OMNI Toastmasters Club 6861

🦋 "Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee!" 🐝 ~Muhammad Ali

Meet Agastya. He's 7 years old. And he just schooled all of us. 😄

Our last meeting had a very special guest who took the floor and delivered a speech about the legendary Muhammad Ali that left the entire room speechless. No nerves. Just pure energy, passion, and personality.

At 7 years old, Agastya already knows something many adults are still figuring out — your voice is your superpower. 🥊

And the best part? Our monthly meeting is now hybrid — so members in the room AND online got to witness this incredible moment together. That's the beauty of community, no matter where you're tuning in from. 💻🤝

Agastya, we don't know what the future holds — but we'd bet on a TEDx stage in your future. 🌟 Thank you for reminding us why we do this and for bringing so much joy into the Omni Toastmasters family!

Who inspires YOU to keep growing? Drop their name below! 👇

When Chandrashekhar Manohar joined Toastmasters, the goal was simple: become a better communicator.

What he didn’t expect was everything else that came with it. Better listening skills. Growing confidence as a leader. Real friendships that turned meetings into something he genuinely looks forward to each week.

At OMNI Toastmasters, he’s discovered that communication is more than speaking well. It’s learning how to connect, listen, lead, and grow alongside people who cheer each other on.

And outside the meeting room? He brings a different kind of energy. He plays dhol and tasha, traditional Indian drums that can turn any gathering into a full-volume celebration. 🥁

Member Stats:
🎯 Joined For: Better communication skills

🚀 Unexpected Gains:
- Stronger listening skills
- Growing leadership confidence
- A circle of friends

🥁 Fun Fact: Plays dhol and tasha (Indian drums)

🏆 Current Status: Still learning, still growing, still bringing the beat to the room

When John Zielinski first walked into a Toastmasters meeting, he had a simple goal: meet people.

He was new to the Orlando area and between jobs, looking for a way to build connections and be part of something beyond work.

Like many people, he admits he had never even heard of Toastmasters before. But the idea of a welcoming group and a chance to network felt like a good place to start.

Seventeen years later, John is still showing up. What began as a way to meet people has grown into something much more.

He has built lasting friendships, strengthened his communication skills, and discovered a role he especially enjoys: Table Topics Master, where quick thinking and a little creativity keep meetings lively.

John joined to connect with people.

Seventeen years later, the conversations, friendships, and growth keep him coming back.

📅 Member Since: 2009

🎤 Favorite Role: Table Topics Master

🚀 Still Showing Up Because: Great
conversations, new skills, and a community that keeps giving back

Our club has been around since 1988, helping people go from “please don’t make me speak” to “okay… I’ll give it a try.”

Over the years we’ve had thousands of speeches, lots of encouragement, plenty of laughs, and a great group of people cheering each other on.

Big shoutout to everyone who has ever stepped up to speak, lead a meeting, run Table Topics, or just show up and support the group. You’re what makes Omni, Omni.

Here’s to many more years of learning, laughter, and those “well… that wasn’t as scary as I thought!” moments. 🎤😊

Tim Tyckoson Didn’t Join Toastmasters to Become a Speaker. He Joined to Stop Being Asked.

Working at the post office, he never thought public speaking applied to him. He showed up skeptical, curious at best, and mostly to support his wife.

Then something unexpected happened. He discovered a welcoming community, fascinating stories about people and cultures, and a place to connect, listen, and grow. After four meetings, he was hooked.

What followed surprised him even more. Stepping into leadership roles when the club needed help built real confidence, not just at meetings, but in life.

One of his proudest moments was speaking at his father’s funeral with strength and composure, something he never thought possible.

Today, he speaks up, shares his perspective, and leads when needed, because Toastmasters gave him a supportive room to practice being himself.

If you’ve ever wondered, “What would I really get out of this?” his story might sound familiar.

🤔 Came Thinking:
“What could I possibly get out of this?”

👀 Got Hooked By:
Great stories, interesting people, and a welcoming room

🚀 Unexpected Upgrades:
- Confidence to lead
- Comfort speaking up
- Better conversations

❤️ Most meaningful impact:
Speaking at his dad’s funeral

What a Meeting! 🎉

Last week brought double the reasons to celebrate!

👏 Huge shoutout to Ismael for crushing his Toastmasters debut! You nailed it, and we can’t wait to see what you do next.

🌟 Welcome to the club, Spencer! We’re thrilled to have you join the Toastmasters family.

Curious about Toastmasters? There’s never been a better time to check us out! Drop by a meeting—zero pressure to speak. Just sit back, observe, and see what we’re all about.

💻 This Thursday (Feb. 12) at 5:45 PM ET we’re meeting virtually, which means you can join from literally anywhere in the world. Your couch. A café in Paris. Your kitchen table. We don’t judge.

Drop “GUEST” in the comments or shoot me a PM for the meeting link!

Weekend plans: Toastmasters edition 😊

Wendy, Kathleen, and John spent their Saturday at TLI training, learning new ideas, swapping insights, and bringing back some great takeaways for the club.

Always fun to learn together and keep growing!

Confidence Grows Faster When You’re Not Doing It Alone.

Member Spotlight: From Skill Builder to Servant Leader 🌟

Nathan Guteras, Ed. S. (ABD) joined Omni Toastmasters to strengthen public speaking and leadership skills and discovered so much more along the way. Through consistent practice and supportive feedback, he’s grown into a wiser servant leader, with multiple career advancements and promotions reflecting that growth.

Currently on the Persuasive Influence path, he’s now working toward his Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) as a Club Coach, continuing to lead by example while helping others grow. A powerful reminder that when you invest in communication, leadership follows.

🎤 Why Toastmasters:
Build public speaking and leadership skills

🏆 Impact:
Wiser servant leader
Multiple career promotions

🚀 Now Developing:
DTM candidate Club Coach
Persuasive Influence Path

🚀 What a fun and energizing way to look ahead to 2026 together!

✨ Theme: 2026, led by John Z as our toastmaster
✨ Word of the Day: Punctilious — used thoughtfully throughout the meeting, and creatively stretched when I tried out “punctilicious” 😄

🎤 Speeches:
• John Marshall kicked things off with “Match Fit,” sharing practical and realistic ways to get and stay fit.
• Kathleen took us on an Amtrak journey with her speech “Trains,” giving us a great reminder of how to connect with an unfamiliar audience; a skill that always comes in handy.

👏 Evaluations: Wendy and CK provided thoughtful feedback to help our speakers grow.
🎯 Table Topics: Nathan kept everyone thinking on their feet.
⏱️ Meeting Roles:
• Gina as Grammarian and Ah-Counter
• Ismael as Timer
• Tim as both General Evaluator and Sergeant at Arms

🎉 Highlight: A warm welcome to our newest member, Karthikeyan Balakrishnan! Nothing beats the energy of welcoming someone new to the club.

Thank you to everyone who stepped into roles and helped create such a positive, forward-looking meeting. A great reminder of how much growth happens when we show up and support one another.

Our next meeting is online this Thursday, January 8th. Join us to start the year with new skills.