Local Toastmaster Keynote Speaker 

Northern Division (A) Toastmasters International recently held its Summer 2013 Toastmasters Leadership Institute at the Otterbein Retirement Community in St. Marys, Ohio. 

The event was hosted by distinguished toastmaster Ray Kramer, member of the Grand Lake Toastmasters Club in St. Marys.  Keynote speaker Robert Farmer presented "From Volunteer to Leader.”  Farmer has been a member of Greenville Toastmasters since 2006.  He is serving his second year as Area 4 Governor in Northern Division A. 

The institute is an educational opportunity for club officers, as well as the membership at large. Held twice a year, it offers officer training sessions and general communication and leadership skill-building sessions. 

The following individuals offered educational sessions:  Bud Watkins, DTM (Hi-Point Club in Bellefontaine); Carmela Banks (Hogge Creek Toastmasters, Lima); Richard Spangler (Springfield Toastmasters Club and Aquinas Toastmaster in Urbana); Elaine Bailey (Greenville Toastmasters in Greenville); Farley Banks (Hogge Creek Toastmasters, Lima); Becky Trudeau, DTM (Shelby County Toastmasters and Emerson Climate Toastmasters in Sidney); and Bob Farmer (Greenville Toastmasters in Greenville). 

Toastmasters International (TI) is a nonprofit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their communication, public speaking and leadership skills. Through its thousands of member clubs, Toastmasters International offers a program of communication and leadership projects designed to help men and women learn the arts of speaking, listening, and thinking. 

A Toastmasters club is a “learn-by-doing” workshop in which men and women hone their skills in a comfortable, friendly atmosphere. A typical club has 20 to 40 members, who meet weekly or biweekly to learn and practice presentation techniques. The average club meeting lasts approximately one hour. 

Local clubs can be found by visiting www.toastmasters.org