Health & Fitness
Lincoln-Way Toastmasters receive Distinguished Awards
On November 15th, two veteran Lincoln-Way Toastmasters were recipients of distinguished awards.
On November 15th, two veteran Lincoln-Way Toastmasters were recipients of distinguished awards. Mike Timmons received the Presidential Distinguished Area for Area 60 Award and Mike Pijanowski received the Outstanding Toastmaster Area 60 Award.
Mike Timmons had been in Toastmasters, on and off, since around 1975, when, at the tender young age of twenty-one, his pharmacist told him, "You don't need to be taking these," as he picked up his prescription for tranquilizers. Quizzically, he asked her what she meant. "Get into Toastmasters," was her response. He had never heard of Toastmasters, but found out soon enough and got involved. Over the years, as he moved around the country with job promotions and career changes he sometimes took a hiatus in the new city. But after his most recent fifteen-year "layoff" from the group, he got back in around March of 2009. He stays in it because the dues are easily paid for from the cost of tranquilizers he gave up decades ago. Besides that, he likes the group of people and he really enjoys challenging himself in front of an audience
Mike Pijanowski says that receiving this award was a great honor. He had been a member of Toastmasters for over three years and he feels he owes a debt of gratitude to all his fellow members for supporting him and helping him stretch his abilities. He keeps his membership in the club current so he can help others while continuing to find ways to grow himself.
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The Lincoln-Way Toastmasters is a local chapter of Toastmasters International, a non-profit organization who lives up to it’s slogan of “Making Effective Communication a Reality”. It is a group dedicated to helping its members overcome the fear of public speaking while enhancing their communication and leadership skills.
Toastmasters is open to all individuals over 18 years of age. The Lincoln-Way Toastmasters meeting is held at 7:30 P.M. on the first and third Thursday of each month at Lincoln-Way East High School. The meetings follow an organized agenda and gives everyone an opportunity to speak and listen more effectively.
Toastmasters is free to attend and membership fees, should you decide to join, are nominal. If you have any questions, feel free to check out http://lincolnway.easy-speak.org. Or, you can call Thad Gray, at 815-464-4414.
