As a member of Twin Cities Toastmasters for the past 31 years, I have seen what might be called "minor miracles" in our club.
Not the spiritual or heavenly ones, but real-life ones.
The first one I saw was in me, but there have been dozens of others. These are the ones who join Toastmasters to overcome the worst experience in anyone's lives: standing up and speaking in front of a group of people.
Reader's Digest did a survey several years ago listing the 10 greatest fears in people's lives. I would have thought fear of death would be number one. It was number seven.
Fear of dentists was number three, fear of falling was number two and the feat of standing up and speaking in front of a group of people was number one.
I not only had a fear of public speaking, I had a terror of public speaking, and no matter how hard one tries to avoid it, the day will come when one is called on to speak in public.
I was a cub reporter for the Texarkana Gazette in 1980 when I was assigned to write a story about an educational program where people were being recognized. As always, I sat in the corner in the back of the room with my pen and writing pad in hand, making notes for the story I was going to write for the next day.
There were about a hundred people in the room, several of whom had been called on to speak about the program they were honoring.
Suddenly, I heard the speaker at the lectern at the front of the room say, "Would the reporter from the Texarkana Gazette please say a few words?"
To this day, I don't remember what I said, an experience I would still be agonizing over three years later when I was called on my first day as a member of Twin Cities Toastmasters to answer a Table Topics question.
I was unable to say more than a few incoherent words. Toastmasters Brenda Rochelle, Lynn Willing-Bond and Hazel Cotton-who are still in Toastmasters-recall the event. Hazel was the timer and said I spoke for exactly 11 seconds, the shortest Table Topics response on record at the time.
I may not have returned if it were not for some Toastmaster whose name I wish I could remember had not come up to me, taken my hand, looked me in the eye and said, "Congratulations!"
Incredulous, with sweat still running down my red face and still trembling hands, I asked, "What for?"
"For standing up and facing your fear," this Toastmaster said. "Why don't you come back and try it again next week?"
Not only did I return the next week, and the next, and the next, I soon dedicated myself to the Toastmasters program and many speeches later that day did come when "the fear went out of my eyes."
That's the "minor miracle" I was speaking of and I have seen it happen over and over again. Now I can look at the trembling eyes of a new member and tell them in all honesty, "You, too, will experience the miracle of Toastmasters, for you will soon be giving a speech and there will be no fear in your eyes."
Most don't believe me, until that great moment when it does come and as they return to their seat I love to say, with a big smile on my face: "Told you . "
Then they, too, realize the "power of Toastmasters."
All this is to explain my most important activity in Toastmasters, outside of serving my club and district at every level, including District 25 Governor in 1990-91.
The most important activity I have ever performed is Toastmasters' Youth Leadership program, which is basically Toastmasters for young adults and kids.
Toastmasters created the program to give the youth of our country the opportunity to overcome the fear of public speaking and how to present an organized, impassioned speech, long before they are forced to do so outside of a positive, supportive environment.
In fact, the mission of the Toastmasters club is to "provide a mutually supportive and positive environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth."
Youth Leadership is two hours a week for eight weeks, and teaches the basics of public speaking. When graduation rolls around, parents and siblings are often stunned when they see how much their children changed.
I remember one father's comment: "I hardly recognized our son. I've never heard him speak out like that."
What's funny to me is when the new members come in that first night. Some really don't want to be there.
But by the end of that first night, after they see how much fun and supportive it is, they are sold, and the majority of them goes on to graduate.
The regular Toastmasters Club is for adults 18 and older. Youth Leadership is for young adults from age 17 and younger.
The suggestion is to age 12, but I have taken them as young as 5. If they are willing to stand up and speak, I will take them, and there is nothing more wonderful and endearing than to hear a 5-year-old child stand up in front of 80 people at graduation and say, "Mr. Toastmaster, fellow Toastmasters and special guests " before launching into his speech or duty for the evening.
I taught my first Youth Leadership class when I was Area Governor in 1986, then three more times between then and 1995.
After six years, I was called on to assist with a Youth Leadership program in 2001, where I rediscovered my love for the program and with the exception of last year (for reasons of heath) I have hosted one every year since. Three years ago we had 32 participants: 16 home-schooled kids and 16 kids from the Baptist Orphanage.
This year, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 9 at First Lutheran Church at 4600 Texas Blvd. in Texarkana, Texas, will be my 15th Youth Leadership program. It will conclude with open graduation the last week of July or the first week of August, depending upon Vacation Bible School at First Lutheran.
Sponsored by Twin Cities Toastmasters, several members of the club have assisted as co-coordinators, including club President Bonnie Champion, Past Area Governor Terri Rogers and Past Area Governor Brenda Rochelle.
Even some of the former graduates and there are some who have graduated five or six times, have helped teach classes.
"I have never seen Amber Plattner do so well or grown so much so quickly," observed Nancy Crawford, a longtime member of First Lutheran Church.
Amber is a five-time graduate of the program, along with her younger brother, Matthew, who graduates from Hooks High School this month. She will be the first to agree and credit the Toastmasters program for her reaching state not just once but twice in Austin, Texas, with her debate team from Hooks High School.
She will also assist teaching this year's program along with another five-time graduate, Cortney May.
Parents are encouraged to attend the first and last class; registration begins at 6 p.m.; the program begins at 6:30 p.m. and is over at 8:30 p.m.
For more information, call me, John Fooks, at 870-648-5455. We have room for approximately eight more students, to bring the total to 25.