Love for Toastmasters

I’m often asked the following question: “Randy, why are you still in Toastmasters after 14 years?” It’s simple. I love the people I’ve met, and I love the growth I’ve experienced as a speaker and leader.

I’ve met many members who have been in Toastmasters for years, and they feel the same way. If you’re willing to work the program, it can help you achieve your goals.

Toastmasters has been around for 100 years, and it has helped millions of people. Although we have lost many clubs in the last five years, Toastmasters isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

My favorite aspect of Toastmasters is the people I’ve met. One special person was Don Edwards. It was clear right away that Don loved Toastmasters. He always talked about his passion for it. What was amazing about Don was his love for mentoring other Toastmasters. Although he didn’t find Toastmasters until age 78, he had a passion for supporting other members. Don believed in Toastmasters and its core values.

I remember when I first started in Toastmasters, he encouraged me to become an Area Director. At first, I wasn’t interested, but he kept encouraging me. I decided to step up to the plate and become an Area Director.

Going to different clubs and seeing how they did things helped me improve as a speaker and leader. Any time I had a problem, Don was willing to help me. He was an excellent mentor. Don lived through his 90s, and when he passed away in January 2025, I remembered how much he liked to compete.

Don often told me it was good to compete in contests because it made you a better speaker. The more I competed, the more I saw that I was becoming a better speaker. I was willing to push myself by competing against other Toastmasters.

In Toastmasters, we have many opportunities to improve our public speaking and leadership skills. Contest season is here, and this is the perfect time to put those skills to work. Contests are a wonderful chance to grow, and to meet new people. There’s nothing quite like contest season.

Every Toastmasters meeting or event I go to reminds me that Toastmasters is an organization that can change your life, and if you need to be motivated, there are members ready to guide you and support you.