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You can’t blame a child for thinking that a toastmaster is someone particularly adept at browning bread. An adult might picture someone who finishes an impromptu wedding reception speech with a hearty “cheers!” or “salud!” as he raises his glass from the head table. Ask one of the 270,000 members of Toastmasters International, and they will tell you that a toastmaster is the person in charge of the proceedings of a public speaking event, namely, the weekly meeting of a local Toastmasters club.
For the past 90 years, the mission of Toastmasters has been to help its members learn the arts of speaking, listening, and thinking. Every local club aims to provide a supportive and positive learning environment in which each member has the opportunity to foster these arts, and develop oral communication and leadership skills in the process.
During the past several years, Toastmasters has made a strong comeback in the Globe-Miami community. The local club calls itself the Copper Talkers, and meets every Tuesday night at the Farmers Fogle Insurance Agency on Highway 60 from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
The Copper Talkers are one of 13,000 Toastmaster clubs throughout the world, and the meeting structure is no different in Auckland, New Zealand than it is in Globe, Arizona. Weekly agendas are designed as much around learning good time management, listening, working your creative mind, and having fun, as they are about giving formal speeches.
For most of us, public speaking is an intimidating business, and that’s exactly why Toastmasters is structured to allow everyone to steadily build confidence, through well-written manuals, practice, and a friendly audience of fellow Toastmasters who want you to succeed as much as you do yourself. Toastmasters teaches you to express yourself clearly, confidently, and persuasively. You’ll learn how to formulate and succinctly express your ideas, growing more comfortable each week as you hone your skills.
The effectiveness and vibrancy of any club is directly related to its membership, and that’s why everyone is invited to attend a meeting of the Copper Talkers Toastmasters club in Globe-Miami and discover what it’s all about. Guests are always welcome. See you there.
Kim Stone was a horticulturist, writer, and editor of several publications for the University of Arizona at Boyce Thompson Arboretum over the better part of three decades. He is now happily self-absorbed in freelance writing, travel, and content marketing.
