The Enterprise - White Salmon, Washington

WS resident heads toward Toastmasters speaking showdown

On Sept. 28

September 18, 2012

Speakers selected in club-level humorous speech contests will square off at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, at the Hood River Library in the Toastmasters Area 51 Humorous and Table Topics Speech Contest.

Speech competitions at the club level determined who would move on to the Area contest. John Lockman, of White Salmon, finished first with the Hood River-based Gorge Windbags Club, with his speech titled "What Would Johnny Carson Do?" He will be competing in the humorous speech contest.

Jesse Spalding, from the Insitu ScanEagles club, will be competing in the Table Topics portion of the contest.

The other competitors will be coming from the Hood River morning club.

Ken Hillen, Area 51 Governor and a member of both the Insitu ScanEagles and Gorge Windbags Toastmasters Clubs, says "this is a great way for speakers to challenge themselves, polish their speeches and test their skills in a friendly, supportive environment."

"This and other Toastmasters contests are open to the public," Hillen says. "They're a great way for people to see what Toastmasters can do for their presentation and leadership skills."

The winner in each category will advance to the Toastmasters Division D contest, which will be held from 1:30 to 4:45 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, at the Midland Public Library, 805 SE 122nd Ave., Portland.

To learn more about Toastmasters, visit its web site at www.toastmasters.org .