Here is a list of some of our members who have chosen to make their profiles public.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Peanut Valley Toastmasters

What is Toastmasters versus Peanut Valley Toastmasters Club?

• Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that builds confidence and teaches public speaking skills through a worldwide network of clubs that meet online and in person. In a supportive community, members prepare and deliver speeches, respond to impromptu questions, and give and receive constructive feedback. It is through this regular practice that members are empowered to meet personal and professional communication goals. Founded in 1924, the organization is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado with approximately 270,000 members in more than 14,200 in 148 countries. Learn more at https://www.toastmasters.org/.  

• Peanut Valley Toastmasters is one of 50+ clubs in New Mexico, West Texas, and the Oklahoma Panhandle - collectively known as District 23. It is through our individual clubs that we practice and learn new skills as we participate in the Toastmasters education curriculum (called Pathways). 

Are guests welcome at any meeting or must I be invited to attend?

• Consider yourself invited. Guests are always welcome to attend in person or virtually. There is no cost to visit our club meetings and learn about Peanut Valley Toastmasters.

• Feel free to bring a friend with you – the more the merrier!

How often may I visit?

• You may visit as often as you wish; there is no fee to visit. You'll always learn something, even if you are not a member. Of course, we hope that you will be impressed with your experience at Peanut Valley Toastmasters and decide to join our club to develop your communication and leadership skills.

• Guests who are non-Toastmasters may participate in Table Topics but may not give speeches.

• Guests who are members of other Toastmasters club around the world are invited to connect in advance with our Vice President Education or another club officer to sign up for a meeting role.

If I attend as a guest, will I be required to speak? 

• Guests are not required to speak, although we will ask you to introduce yourself at the beginning of the meeting and share why you decided to visit Peanut Valley Toastmasters. At the close of the club meeting, you will also be asked to share your impressions and how you think Toastmasters can help you. The responses only needs to be about 15-30 seconds each.  

• Guests will be asked to participate in Table Topics and may decline if not comfortable.

What is Table Topics^TM?

• Table Topics is an opportunity to practice thinking on your feet and speaking extemporaneously. Questions or situations will be asked, and you have 1-2 minutes to share your response.

How do I dress?

• There is no dress code although members usually dress business casual or casual. 

How long does a meeting last? 

• Members and guests are asked to arrive (or log in) between 6:50 and 6:55 p.m. The meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) and ends at 8:00 p.m.  
• Not local to Mountain Time? Click here to determine your local time.

• If you arrive late, that's okay. Just be silent as you enter the room and wait until prompted to speak.

How much does it cost to join Toastmasters?

• Dues of $70.00 are collected twice a year for a six-month renewal period (April – September and October – March); this amount includes the cost for international dues and local club dues ($60 + $10). 
• The membership fee is pro-rated based on the month you join.
• When joining Toastmasters for the first time, there is a one-time join fee of $20.00. Should you ever leave the club for some reason, you can rejoin again at any time and will not have to pay the join fee again.
• There may be special events and activities that require additional money, such as purchasing additional education paths (first one is included in the new member join fee), dinner at a social event, donations for a special event, meals and hotel at the Spring Conference, etc. These are optional for members to participate. 

Is this a recognized program? Is there a way for me to let my employer know about my progress?

• Yes. If you would like your employer to be notified of your education path completion, Toastmasters International will notify your employer via email after the completion of a Level 3, Level 4, or Level 5 education achievement. Just be sure to inform the Vice President Education before the education award is submitted. 

• Toastmasters is an internationally recognized and respected program; a record of your achievements is available in your profile. It is a sign of your commitment to professional and personal development. The skills and competencies you learn in Toastmasters are transferable to the workplace.

Is giving speeches the only activity that happens at a club meeting?

• Communication is developed in different ways, and giving a prepared speech is just one of many.

• There are three main portions of a club meeting:

• • Prepared speakers
  • Evaluators
  • Impromptu speaking

• There are several different meeting roles that you can sign up and hold at each meeting. Each role is designed to help you develop different skills. Some of these roles may include more speaking than others.

• • Toastmaster – the emcee of the club meeting
  • General Evaluator – observes the entire meeting and gives feedback
  • Ah Counter – listens for the filler words used my members
  • Grammarian – listens for improper grammar and positive uses of language; prepares and shares a Word of the Day
  • Timer – helps speakers stay on track with color cues
  • Speaker – presents a 5-7 speech based on a specific purpose and skill development (although some speeches may be longer)
  • Evaluator – listens to the speaker and gives feedback for improvement
  • Table Topics Master – prepares questions to ask members that haven't had a speaking role in the meeting

Do you take attendance? Do I have to attend every meeting?

• We take attendance to ensure a quorum is present to conduct business if needed. You do not need to attend every meeting, but you are requested to attend at least 50% of the meetings.

• The more you attend and actively participate in club meetings, the greater your progress to improve your communication and leadership skills.

• Members are asked to predict their attendance for the upcoming meetings and sign up for meeting roles accordingly.

What if I cannot make it to a meeting?

• We understand life happens and you have other commitments – family, work, faith, illness, and other undertakings.

• If you are signed up for a specific meeting role, and cannot attend, consider attending virtually instead of in person. If you do need to cancel altogether, you are asked to contact the Vice President Education as soon as possible. Part of leadership is communicating change to others. Other members will be asked to help fill the now vacant role.

How often do I have to give a speech? Do I have to talk on a specific topic?

• Members work at their own pace - the more frequently you speak, the sooner you will see improvement in your speaking abilities and your confidence level.

• New members will choose a "path" in Pathways which is our education curriculum. There are 11 different paths to choose from and each has a specific focus.

• Each path has 5 levels with various projects in each. Each project requires a pre-assessment of your skills, some preparatory work, delivery of a speech, and a final assessment to determine how you have grown throughout the project. Each path begins with an "Icebreaker" speech and ends with the "Reflect on Your Path" speech.

• The majority of the prepared speeches are 5-7 minutes in length, but some are shorter and some longer.

• Members can pick their own speech topics, although some speech topics are better suited to the purpose of a project. Speeches can be informative, entertaining, persuasive, practice for work, remembering loved ones, preparing for a toast, and so much more.

• Members are encouraged to choose topics in which they are passionate and knowledgeable about. 

What kinds of people belong to Toastmasters?

• Toastmasters truly is an international organization; there are clubs in 144 countries around the world.

• To join Toastmasters, you do need to be at least 18 years old. Our members come from all backgrounds and represent a broad range of life experiences, interests, ages, cultural backgrounds. We are proud of our diversity.

How large is Peanut Valley Toastmasters?

• Ideally, we want our club to be at 20 members. Currently, we have 8 members with an average of 5-6 members attending each meeting.

• More members mean more unique ideas and perspectives as well as a full agenda.

Will I be criticized on my speech?

• Effective feedback is shared with a speaker in a positive and constructive manner. Strengths are emphasized as areas to continue, suggestions on areas to improve and how to make changes are shared, and challenges offered to push yourself to the potential in which we see in you.

• Feedback is one person's opinion. If you feel like you are being criticized, you are encouraged to speak privately with the evaluator to get some additional insight into the comments made. If continued issues persist, the matter should be discussed with club officers. Conflict resolution is a learned leadership skill.

How long before I see results?

• Progress varies for each person based on their individual goals and participation. The more frequently you sign up and hold meeting roles and give speeches will determine your individual results.

• New members who participate regularly experience noticeable progress within several weeks. Co-workers and friends often comment on your progress. 

• Keep in mind that you should not compare yourself to other members and their speaking level - compare yourself to yourself and your inidivdual progress. Members join Peanut Valley Toastmasters and develop at different speeds and levels.

Your club website mentions that you have meetings once a week. Are there requirements to do anything outside the club meeting?

• The answer varies by individual – time commitment, what skills and talents do you want to share or develop, etc.

• Club officers put in time outside the club meeting. Developing a meeting agenda, updating the website and social media, paying dues, talking with prospective members, taking meeting minutes, setup, and cleanup of meeting supplies. 

• Depending on the officer role and how involved as a member you want to be in developing your leadership skills, there are opportunities outside the club at the Area, Divison, District, and International levels.  

• Members may choose to be a contestant in speech contests. Members compete and can move up to the Area, Division, District, and possibly beyond. You can also attend to cheer on the contestants, help with registration, or hold functionary roles (judge, timer, ballot counter). 

• Members may attend meetings and events outside their own club. Visiting clubs gives an opportunity to listen to other speakers and gain new ideas and insights. You can also request to be a speaker at another club's meeting and receive evaluations from another Toastmaster unfamiliar with your speaking style.

• District 23 offers a Spring Conference that members can attend – and volunteer to help in a variety of ways. 

If your question has not yet been answered, feel free to reach out to a club officer, or better yet, come visit us virtually or in person.

The best way to learn about Peanut Valley Toastmasters is to visit Peanut Valley Toastmasters.

Be our guest every Thursday night -- virtual and in-person attendance are both available options to attend. You're welcome to attend and an RSVP is not necessary. We hope to meet you soon! 

Thank you for your request to be removed from our mailing list. We are sorry to see you go. Please contact a club officer or the website administrator if you change your mind.