Lauralee's Toastmasters Reflection

Picture Taken For a Previous Award

I am extremely happy to announce that I have completed Toastmasters' Advanced Communicator Gold today. I started My Toastmasters Journey in 2016 as a solution to needing an audience for my Public Speaking class at Oregon Coast Community College. Little did I know that starting in Toastmasters would change my life.

After giving my speeches for the class, I was convinced to keep going and finish the Competent Communicator. The system was addicting and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing my progress through pages completed. In 2017, I I jumped at the chance to complete a District level role through being a Pathways Guide.

It was at that point that I realized I had a passion for educating and serving the consumer. I switched my major to Business Administration: Marketing. Now, I am in my last year of my Bachelor's in Business Marketing.

So far, I have served as the Vice President of Public Relations at Yaquina Toastmasters, a Pathways Guide for the Coast, and the District Public Relations Manager.

In my time at Toastmasters, I have found many friends and mentors along the way. Dave Coffman challenged me to go beyond technical speeches. Laurie Weitkamp encouraged me to share personal speeches and not be afraid of showing emotion. Paul Brookhyser was always there to lift me up and motivate me. Lee Ritzman helped me prepare speeches and offer insights for my speeches on Germany. Avital Miller worked with me to complete my Pathways speeches. Christa Colway has supported my crazy ideas for Public Relations and helped me reach my goals. Brian Haggerty encouraged me to go outside of my comfort zone and compete in club contests. Svetlana helped me navigate online meetings. Brian Norris has walked me through many speeches to help me fine tune my message. The newer members of the club like Pam and Larry have sparked my curiosity with their speeches and experiences. John Rodke encouraged me to push the boundaries of my mind and let myself grow. Crystal and Donna motivated me to become more involved in the Toastmasters community.

Throughout this journey, I have been touched by the support of my Toastmasters community and I am excited to see where my journey takes me from here.