Toastmasters International -

Joel Schwartzberg’s inerrant article “How to Quit Talking Quickly” was gripping. My initial year as a Toastmaster was spent struggling with my speaking pace; most of my feedback addressed it. I blamed it on the fact that I spent most of my life as an English teacher who had so much material to cover in so little time. I also blamed it on the fact that I lived so close to “The Big Apple.”

One day after a meeting, a fellow Toastmaster and mentor took me aside and told me he felt I should concentrate more on articulation and also pause more often. It worked!

Thank you, Mr. Schwartzberg, for your empowering article.

Linda Childress

Palm City Orators • Palm City, Florida

In the September 2021 Toastmaster magazine, you asked “Are you a member of a corporate club? Tell us how you have benefited.”

I am a member of corporate club Toastmasters of BankUnited in Miami Lakes, Florida. I joined this club at the beginning of this year, which began my journey with Toastmasters. Prior to COVID, Toastmasters meetings were held on-site at the corporate headquarters in Florida. For the last year and a half, our company and our corporate club have been functioning remotely. This allowed for employees located in states other than Florida to join the club. This was great for me as I work for a subsidiary in Maryland. Our company also has a large presence in New York and the club was able to add members from there as well. In a time when I felt like I was in solitary confinement working alone in my home, I was able to connect and network with people throughout the company that I may not have otherwise had the opportunity to meet. I learned about different job functions and have even been able to give leads to other departments. Toastmasters has benefitted me tremendously in the form of increased confidence and speaking skills, but it has especially benefitted me with gaining connections and a stronger bond to my coworkers and company.

Jennifer Duffy

Toastmasters of BankUnited • Cockeysville, Maryland