Are you interested in a club whose members have already achieved an advanced Toastmasters education award, have progressed to a certain level within the Toastmasters program, or have held a certain level of leadership role? Visiting or being involved with an advanced club might be part of your Toastmasters journey!
This two-part article series will highlight our district’s advanced clubs: Advanced Articulators (A+) and Optimistic Orators.
Optimistic Orators Club is an advanced club that meets on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. It was chartered over 25 years ago to challenge experienced Toastmasters to bring their speaking and leadership to the next level. It have been a President’s Distinguished Club for 20 consecutive years.
This club has two requirements for becoming a member. First, you must be an active member of another Toastmaster Club. Our objective is to make you a better toastmaster, so you can be a leader in your home club. Our second requirement is that you have completed the first three levels in one Pathways path or completed a Competent Communicator in the old program.
One of the key differences of an advanced club is the level of feedback that you will receive. In addition to a regular 2 to 3 minute evaluation of your speech, you will also receive a round-robin evaluation. This feedback from experienced Toastmasters is well-thought-out and specific to your needs. The speaker gets the benefit of many different opinions. Are you brave enough for that level of feedback?
At an advanced club, you will have the opportunity to work on specialty and longer format speeches, that may not fit into your home club’s agenda. We have members of our club that are in district leadership. We also have many members who compete in the speech contests. Our standards are higher. We will help you take your craft to the next level.
We would love to have you come as a guest to one of our meetings. We meet on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month, at 9:30 AM Eastern local time. Our hybrid meetings allow members and guests to join virtually or in person at the Royal Oak Senior Center. Visit our club’s website for more information.
Attention International and Evaluation Contest Competitors: Optimistic Orators would like to offer you a free round-robin evaluation. Please reach out to our Vice President Public Relations (vppr-5890@toastmastersclubs.org). We will put you on the agenda. Our upcoming meetings are scheduled on March 26, and April 9 and 23. If you are serious about competing, come to one of these meetings.
As an upcoming club special event, Optimistic Orators will celebrate Purple Day with an open house on March 26, 2022. Purple Day was created to promote awareness of epilepsy. Distinguished Toastmasters and Immediate Past District Director, and lover of everything purple, Lashon Bowers, will be our featured speaker. Wear purple and come to our open house. Please visit the Purple Day Open House District 28 calendar event for additional information.