ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / July 24, 2000

LAPLACE – You know the fear.

You’re informed that you have to give a speech or a presentation to a group of people. Your knees start to shake, your palms start to sweat and thewords to your speech seem to get caught in your throat.

If you have a similar problem, or would just like to learn how to communicate better, there’s a new organization in town that will definitely help you.

On Wednesday at the Bull’s Corner in LaPlace, the Tri-Parish Toastmasters Club was officially chartered by Toastmasters International.

Carolyn Nix, regional director of Toastmasters International, gave the club its charter and welcomed the 21 charter members of the Tri-Parish Toastmasters Club into the fold.

According to TI literature, there are over three million members in Toastmaster Clubs all over the world.

Mike Norton, secretary of the Tri-Parish Toastmasters Club, said the idea came to him and president Bob Dale while they were sitting around drinking coffee.

“We are both on several board of directors,” said Norton, ” and we saw the need for us and others to improve our speaking abilities.”So Norton got on the internet and found the Toastmasters web site. Theorganization sent Norton all the information and a mentor.

The mentor was Nix, who is also the lieutenant governor for education and training for Toastmasters International. She came to the River Parishesfrom the TI office in Lafayette.

A member of Toastmasters International for nine years, Nix said she joined the organization because “I could not stand in front of a crowd and speak. Iwould get very afraid. The ironic thing is that I love to talk.”The mission of a Toastmasters Club is “to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communications and leadership skills which in turn foster self- confidence and personal growth.”The Tri-Parish Toastmaster Club meets on the first Wednesday of every month. The meetings are places for members to learn about speaking infront of groups in a supportive environment.

One member starts things off by giving an icebreaker speech which is sort of an impromptu talk about him or her self. Then there are speakers who arechosen the week before that will give speeches on various subjects to the other members.

After the speeches comes the evaluations by other selected members.

These evaluators tell the speech makers what they can do to improve their speaking abilities.

Another interesting duty in the Toastmaster Club is the grammarian. Thisperson helps other club members change bad habits, by correcting grammar and pronunciation. They also count the number of “ah’s”, “uh’s” and verbalpauses used in the speeches. The grammarian also helps to expand themembers’ vocabularies by introducing a new word every meeting then keeping track of how many times the group used the new word.

The officers of the Tri-Parish Toastmasters Club are President, Bob Dale; Vice President for Education Jeff Perilloux; Vice President for Membership Richard Drexel; Vice President for Public Relations Helen Banquer; Secretary Mike Norton and Sergeant-At-Arms David McDonald.

The Tri-Parish Toastmasters Club is always looking for new members.

Anyone interested in joining should call Richard Drexel at 651-6161 and learn to overcome those shaking knees. Back to Top

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