Q: Can I attend a meeting as a guest?
A: Absolutely. We encourage you to attend as many meetings as you like as a guest. There is no cost or notification required, just show up!
Q: How is the parking situation in the area?
A: Parking can be a difficult at times, but not impossible - try to come a few minutes early to give yourself time to find a spot. There are usually a few spots available along the main streets, however you want to avoid the side streets as it is permit parking only. In a pinch, you can also park at the Illinois Masonic parking garage, where it will run you $6 for up to 2 hours and $12 for 2-4 hours. If you are coming from downtown, the following buses will drop you off within a few blocks: #22 Clark, #8 Halsted, and #156 LaSalle. You can also take the El and get off at the either the Diversey or Belmont stops, which are 2 blocks away. The Wellington stop is adjacent to the hospital, but is currently closed for construction.
Q: How should I dress?
A: It is entirely up to you. Wear your best suit or your best pair of jeans, just come on down!
Q: Do I need to bring anything?
A: Nope!
Q: Will anything be expected of me as a guest?
A: The only thing we'll ask you to do is stand up and introduce yourself and tell us why you're interested in Toastmasters.
Q: If I join, am I required to attend and/or speak at all of the meetings?
A: Not at all. Many of our members travel for business or have other obligations that can keep them away from the club for weeks or even months at a time. Although we encourage members to be active in the club, there are no requirements for participation. Like life itself, you get out of Toastmasters only what you are willing to put into it.
Q: How long do meetings last?
A: Our meetings last 90 minutes, starting promptly at 6:30pm and going to 8:00pm. Since this is also a social organization, many of us walk over to Matilda's at Sheffield and Barry afterwards for drinks, food, and good conversation.
Q: How are meetings structured?
A: It's not just people giving speeches for 90 minutes - the major portions of the meeting include:
a) Table Topics - Members (don't worry, not guests!) are selected at random to speak extemporaneously for 1-2 minutes on a particular topic.
b) Prepared Speeches - Usually 3-4 speakers with prepared speeches lasting 5-7 minutes each.
c) Evaluations - Prepared speeches are evaluated by other members for 3-4 minutes each.
There is much more involved in a meeting, but these are the major themes.
Q: What is the demographic makeup of your club?
A: The wonderful thing about Toastmasters is the diversity of its members. Our club has equal numbers of men and women, at all age groups, and from many different countries! Everyone has a different reason for joining. Some work in Sales, and use Toastmasters to hone their professional skills. Some are technical, and would like to communicate better with non-technical peers. There are some who recently got thrown into a public speaking situation which did not go so well, and so here they are! And there are many others who simply want to move beyond their fear of public speaking to develop their own self-confidence. It takes all kinds, and we got 'em.
Q: OK, so give me your final pitch.
A: This club has a great group of dynamic people, who are very friendly, accessible, and supportive. This club is well known in Chicago as being a very friendly, active, and fun club, and we intend to keep up our reputation! Whatever your reasons for joining, however, the greatest (and most unexpected) benefit is the sense of self-confidence you develop, which tends to permeate into all other aspects of your life.
I came in with somewhat jaded expectations, however now I think Toastmasters is a true "hidden treasure" - it is an organization that is by, and for, its members, and looks for nothing from you but your participation. Not many people know about it, however, because it is a non-profit organization and doesn't have a multimillion dollar marketing budget. In fact, I would be willing to wager that your story is like most of our other members - you heard about Toastmasters from someone you respect who is (or was) a member, but you never really got around to checking it out until now. So you went to the "www.toastmasters.org" web page, did a search in Chicago for a local club, and found our webpage. Now, the next step is the most difficult - it may even be more difficult than your first speech! That step is to make the time to come to a meeting. Once you walk in the door and take a seat - probably in the back row ;) - the hardest part is over, and the fun can begin. I hope to see you there!