Page 8 - September 2019

COVER STORY

station, and I was being asked questions. They

were hoping for the gem of a sound bite, and I
was hoping to be dragged away in a hurry. My
worst moment in life was that night, after it
aired, when even the nice Sunday-school kids

called me laughing and saying it was terrible
with a capital “T”.
I could organize emergency housing for
10,000 people, manage a million-dollar budget,

etc. but couldn’t in two minutes or less organize
my thoughts to intelligently answer a question.
A few years (and a career) later, I was in
Eastern Oregon. Two staff members of the Blue

Mountain Community College system were
trying to organize a second Toastmasters club
in the area. I was asked to join, and I finally
said ‘yes’ to Toastmasters. been a building series of experiences—from

I enjoyed Table Topics, began learning how learning to watch the timer, to paying attention
to craft a speech, and learned a little about to what I say and what my body says. I thank
speechcraft and stagecraft. It was fun! It was a my first club for the sometimes awkward and
challenge but dovetailed into what and where clumsy attempts in the beginning and thank the

I was at the time in my life. (That effort never Hillsboro Downtown Lunchbunch for allowing
panned out.) It was the fall of 2008 when another me the leeway to hone some speechcraft skills.
attempt was made to organize a club with the The thrill of my first successful speech has
help of the “neighboring” clubs from La Grande, never diminished. The knowledge that I had

Hermiston and Tri-Cities. The club chartered put the elements together to deliver a forceful,
in 2009 and thrived. I earned my Competent meaningful and yet humorous speech and that I
Communicator award in 2011. After I left the area could stand before a group confident, aware and a
to come out west to the green trees and moist master of what I said—knowing that it was being

climate, the two desert clubs eventually folded, received and appreciated—was a “mountain top”
and now the entire area and division are gone. experience.

Ah-Ha Moment in Toastmasters and Why What are my interests and hobbies
Without sounding trite, I honestly and outside of Toastmasters?

truthfully believe the entire time has been What? You mean there’s life outside of
composed of Ah-Ha moments—all of them equal Toastmasters? Oh, my goodness. All joking aside,
and in importance to the next. Toastmasters has I have several that I would like to share with you,

8 ONE COMMUNITY