My Toastmasters Journey

By Barbara Kincade, DTM - Toastmasters at Twelve, Daytona Beach

I never even heard about Toastmasters until I took the Dale Carnegie Course.  I had a job where I was expected to stand before a group and teach Petroleum Economics software.  I was really bashful.  DCC is not a public speaking course, but more a human relations course.  Their speeches might be one minute.  I visited Toastmasters clubs in Houston and Dallas.  They seemed like professional speakers to me.  At the end of the meetings, dreading the time for guest comments, my allergies would flare and I would begin clearing my throat.  The best I could manage was, "Nice meeting."  I visited those big city clubs off and on for ten years.  I knew I needed Toastmasters, but I was too scared to join. 

I moved to Fort Myers, Florida.  A new club was starting in Bonita Springs.  They stumbled, bumbled and Ah'd all over the place.  Plus, they were so nice and friendly. 

I joined Bonita Springs Toastmasters in August 1991.  My first Table Topics response was mentioned in the Ah Counter's report.  He said I had 14 Ah's in my 27 seconds, plus I seemed to have a case of the "However's."    Once I made that commitment to join, nothing could stop me from mastering that fear.  The following spring, someone said to me, "Barbara, I can tell you would make a really good Vice President Education." I was so flattered that I agreed.  The next year someone said, "Barbara, you did a great job as Vice President Education.  I can tell you would be a fantastic Area Governor."  I became a Toastmaster fanatic - Area Governor, officer in my home club, dual member, building another club. I ate, slept and breathed Toastmasters.  I achieved my first DTM in 1996.

Reminiscing, I recall people, speeches, particular meetings, funny things that happened in Toastmasters.  One of the funniest was when one of my ballot comments after a speech, said, "Most eyebrow movement since Groucho Marx."  I was very self-conscious about my eyebrows for quite a while.

Another funny story happened at a Division Humorous Speech contest in Sarasota.  I was "Priscilla Louise Walker, CTM or Prissy Lou to my friends."  I went through the 10 speeches in a silly voice with humorous explanations of each. In the middle of my presentation I noticed the District Governor from Miami checking his watch.  That was funny.

One of my big speaking fears was my mind going totally blank in front of the group.  Thank God it happened during the Invocation.  I just said, "Amen."

I love the teamwork and flexibility we have in Toastmasters. I recall an October West Volusia Toastmasters meeting at the Deltona Library.  We arrived to find early voting had taken our meeting room.  We went outside in the park area, had a semi-dark meeting.  It was perfect for Halloween with lots of strange sound effects in the dark.

My favorite officer role is Sergeant at Arms.  There's no homework.  You show up early and set up the room.  You stay late and put it back together.

My favorite advanced manual is Interpretive Reading.  You don't have to write a speech.  You use your voice, gestures and facial expressions to interpret the author's words.

Twice I've had my heart broken in Toastmasters.  I guess that's inevitable when you invest so much of your time, energy and self into anything. The first time I was trying to build a Christian Toastmasters club at my church in Fort Myers.  We had 17 members after six months, and then people started dropping out.  The final straw was when one of my Bonita Toastmasters evaluated a brand new member and became so emotional that he took the Lord's name in vain.  I knew my pastor would hear about it and I would be held accountable.  That night I sobbed at the side of my bed.  I cancelled the new club effort.  The second time we had some personality conflicts in another club.  Someone became offended and we went through six months of Toastmasters' stress.  I finished my term as Vice President Education, helping them become President's Distinguished, and then I left. Each time, it was not the Toastmasters program that caused problems.  It was the actions of a few members.  I believe in Toastmasters, found other clubs where my contributions were appreciated.

One of my most favorite Toastmasters activities is leading Youth Leadership, public speaking training for ages 8 to 18.  One person could lead the entire program, but it's better for fellow Toastmasters to present the educational speeches.  The Toastmasters get manual credit for their speeches and the youth are exposed to different style of speakers.  We've presented them in Fort Myers, Houston and Daytona Beach.

I've made lots of friends during my 24 years of Toastmasters.  Two of my mentors during that early period are still my best friends.  I stay in Toastmasters because of the networking.  Where else can you go and hang out with positive people wanting to improve?

The Answer to all our Club Membership Questions

by Gina Lockhart, DTM
Lakeview Toastmasters, Club Mentor, Sponsor and VPE

Three of us started a brand new toastmaster club a year and a half ago. We had many concerns as we contemplated chartering such as…

• How
  will we get a minimum of 20 members and keep them?
  
•  How
  will we get the members to come to each meeting and stay excited about Toastmasters?
  
•  How
  do we get them to sign up to give speeches?
  
•  How
  can we have fun while learning?
  
•  Who
  will want to be an officer?
  
• How
  will we become a Presidents Distinguished club every year?
  
• How
  do we get visitors to come to our meetings, become members and bring their friends and coworkers?

Naturally between the three of us, we came up with plenty of answers from having open houses, passing out fliers to having guest speakers and bringing food. Yes, food always works well we found out but we get tired of bringing it every week and it can be costly. We found the best solution was a
balance between all of these. We came up with monthly themed meetings and we GO ALL OUT!
 
Here’s how it works: Each officer chooses a month and is in charge of the themed meeting for that month. The officer chooses a theme and they can grab a team of 1-2 more people if desired. The themes can be anything, i.e., Feb – Hearts, Red, Love or Cardio, (we are a healthcare company), you can be creative here. Then they ask for volunteers or use a signup sheet for members to bring food and decorations. This is all voluntary, not mandatory. Then they announce their theme one month in advance, so there is always a themed meeting to look forward to. The Grammarian, speakers and table topic master are then asked to choose a word of the day, speeches and topics that incorporate the
theme. At the end of the meeting, we socialize over the food and snacks that were brought, like red velvet cupcakes and punch for our Feb cardio theme. Members and visitors love it, the work is not all on one officer and its easy to do! Each month is a different theme. Members can take a month too if they are motivated or they can be helpers. It even fits the criteria in their CL manual so they credit for it as well. You can have any theme like International month, Father’s Day, Thanksgiving or Cardboard Box Day. Be creative. The theme doesn’t matter, what matters is, it is a meeting that everyone looks forward to attending, its different from the usual meetings and members love bringing
guests to them. Plus there is food. Having themed meetings once a month we found are not too often but just often enough. Of course, still have your guest speakers come and prepare your open houses with fliers for the meetings in between the themed meetings. Keep the variety going for your meetings and the members guessing at what will be next. You will notice a greater attendance at
weekly meetings, new members joining often, membership retention, DCP points rising, a line of members ready to be an officer for next term and your signup sheets will be filled with speakers weeks in advance! We say whoever coordinates the themed meeting is Toastmaster for that day.

What did I choose for my month? I chose ‘It’s Everyone’s Birthday!’ This themed meeting was complete with party hats, balloons, noise makers, presents for table topics and birthday slides on the screen. To polish off the meeting, we concluded with a Banana Dream Cake, candles and singing for
all of our birthdays (it was fun trying to fit everyone’s name in that song). We love having themed meetings and we keep a solid 24 members. What theme will you choose first?