Vestavia Toastmasters

05/19/2026

With Toastmasters District 77 – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

05/18/2026

Courtni Pete: District 77 Spring Conference was nothing short of amazing!

On Friday, a group of us had the opportunity to volunteer at Kids to Love, an incredible organization dedicated to supporting children through foster care placement, life skills training through K-TECH, and housing assistance. We were honored to spend time with adults in the K-TECH program who are preparing to graduate on Tuesday. During our visit, we shared our leadership and communication journeys, helped them practice their speeches, and toured the amazing facility and programs they provide.

Friday also featured our Humorous Speech Contest, filled with laughter, creativity, and inspiration. Then on Saturday, we enjoyed engaging workshops, a luncheon, the International Speech Contest, DTM Walk, and a beautiful gala celebration.

Most importantly, the conference provided an opportunity to connect, encourage one another, and celebrate the growth and accomplishments that come from stepping outside of our comfort zones to speak, lead, and learn. Through every speech, evaluation, and meeting, we continue building confidence, strengthening communication skills, and creating meaningful relationships.

Cheers to leading, inspiring, and showing up to achieve greatness! 🎉

08/19/2023

We have a new Champ!

1. Jocelyn Tyson, Region 7, District 38

2. Nisha Shivram, Region 11, District 116

3. Maryam Ganni, Region 9, District 61

And guess what? The top 3 are women! How cool is that! 👍🥰

07/31/2023

"On August 8th 1982 a line drive foul ball hits a four year old boy, Jonathan Keane, in the head at Fenway Park. Jim Rice, realizing in a flash that it would take EMTs too long to arrive and cut through the crowd, sprang from the dugout and scooped up the boy.
"He laid the boy gently on the dugout floor, where the Red Sox medical team began to treat him. When the boy arrived at the hospital 30 minutes later, doctors
said Jim's prompt actions were instrumental in saving the boy's life. Jim returned to the game in a blood-stained uniform. A real badge of courage.
"After visiting the boy in the hospital, and realizing the family was of modest means, he stopped by the business office and instructed that the medical bill be
sent to him.
"The spring following the incident, Jonathan was asked to throw the ceremonial first pitch for the Red Sox's home game opener. He gladly accepted and had the opportunity to reconnect with Rice."

10/22/2022

11/03/2021

Do you fear speaking in front of a group? Join the crowd! 98% of people fear it too!

A proud member of the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, Vestavia Toastmasters focuses on providing a learning and communication environment where members and guests feel comfortable with expressing their thoughts and ideas. It is an opportunity to improve your leadership and communication skills that can further assist with:

- Answering questions on the spot
- Effectively develop and present ideas
- Sharpen listening skills
- Learn leadership and management skills
- Foster productive work relationships

For more information or to join, visit
http://vestavia.toastmastersclubs.org/

09/10/2021

Toastmaster Phillip Khan-Panni

WORD OF THE DAY

Let me be blunt. There is a widespread misconception about the Word of the Day in Toastmasters club meetings. And the main reason is that the Grammarian is probably in a long line of people following the example of someone who never stopped to think about its purpose.

The offerings we get range from trite everyday words to long words that no one can readily fit into a speech or Table Topic. Some Grammarians think their purpose is to challenge members to handle a difficult word. No it is not.

The purpose of the Word of the Day is to encourage speakers to extend their vocabulary, using a word that is just on the edge of the language they normally use, a word that adds to the meaning of what they are saying. Just as poetry does. Rhetoric, if you like, which is persuasive eloquence.

Here are some examples of how changing some words can transform your communication.

A. The mountains were bigger than the surrounding hills
B. The mountains presided majestically over the hump-backed hills
A. We had an interesting conversation
B. We had an illuminating discourse

Instead of magnificent, offer resplendent, instead of wilting offer languishing, instead of diminish offer mitigate, mollify or alleviate. Use a thesaurus and find words that are a little unusual but still easy to use.

07/08/2020

Vestavia Toastmasters fist meeting for the 2020-2021 Toastmasters year. We had another great meeting this evening Courtni Pete, Alberta Watson, Marvin Simpson you were missed.

Another heartfelt welcome to our honored guests Rachel Daly and our new Area Director Judith A. Kidd, DTM.

We heard great speeches from Elaine Arnold and Anna Daly. Steve Arnold was our Toastmaster of the day. Mark Long served as our timer and Grammarian. Rachel Rachielles served as General Evaluator, DeWayne Willams and Rachel Rachielles served as speech evaluators. The Table Topics session of our meeting was conducted by Gwendolyn May, DTM, PID. Looking forward to seeing all of you at our next meeting on July 21, 2020.
Due to the pandemic, we are meeting virtually on Google meets. We will be overjoyed to send you an invitation to join us. Please contact us and let us know.

06/03/2020

Great Toastmasters meeting this evening with Vestavia Toastmasters!
It was great having our District Director Elect, Wanda Spillers join us this evening.
Toastmasters Anna Daly and Cara Ross presented great speeches.
TM Rachel Rachielles did double duty as our Toastmaster and Table Topics Master. Special thanks to TM Mark Long our General Evaluator for the evening and TM Gwendolyn May and DeWayne Williams as speech evaluators. TM Steve Arnold was our timer extraordinaire. As usual our Vice President Education Elaine Arnold did a great job preparing our agenda!!!!