Connie Hubbs, as she ran the meeting, had a different-than-usual air about her. It was the easy authority of one who runs the whole kit-and-kaboodle.

And why not? Connie was last week elected club president. She kicked off her term with not one but two big roles. She chaired AND she gave the day’s only prepared speech, from the advanced communicator’s manual. Silence blanketed the room as she told a personal story of manning the crisis line and talking a potential suicide victim into choosing to live. (It was part of a fundraising speech she’s preparing. Another reminder that Toastmasters is a fantastic place not just to sharpen your speaking skills generally, but to practice a specific presentation you have to give.)

Former president Jonathan Buchanan has been thinking about centennials. (It’s the 100^th birthday of the Association of Mineral Exploration of British Columbia, who generously lets us use their boardroom each week, pro bono). So he put together a fabulous Table Topics on that theme: Imagine yourself a hundred years into the past, Jonathan said. Were the clothes better back then? Was family life? Technology? The weather?

Two of three newcomers, Cal and Yan, stepped up to tackle Jonathan’s question.

That, folks, is the VanCore spirit.