Toastmasters helps members become the speakers and leaders they want to be. These Toastmasters describe its real-life benefits for them by telling their stories. Mittie Blackburn Dean Lampman Sara Boepple Chuck Mencke Karen Chilton Terry Mencke Ron Clark Tom Parsons Peggy Corino Diana Patton Julie Cosgrove Rhealyn Samuelson Abiodun Fanimokun Tara Sanger Mary Feltman Michael Sheridan Karen Hagar Maurice Taitt James Hansen Steven Timmons Larry Harmon Lee Tiwari Cindy Hinckley Larry Vance Jacqulyn Hudgins Mary Walker Cindy Jones Gary Lee Webb

Terry Mencke, CC Plus Two Toastmasters Fort Worth, Texas Feedback I’ve received from my club made me more confident speaking in front of others. Recently, my company had a meeting of all our U.S. managers. I presented to the entire group. Time manager: Learning how to manage my time more effectively allows me to accomplish more in less time. “Through Toastmasters, I have made new friends and learned much more than I thought possible.”

Michael Sheridan, ACB/CL Lakeside Toastmasters Lewisville, Texas I taught college and graduate classes for years. Wasn’t  until Toastmasters that I found out how “wordy” I was! Let’s not even talk about “uhs” and “ahs.” I learned to focus my message, understand my audience and deliver my message with clarity and conviction. Gift getter: Through Speech Contests, I’ve learned from very gifted speakers who, as true Toastmasters, are very willing to provide coaching and suggestions to help me improve my performance. “What I’ve learned is a well managed club creates a powerful learning environment for everyone.”

Rhealyn Samuelson, DTM Denton Toastmasters Denton, Texas I completed my last speech project out of the Facilitating Discussion manual to become a DTM in a bit of an unique way. Took a trip to Virginia to see family and on the way back stopped in Searcy, Arkansas to see my Toastmaster daughter. Got together with several of her friends and I led a discussion on the topic of “How to Accommodate Learning Differences in College.” Students were a mix of shy, outspoken, and “This is cool; I can’t talk to my mom in this way!“ We came up with a...

Tom Parsons, CC/CL A-Team Toastmasters Irving, Texas “As a member of a volunteer organization of motorcycle riders who escort the funerals of fallen soldiers, I escorted the funeral of a 21-year-old Army specialist killed on his third week of duty in Kandahar, Afghanistan. When I offered my condolences to his grandmother, she looked at me with tired eyes and said, “My grandson died for nothing.” How do you respond to a statement like that? You use all your Toastmasters training! I composed myself and shared with her the impact her grandson had on the rest of the platoon which he...