Woodbury Toastmasters

Photo: Emily J. Davis

Lucy Burger, Pam Holden-Webber, Michael Ury and Mitchell Smisek show their support for speaker Kim Ury at a recent Positively Outspoken meeting at Globe University in Woodbury.

We’ve all been there. Flushed cheeks, sweaty palms, and a racing pulse just before getting up to speak in front of a crowd. Looking for a cure for stage fright? The folks at Toastmasters International, a nonprofit organization designed to increase members’ confidence in public speaking, have it all figured out.

The organization has come a long way since its inception in 1924 at a YMCA in California. What began as a small group where working professionals could improve their public speaking skills now boasts over 12,500 clubs in 113 countries, blossoming into a creative outlet for people from all walks of life. “It’s so much more than learning to speak better. It’s about community, about continuing to learn,” says Nicky Hansen, president of Woodbury’s Positively Outspoken club.

While the focus of each weekly meeting remains on giving prepared and impromptu speeches in front of fellow group members, the gatherings cover a range of other objectives both directly and indirectly. Toastmasters learn to handle conflict with grace, take on leadership roles and to speak without using those pesky filler words like “um” and “ah.” Meetings are often infused with humor to create a warm, welcoming environment and put the nerves to rest. With no formal instructor present, newcomers are given the opportunity to learn from seasoned toastmasters and rotate duties of the timer, general evaluator, grammarian, speech evaluator and Toastmaster.

Jonathan Goossen joined Toastmasters in 1999 and is currently the longest running member and Sergeant at Arms of Woodwinds Club, also based in Woodbury. He says he’s working to improve his leadership skills since that’s what he currently needs most in his job. As president, he enjoys coaching and mentoring members. “I like seeing people grow and change,” says Goossen.

The introduction to these life skills is so valuable that even distinguished toastmasters (the highest award one can receive) like Faye Heffele, Distinguished Toastmaster, are still reaping the benefits. Heffele has been involved with Toastmasters for 18 years and currently holds top positions in two of the four local clubs to which she belongs. “As we fulfill these various roles at our meetings, we work on leadership skills of listening, time management and organization, to name a few, and we practice skills we can use in real life,” she says.

The highly coveted roles of toastmaster of the day and table topics master are also alternated each meeting. The toastmaster of the day prepares the agenda and is responsible for playing the host, while the table topics master gives short topics to other toastmasters, who are then asked to give a one- to two-minute speech in answer to the question. “You learn to think on your feet and structure your response with a beginning, body and ending, which, in a nutshell, is the same skill a jobseeker needs to interview well,” says Pam Holden-Webber, Positively Outspoken’s vice president of public relations.

Exposure to diversity is another benefit of being a toastmaster, as many clubs are composed of members with myriad differences, from age to ethnicity to occupation. “I am coming to discover that being a part of Toastmasters International is a professional development organization which has opened doors to networking opportunities I would not have had without it,” says Holden-Webber.

Hansen joined Toastmasters after a friend suggested it, and is pleased with where it has taken her. She says she is often most impressed with the courage that new members show when they decide to speak at their very first meeting. Hansen is looking forward to being involved in Toastmasters for a long time, and continuing to build her repertoire of skills. “You never grow or improve if you never put yourself out there,” she says.

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Try Toastmasters yourself! Attend an upcoming meeting at one of these local clubs.

Woodwinds Club

Established 1981

When: 12:05 p.m. Tuesdays

Where: Hartford Life, Ed Mahoney Room, 500 Bielenberg Dr.

Contact: 651.270.6344 or woodwinds.freetoasthost.org

Positively Outspoken

Established 1990

When: 6:30 p.m., 2nd, 3rd and 4th Tuesdays of each month

Where: Globe University-Woodbury, Room 226, 8089 Globe Dr.

Contact: nickyhansen1@yahoo.com

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