March 2022 Shout Out Newsletter
Discover what District 48 members are up to this month!
The Shout Out Newsletter is all about the members of District 48. It’s the who, what, where and when of members’ activities.
If you have an idea or you just want to Shout Out to the editor, click the button!
Table of Contents
Member Spotlight
Community Outreach
Speech Contestant Stories
Peak Inside Some of Our Clubs
Editor: District 48 Public Relations Manager
It’s all about our members!
Member Spotlight
I Became a Voice for my Community
Developing skills for today’s work-from-home environment as told by Michelle Borders
In June 2019, I was asked to become a member of the Naples Chamber Board of Directors to represent the majority of their members who are Small Business Owners. It was then that I joined Toastmasters with the personal goal of increasing my self-confidence as a speaker.
In 2020, our club started meeting on Zoom in response to the pandemic stay-at-home orders. This experience helped me perfect how I present myself virtually. I also learned the Zoom technology as I became accustomed to facilitating Zoom meetings at Toastmasters. These skills have become essential in the current work-from-home environment.
When I was asked to share my story for the newly created Collier Coalition for Healthy Minds, I was able to deliver an impactful 5-minute speech while looking at the virtual audience. The Coalition chose to use the video on its website and for a presentation to the County Commissions. There is no way I would have been able to do a presentation like that without my Toastmasters experience!
Michelle Borders is a member of Naples Sunrise Bay Toastmasters in Naples, Florida. To find a Toastmasters Club near you, visit www.toastmasters.org/find-a-club.
Community Outreach
Ken Wrede is a dedicated volunteer at the League of Women Voters of the St, Petersburg Area (LWVSPA)
The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
Speech Contestant Stories
Excerpted from:
From Social Anxiety To Winning a Public Speaking Contest
Toastmasters helped me become a better leader, a better speaker, and a more confident person overall.
On April 17, 2021, I won a public speaking contest at Toastmasters. 10 years before that, my goal in life had been simply to find a job where I could work from home so I didn’t have to talk to anybody. At that time, public speaking was the last thing on my list of priorities.
I joined Toastmasters in September 2016 because my social anxiety was starting to affect my professional life. I felt that the best way to deal with my anxiety was to confront it, and that’s what Toastmasters is all about.
Being Aware
It took me a while to realize that I had social anxiety. I am introverted, and I prefer to spend time by myself. However, I had this nagging thought that something was wrong with me.
I had a lot of problems connecting with people in my personal and professional life, and I was stressed out because I thought these problems were all my fault…
A Year of Learning
I joined Toastmasters because I was looking for a place where I could improve my communication skills. It took me a while to open up in the meetings because I was concerned that others might judge me. Fortunately, I managed to find supportive people in the club who did not judge me for being quiet.
One of my goals for joining the club was to get rid of my fear of asking questions or making suggestions during meetings. I also wanted to improve my ability to formulate constructive feedback.
The first few meetings were pure torture for me… After attending a couple of meetings and talking to members at the club meeting, I became more comfortable with people in general and especially within Toastmasters.
(Contests) have been valuable to me for many reasons:
I have improved my speaking skills in public.
I am now more comfortable speaking in front of an audience.
I learned to be more confident about myself and my abilities.
I learned to be less self-critical and more appreciative of my accomplishments.
Improving your communication with others is important in life, whether you’re in Toastmasters or not.
It is much easier to learn from your mistakes and to build your confidence than to give up completely.
Toastmasters has helped me become a more confident speaker and leader overall. The program has strengthened my self-esteem and the ability to deal with people in general.
I am proud of myself for coming out of my shell.