Mississauga Toastmaster wins District 86 International Speech Contest

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario - April 27, 2019 - PRLog -- Annie Yun Bai, a Mississauga based Toastmaster took first place in the 2019 District 86 International Speech Contest Finals after delivering an emotionally charged speech that drew many to tears. The competition was held at the Hilton Meadowvale, Mississauga on April 14th

Over 1000 Toastmasters participated in International Speech Contests in South, Central and Northern Ontario since December 2018. Contestants delivered a five to seven minute speech on any topic of their choice. Bai and 9 other finalists won the club, area and division stages of the competition.

Bai's  winning speech titled "Gifts of Love" focused on self-love. "Self-love is about the acceptance to one's true self with authenticity, the persistence of personal growth and the courage of pursuing one's passion" she said. "A beautiful life filled with love starts with nowhere but self-love".

Bai's transformation from a shy introvert to the winner of a speech contest started when she joined Toastmaster twelve years ago. "I was very shy and lack of confidence when I joined Confidently Speaking Toastmasters club back in 2007", she reflected. "But now when tell people that I am shy, quiet and introverted, everyone laughs in disbelief".

Bai was recently awarded the Distinguished Toastmasters designation, the highest award offered by Toastmasters International demonstrating a superior level of achievement in both communication and leadership qualities.

Toastmasters District 86 Director, Distinguished Toastmaster Kristina Johnston congratulated all the speech contestants who competed in the finals. "All contestants in our 2019 District Speech Contests went outside their comfort zones to share their ideas, aspiration and thoughts through their speeches in these competitions. We recognize their efforts and wish them all the best in their Toastmasters journey".

Bai will represent the district at the 2019 Region 6 Quarter Finals, for a slot in the Semi – Finals of the World Championship of Public Speaking Contest taking place in Denver, CO, USA in August 2019

For more information, please contact our Public Relations Manager, District 86 Toastmasters.

About Toastmasters District 86

Toastmasters District 86 represents the heartland of Ontario comprising over 235 community and corporate clubs, with over 4,400 members, from Sault Ste Marie in the north to Welland in the south, from Sarnia in the west to Markham in the east - and all communities in between - except Toronto. To learn more about District 86, please visit: http://www.toastmasters86.org/

About Toastmasters International

Toastmasters International is a worldwide nonprofit educational organization that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., the organization's membership exceeds 357,000 in more than 16,600 clubs in 143 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators and leaders. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org. Follow @Toastmasters (http://twitter.com/Toastmasters) on Twitter.