PRO Toastmasters Club was the third club Sea Dragons Gavel Club President Runfeng Bruce Yu visited when he was first introduced to Toastmasters. Around the same time in 2025, PRO left a lasting impression on Bruce—the club represented professionalism, progress, and promise.
On July 21, 2026, Bruce revisited PRO together with District 118 Division I Director Demir Huang. Before the meeting began, Bruce and Demir exchanged books with each other, with Bruce sharing The Story of Toastmasters.
While many things can change over time, the people at PRO remained the same source of warmth and connection. Nora Wang, Vice President Education, welcomed members with her humor and thoughtful support. Before the meeting, she helped arrange chairs and tables and prepared drinks and snacks for attendees. Her personality was also reflected in her individual speech evaluations, where she introduced memorable phrases such as “Nora officially,” “First Fish, Second Fish, Third Fish,” and others. Her kindness and dedication demonstrated the spirit of a Toastmaster.
With “Yummy” as the Word of the Day, members shared stories about their favorite dishes. Behind each dish was a personal memory, cultural experience, or meaningful story.
- Sam, a member from Dubai, shared his appreciation for a traditional Chinese home dish—fried eggs with tomatoes. “A dish with eggs and tomatoes is something I rarely had in my culture, and I loved it after coming to China,” he shared.
- Nora Wang talked about her preference for milder flavors, explaining that she cannot handle very spicy food. She recalled a time when she ate a spicy dish with others and was surprised when they said, “It’s not spicy.” She enjoys tomato fried eggs because it is not spicy and also prefers noodles with lighter flavors.
- Liz Zhang shared a dish from her hometown of Gansu, China—Stir-Fried Dongxiang Potato Slices. The dish features crisp and tender potato slices seasoned with bold cumin flavors and a spicy, savory aroma. She mentioned that it is rarely available in Shenzhen, so she usually prepares the dish herself whenever she wants to enjoy a taste of home.
Chelsea Cheng, a new Toastmasters member, delivered her second prepared speech, sharing a story about her pet fish. She recalled how her fish survived a hot summer while she was away on a trip and how she had planned to provide them with a larger water tank after returning.
Bruce found a connection between Chelsea’s story and his own experience. When he was in Grade 7, his biology teacher Zoltan Nemes-Nagy gave him two salamanders at the end of the school year. Unfortunately, they did not survive the summer heat. Bruce shared this memory during the Moment of Truth segment of the meeting.
Through familiar faces, new connections, and shared stories, the meeting reflected the family-like atmosphere of Toastmasters. Even after nearly a year since his first visit, Bruce was still warmly remembered by members, while new participants found a welcoming community from their very first meeting. In Toastmasters, every connection has the potential to become a lifelong fellowship.