Page 11 - 2016 April Voices

a few months, but he keeps going back to the the program seriously,” he said.

prison. He’s been the Rose City Toasters coach Allan, a retired accounts‑payable manager,

for two‑and‑a‑half years. has been leading Toastmasters clubs in Oregon

Inmate Nik Sparlin, 34, is president of prisons for 20 years. He currently

Rose City Toasters. He has an anarchy symbol oversees seven clubs with hundreds of

tattooed on his ear, “South” and “East” tattooed inmates.

on his arms. “You saved my life,” is

Nik has been in something Allan has heard

Toastmasters so long that more than once.

everyone who heard his After three inmates give

icebreaker two years ago speeches, the meeting shifts

has been released. On from soul‑baring stories to

Tuesday he gave silliness for “table topics.”

another introduction Speakers are given

speech about how his two minutes to speak on

mom taught him to steal a surprise – often absurdist

as a child. – prompt chosen by that

“I felt like I was Rose City Toastmasters members at Columbia night’s table topics leader.
stepping up in school River Correctional Institution, March 1, 2016 Last week, Max Heller’s
when I graduated to
prompt was: You’re a

armed robbery,” he said. presidential candidate who’s

“Like, it was something you knew you were been slandered. What is the slander, and how

going to eventually do. So when I did six years do you defend yourself?

for my armed robbery, it was something I Max clutched the sides of the lectern,

expected.” thought for just a few seconds, and [More}

Allan Edinger, prison liaison for Samatha Swindler is an award-winning

Toastmasters District 7, leaned toward me columnist for the Oregonian/OregonLive.com.

during Nik’s speech and said I was witnessing Editor, writer, photographer, former publisher,

a rare event. Most inmates don’t talk about page designer and small town lover looking to

their crimes. make impactful community journalism. Native of

Allan rarely asks. Louisiana, long-time Texan, former Kentuckian,

“It doesn’t matter to us as long as they take now living in Oregon.

Widen Your Business Footprint

Do you have a business or service that you wish to promote? Could it be beneficial to share
that information with other Toastmasters? An investment of $25 will place a color copy of
your business card in the program of our Spring Conference, Leading the World.

Toastmasters like to do business with other Toastmasters.
Whether you attend the conference or not, your name
and business will be in front of potential clients. Your
advertisement investment will help support our conference.
Place your ad before April 23rd to assure your place in the
program. Click here to place your ad.

Volume 2 Issue 10 - APRIL 2016 11