本項翻譯係經世界總會授權，版權亦屬世界總會及中華民國國際演講協會所有，
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早起鳥兒有蟲吃

譯者：高珮萱 Melissa, Hsin Chu

Early-morning club achieves President’s Distinguished 11 years in a row.
凌晨開會的演講會，連續11年拿到世界總會長傑出分會的奬項

Caption: The Yawn Patrol Toastmasters, of Eugene, Oregon, has consistently earned President's Distinguished. Some of the club members are (standing, from left to right): Guy Avenell, Richard Blackstone, Anne Summers, John Fentress, Jhea-Whan Hong, MAx Fabry and Jaehyung Oh; seated is Jed Reay.
圖片說明：奧勒岡州尤金市打著呵欠巡邏演講會，連續獲得世界總會長獎項。其中的會員站立由左至右為；Guy Avenell, Richard Blackstone, Anne Summers, John Fentress, Jhea-Whan Hong, MAx Fabry and Jaehyung Oh; seated is Jed Reay

Every Friday morning, Curtis Short’s alarm goes off at 4:30 a.m., reminding him it’s time to get up. His first reaction that moment is bleary-eyed confusion. Then his mind begins to make sense of things. “Oh yeah, it’s Friday – Toastmasters. Maybe I can just skip it this time.... No, I signed up as an evaluator; I am committed.”
每週五早晨，Curtis Short的鬧鐘在四點半中響起，提醒他該起床囉。他當下的第一個反應是眼睛迷迷糊糊的，接著他的腦袋開始意識一些事情。「對耶！今天是星期五，演講會例會的日子。心想也許這次可以偷懶缺席…喔不！我已經答應要擔任講評人！」 

Indeed, it takes a strong sense of commitment to belong to the Yawn Patrol club in Eugene, Oregon. Our group meets at 6:15 a.m. every Friday. Though it may be a struggle when the alarm clock first blares, attending the meetings is always worth the effort.
的確是，美國奧勒岡州尤金市打著呵欠巡邏演講會，在每週五早上六點十五分例行聚會，因此需要很強的意志來支持參加。雖然，當鬧鐘首次作響時實在掙扎，但參加聚會的收穫，總能證實這些付出是值得的。 

“By 5:30 a.m. or so, I’m helping to set up the meeting room and the blood is by now pumping through my veins,” says Short. “I‘m alive and can hardly wait for the meeting to start.”
Short表示，「大約五點半左右，我會協助作會議場地的安排，等待例會開始的感覺，讓我熱血沸騰，非常期待。」。

Such enthusiasm helps explain why our club inspires great loyalty and success among its members. Yawn Patrol has achieved the President’s Distinguished Club Award for the past 11 years in a row.
這種對例會的熱情，可以解釋為何我們的分會，總是能激勵鼓舞這些忠誠且持續參加的會員。打著呵欠巡邏演講會更是連11年拿到最高榮譽的『世界總會長傑出分會獎』。 

This is an accomplishment we are very proud of. According to Toastmasters International World Headquarters, only one percent of the organization’s more than 12,500 clubs around the world have achieved the President’s Distinguished award consecutively since 2003–2004.
能得到此榮譽，我們感到十分驕傲。根據國際演講會世界總會公告，全球一萬兩千五百的分會中，從2003年至2004年間，只有百分之一的分會曾經連續獲得「世界總會長傑出分會」的榮耀。 

Perhaps the greatest reason for Yawn Patrol’s success is the club culture, which celebrates discipline and goal-setting while also fostering a caring, tight-knit atmosphere.
也許打著呵欠巡邏演講會成功最大的理由是分會的文化，當我們營造一個相互關心、緊密結合的氛圍，同時也強調規律的訓練，以及目標設定。 

“I believe the time that the meetings are held – 6:15 a.m. – defines the membership,” says Richard Blackstone, a member since 2004. “People who attend meetings at 6 a.m. are serious about their growth; they are goal-oriented and they know how to seek out positive support for what they are doing. No one is here by coincidence.”
Richard Blackstone從2004年加入演講會，他認為將例會時間定在早晨六點十五分，也確認了會員的決心，這些六點參加例會者，是在意他們的學習成長，是目標導向，他們知道去尋求外部正向的協助，來把事情作的更好。沒有人是恰巧出現的。 

Focusing on speeches and projects in the Toastmasters communication and leadership manuals gives members goals to achieve with each club meeting. Jon Davies, a staff psychologist at the University of Oregon, says he’s seen the benefits of Toastmasters in his work.
專注於演講會溝通及領導手冊裡的演講及課程，使會員能在每一次的例會中，達到他們的目標。美國奧勒岡大學心理學家Jon Davies表示，他可以感受到演講會對他職場上的效益。 

“My presentation skills have greatly improved and I no longer sit in terror when I present at conferences,” he says. “Not a week goes by where I don’t share an important point I learned at Yawn Patrol with my clients, trainees or colleagues.”
「我的演講技巧已經大幅度的進步，當我參加研討會時，已經不會一直恐懼。」他表示：「不到一星期的時間，我那次不都會與我的顧客、受訓者、工作同事分享我在打著呵欠巡邏演講會所學到的重要觀念？」

Yawn Patrol members push each other – but with encouragement and support.
打著呵欠巡邏演講會的會員會以鼓勵及支持的方式互相激勵。 

“My fellow club members challenge me and they make me excel, even though I still have not achieved anywhere near perfection,” says Short, a former club president. “By the time 7:45 a.m. comes and the meeting ends, I am like a lion ready to take on any adversity that life can throw at me.”
「我仍然未達完美程度，會員們會激勵我，使我更優秀。」前會長Short表示：「每當七點四十五分例會結束時，我就像一隻獅子般，準備好接受生命中一切的困難挑戰。」 

Yawn Patrol member Teo Wences, a real estate agent in Eugene, was once asked by a family member if she had to attend that Friday’s club meeting. “I don’t have to go,” Wences replied. “I love to go and feel loved there.”
打著呵欠巡邏演講會演講會的會員Teo Wences，一位房地產經紀人，曾經被家人詢問為何要參加週五的例會，她是這麼回答：「我並不是必須要參加，而是因為我熱愛參加，並感受到大家相愛。」
　

作者：Jim Whitmore, CC, CL, 打著呵欠巡邏演講會會員，輝瑞公司營運經理，她的網址為jill.whitmore@gmail.com

譯者：高珮萱 Melissa, Hsin Chu Toastmasters Club