ESB Club - Toastmasters

Saying goodbye to long time members Larry W. (30 years) and Bob J. (17 years). Cornerstones of the club and great speakers, you guys will be missed.

Portrait of a Toastmaster
Raymond Brisebois, DTM, Les Orateurs Toastmasters - Hawkesbury, Ontario, Canada

Sharing My Story

In December 2015, when my motivation in Toastmasters was at its lowest, a friend invited me to participate in the International Speech Contest. After testing a speech and winning the club contest, I did some soul searching and decided to come back to my signature speech. It was THE story I needed to share with the world.

Maya Angelou said: “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Having that mission, I decided to share my story with no expectation of the outcome. I had so much fun in the process, and that led me to the semifinals last year in Washington, D.C.

I realized that you don’t craft a speech in order to compete. You compete because you have a speech inside of you. Don’t get me wrong; when arriving in Washington, District of Columbia I wanted the big trophy. I wanted so badly to be onstage as a finalist, and I prepared myself for that. But the lessons I learned along with the experience and camaraderie were so much more valuable than any trophy.

I have been involved as a contest official in my district several times; I thought I knew everything about contests. Yet, I learned so much at the 2016 International Convention about logistics, organization and how to be a good contest chair. Competing at the international level was a true privilege. I realized even more that although Toastmasters is a worldwide organization, we are still family. After 13 years in this wonderful organization, I know more than ever that there is always something to learn or to experience in Toastmasters.

For more information about Les Orateurs Toastmasters visit, http://bit.ly/2swL03q

Toastmasters International Raymond Brisebois,DTM Coach / Speaker / Trainer