Bob Larmour is the Area 49 Governor for Toastmasters and is also an officer with each of the four Toastmasters Clubs in Prince George that he belongs to. He was born in Vancouver, and split his early years between the city and Salt Spring Island.
He has lived in Prince George since 1962. Bob first became involved with Toastmasters when some of his coworkers were beginning to form a club.
The Toastmasters’ mission is: “to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop and practice communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth."
Toastmasters Clubs meet regularly at various locations across the city. Upon joining a club, an individual receives manuals of assignments in communication and leadership. At meetings, participants observe, practice and receive feedback on their performance on a variety of duties.
Upon successfully completing ten assignments from the “Competent Communicator” manual, a person can choose from 15 special advanced manuals from Entertaining Speaker to Public Relations to Communicating on Television and more. The Leadership Manual provides a similar array of assignment options.
Toastmasters provides an opportunity to practice, to learn, and to give and receive feedback in a friendly and supportive atmosphere at a relatively low cost.
In addition to the regularly-scheduled meetings, Toastmasters conducts contests twice a year that pyramid up from local clubs to the international level. Local contests will take place in March this year.
Toastmasters will also have a booth at the Pine Centre Recreation March 17-18. At that time details will be available about a Toastmasters Demonstration Meeting that will likely be held in April for those who are interested in seeing for themselves what the organization does.
People are encouraged to get involved by visiting their website at
www.pgtoastmasters.ca for more information. There is no cost to visit a meeting, although it is recommended that people call in advance because sometimes the scheduled meetings are changed.
