Improve Your Public Speaking With Toastmasters

DEERBROOK PARK TOASTMASTERS RETURNS TO

DEERFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARY

The Deerbrook Park Toastmasters Club has returned to the newly renovated Deerfield Public Library after meeting at Walgreens International Headquarters in recent years. The Club is part of Toastmasters International. Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of meeting locations. Headquartered in Rancho Santa Margarita California, the organization has more than 313,000 memberships in more than 14,650 clubs in 126 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters has helped people of all backgrounds become more confident in front of an audience. Members receive manuals and are encouraged to actively participate in meetings by presenting speeches, receiving immediate feedback, and learning to speak impromptu. Members progress through the program in an environment of support, friendship, and humor that builds confidence. Mentors are available to show members and guests the ropes with as much or as little help as they wish.

The Dean of the Club is Gerry Laures who joined in 1989. Gerry is a retired VP-Finance of Cobra Electronics Corporation and has won many Toastmasters speaking contests at all levels of competition in the Chicago Area including a District Humorous Speech Contest. Gerry is fond of saying that the only regret he has about joining Toastmasters is that he did not join sooner. Steve Ackerman is a lawyer who joined in 1990. He credits Toastmasters training with improving every nook and crany of his professional, family, and personal life and thinks Toastmasters is the dictionary definition of practicality but cautions that a good result takes effort. Mike Bashkin is a serving his second term as club President and is known for being available to help members and guests with their concerns, small and great, and for his stellar enthusiasm to volunteer for extra duty. Mike loves Chicago and especially Chicago Sports and notes the importance of speaking about subjects that the speaker feels strongly about. Jim Bowen is active in a number of Toastmaster Clubs and the Chicago Toastmaster Organization. Jim brings a different dimension to the meetings as a nuclear engineer who loves to talk about science and public policy. Jessie Lee is another member who is a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry and became an outstanding speaker using English as a second language. She has great patience and skills in mentoring new members with the same language barrier. Nancy Ginsburg has been a Toastmaster for over 17 years and loves the “laugh and learn” atmosphere of the Club.

Members of the Club agree on the substantial benefits that come from participating in Toastmaster Programs. A creed of Toastmasters can be summarized by the statement of Inspirational Speaker Zig Ziglar who famously said that “the way to get what you want in life is by helping others get what they want.” Improving in speaking and leadership skills by helping others do the same works wonders. The Club has seen a full range of performance improvement from miracles to steady improvement from members who are willing to work at it even if it seems difficult at first. Most members reflect that learning and practicing of communication and leadership skills in the clubs have benefited them in their job interviews, career advancement, business entrepreneurship and even personal relationships.

The Deerbrook Park Toastmasters Club meets at the Deerfield Public Library at 920 Waukegan Rd., Deerfield, Illinois the first and third Wednesday of every month at 6:45-8:45 p.m.  Guests are always welcome. Dues are nominal. For more information visit the Club web-site at http://deerbrookpark.toastmastersclubs.org or call Mike Bashkin at (847)317-1905.

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