell Schultz

1.    Rick Dixon - 1:29

2.    Susan Martin - 1:17

3.    Terence Melanos – 1:06

 

General Evaluator: Janet Schreibman

1.    Evaluators:

      Susan Martin –3:07

2.    Bill Martin –3:29

Timer: Michael Lin

AH Counter/Grammarian: none

Club Business:

·         Minutes approved for August 11, 2026 meeting

 

Members Present: Rick Dixon, Kelli Dixon, Kianush Dixon, Alex Dabich, Janet Schreibman,  Mike Costa, Terence Melonas, Christopher Wahlfeld, Cornell Schultz, Bill Martin, Susan Martin, Michael Lin

Virtual: none

Guests: Tuang, Glennis, Connor, Sonya

Word Users: Lydia, Janet, Glennis

Monday, August 24, 2026

 

BET Meeting Minutes

August 11, 2026

Presiding Officer: Rick Dixon

 

Theme: GRIT

Roles and Responsibilities:

Opener: Rick Dixon

Toastmaster: Kianush Dixon

Word of the Day: Joe Stricker

Ambivalent, adj. – having mixed feelings or contradictory feelings about something or someone

Humorist: Rick Dixon

Speakers:

1.    Kristin Johnson – Presentation Mastery: #3 vocal variety and body language: “I Swore I’d Never” (requesting 5-7 minutes): 7:45

Table Topics: Terence Melanos

Alex Dabich - 1:18

2.    Joe Stricker - 1:16

3.    Christopher Wahlfeld – 1:55

4.    Mike Costa – 1:22

5.    Janet Schreibman – 2:13

6.    Cornell Schultz – 1:01


General Evaluator: Kelli Dixon

1.    Janet Schreibman - 3:03

Timer: Mike Costa

AH Counter/Grammarian: Joe Stricker


Club Business:

  •          Minutes approved for July 28, 2026 meeting
  •        Congratulations to new member Christopher Wahlfeld on joining BET!

Members Present: Rick Dixon, Kelli Dixon, Kianush Dixon, Alex Dabich, Janet Schreibman,  Kristin Johnson, Mike Costa, Terence Melonas, Joe Stricker, Christopher Wahlfeld

Virtual: none

Guests: Eric Quilion, Kyle Pickard, Cornell Schultz

Word Users: Rick, Kianush