Williams Receives Toastmasters International Award

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Toastmaster’s Competent Communicator, Viola Williams.  Photo: Valerie S. Jackson

from staff reports

Ardent Toastmasters Club #593096 recently awarded Toastmaster Viola L. A. Williams the honor of “Competent Communicator,” one of several levels of recognition made to members who strive to improve their skills at public speaking and self-confidence.

In accepting her award, Ms. Williams said, “During my childhood, I suffered from a speech impediment, and had to take speech therapy. I made the worst grades amongst my siblings, and I had a language all my own! Growing up, as an adult this condition (in part) still plagued me, and I looked for ways to overcome my fear of speaking in public; that is when I was introduced to Toastmasters International.”

Along with being shy or self-conscious, physical speech impediments
are one of the most common reasons that people don’t like to speak in
public. Helping people overcome those inhibitions is a goal that
Toastmasters strives for and regularly accomplishes.

“I can’t speak enough about Ardent Toastmasters club [and how]
members mentored and encouraged me,” says Williams. “I encourage any
person — be they students, housewives, business leaders, or others that
have a desire to improve their communication skills — to join Ardent
Toastmasters. As of late, I enjoy sharing many different messages with
my audiences, and have been asked to speak at engagements throughout
the Asheville area. It’s very exciting!”

Ardent Toastmasters Club meets every other Thursday
(summer schedule), at the Zona Loft Building at 162 Coxe Avenue in
Asheville, across from Swannanoa Cleaners, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The
public is invited to attend and/or join.