Published: February 19, 2009 11:48 pm         

Valley group hosting Speech Club Contest

TERRE HAUTE — Vigo Toastmasters is hosting the first level of the Toastmasters International Speech Club Contest on Saturday at the Eastside Church of Christ at College and Fruitridge avenues.

Two contestants from four area clubs will compete to determine who will go on to the area contest, regional contest, district contest, region contest and world contest.

The event starts at 9:30 a.m. and is open to the public. Admission is free.

This is the first time the Vigo club is hosting one of these contests, Strahm said. The Vigo club is one of the oldest Toastmaster clubs in the area, dating back to 1945.

Those looking for the experience — or in some cases, courage — to engage in public speaking can join the Vigo Toastmasters.

“We give people an opportunity to learn to speak in front of people when they’re absolutely petrified by giving them a warm environment,” said Toastmasters president Hal Strahm.

Strahm learned about Toastmasters in the early 1980s from a preacher in Georgia.

“… It was so good to have someone explain to me how I was making errors and how to better put it,” he said. “I’ve always simply enjoyed that.”

He said being a member allows people to be better trained in the art of communicating.

“You hear a lot of people speak with a lot of ‘uhs’ and ‘ers,’ moreso than what you even think about,” Strahm said, “and in this group you will, with a lot of fun, cease to use ‘ers’ and will use pauses.”

For more information, call (812) 230-0061, or visit web.me.com/hstrahm1/Vigo_Toastmasters/About_Us.html.