Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Your hand quivers and your knees are shaking.
Your throat goes dry.
Meanwhile, a deluge of perspiration runs down your back, and you've left the notecards to your speech in your briefcase at home.
This likely wouldn't have happened if you were a member of Toastmasters International.
According to the mission statement of the Toastmasters organization, the purpose of the club is "to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop and practice communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth."
"Anyone who needs public speaking experience in a comfortable setting, this is it," said Lori Roe, Toastmasters member.
Erik Deckers, vice president of membership of Toastmasters, said the Toastmasters also is a valuable networking tool.
That network can be global. Toastmaster clubs exist around the world, including South Africa, Australia and Thailand.
There actually are two Toastmaster organizations locally. The one held at DePuy, of which Deckers is a member, is open to the public. It has been in existence for approximately five years. The other one is at Zimmer and is open to Zimmer employees only, Deckers said.
"This club (at DePuy) serves this county because it's open to anyone," he said.
Currently, there are 27 members, who speak on a variety of topics.
"Everyone's free to speak about whatever they want to," said Deckers, as long as it's not bullying and falls within proper decorum. Thursday, the two speakers of the day spoke on "balance" and "positive self talk."
When a member gives a speech, they last anywhere from five to seven minutes, with more intense speeches lasting up to 10 minutes. The goal is to give 10 speeches, then a member is declared a "competent Toastmaster." Another 10 speeches and a member becomes an "advanced Toastmaster."
At the meetings, each member has a different role and the roles change from meeting to meeting. One meeting, a person may give a speech; the next meeting, that person may be an evaluator, timer or may provide the joke or story of the day.
Each meeting lasts one hour and includes speeches, evaluations, table talk and setting the next meeting's agenda.
Membership is $42 per year and can be paid bi-annually.
Next Thursday, the Toastmasters will have their International Speech contest. It starts at the club level. First and second place continue on to the area competition. If they place there, they will then move on to division, district, regional and then international competition.
Brian Farison, Toastmasters president, said, "They (the competitions) are geographically based."
"That is a worldwide competition," said Deckers.
So far, the furthest a local member of the Toastmasters at DePuy has achieved was second at district competition. Farison himself placed second for humor.
Anyone interested in more information can contact Brian Farison, Erik Deckers or Lori Roe.
"We like to view this as a greenhouse-safe environment where we don't have to impress each other," said Farison.
On the Net: www.toastmasters.org
