Toastmasters

International has a slogan: "Toastmasters

learn to stand up to be seen, speak up to be

heard and sit down to be appreciated."

The

local club, High Noon Toastmasters, exhibited

this belief by having a tenth anniversary meeting

and inviting the whole county.

Three

of its members gave two-minute speeches, followed

members who acted as the grammarian, the timer,

and the "AH" counter. The AH counter

enumerated the number of "ah"s,

"oh"s and "uh"s and between

the three speeches, only one "ah"

occurred. the counter also noted that everyone

stayed within the time limit and only one error

was made: someone used the word

"podium" when they should have used the

word "lectern."

Toastmasters

is a nonprofit communication and leadership

program designed to enhance listening, speaking

and thinking abilities by practice. The program

was started in 1924 at a YMCA in California. To

date there have been three million men and women

of all ages and occupations that have benefited

from this training.

The

High Noon Toastmasters began in 1990 with 20

charter members, many of whom are still active.

In

conjunction with celebrating its ten years, the

club also honored one of its charter members, Dr.

John D. DeCotis, county superintendent of

schools. He was given the club's Outstanding

Community Leadership Award for his

"leadership, effectiveness, caring, honesty

and integrity."

number of people in the audience added their

accolades on his behalf. Said Fayette County

native Grady Huddleston, "I was reared in

what is now Peachtree City in a two-room

schoolhouse and it pleases me to see what we have

now. This came about because of the highly

qualified leaders like Dr. DeCotis."

reception in DeCotis' honor was conducted in the

LaFayette Center cafeteria.

For

information on High Noon Toastmasters phone

Carleton Williams, 770-461-1880.

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