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COVER STORY

Toastmasters Changes Lives—

One Meeting at a Time

Jim Robison, DTM

Have you ever heard someone say believe that people can and do change.
“Toastmasters literally saved my life?” I I also believe that no person is defined
have. How about “Toastmasters gave me my according to one action, or by one period
freedom?” Yep, heard that too. For many of time in their life. I have heard many

people who have made terrible mistakes in members say “Going to prison was the best
life for which they were sentenced to prison, thing ever to happen to me.” Not because
Toastmasters provides a path for them to take going to prison is in any way desirable, but

control of their lives and develop skills and because they were able to make use of their
confidence which allows them to become time in prison to change their attitudes
entirely changed individuals. and approach to life so that they never
I have been volunteering with a again go down the path that brought them
Toastmasters club inside a correctional there. They are not who they were when

institution for several years, and during those they committed the crimes that got them
years I have met people who committed incarcerated.
horrendous crimes warranting them being There are five Toastmasters Clubs in

in prison. I have also met people who made prisons with a total of 138 members in
terrible choices in their lives, leading them District 7. Two of those clubs were the first
down a path where their best hope was to two clubs this year to complete 10 out of
be imprisoned where they could take a new 10 Distinguished Club Program goals. So
path and emerge as new people. far this Toastmasters year, those two clubs

I have tremendously enjoyed getting to between them have submitted 41 Pathways
know them, hearing their experiences, and Level 1 completions and 40 other Pathways
seeing them grow into new people. I strongly Level completions. These members are

6 ONE COMMUNITY