Men at the East Moline Correctional Center have the opportunity to gain communication and leadership skills with the Toastmasters Club Hilltop Toasters #7889.
“The men have really taken over the leadership of the club,” said Gil Norris, of Rock Island, IL, who recently earned the highest award given out to Toastmasters in District 19. District 19 covers the state of Iowa and parts of Illinois and Nebraska. The Cap Sias Award is to acknowledge and honor an exemplary member of Toastmasters who displays commitment, dedication and effort for the Toastmasters program and fellow members, and who has made significant contributions toward achieving the goals and mission of the club and District. Norris will receive special recognition of this award on June 27 at the East Moline Correctional Center.
Norris has been volunteering with the Hilltop Toasters for the past 16 years. “It’s the only organization in the prison where they have any say,” said Norris. “They run the meetings, do the scheduling, recruit the members. It’s also a safe place where they can make mistakes and get better.”
Norris’ favorite part is seeing the men develop. One past member, Hector Crespo, Jr., said, “While at East Moline Correctional Center and being a member of Hilltop Toasters, I witnessed Mr. Gil Norris influencing the lives of many of the men who were involved in Toastmasters. Personally, he mentored me by guiding me in reaching my goals to achieve the Triple Crown Award.” The Triple Crown Award is earned by completing three educational awards in one Toastmasters year. “Mr. Norris demonstrated unselfish, heart-warming dedication to the men at Hilltop Toastmasters,” continued Crespo. “He gave recognition where it was due, and evaluated with sincerity. He is an example of an outstanding Toastmaster, and a model citizen.”
Crespo credits the work of Norris and others at Hilltop Toasters with his recent election as president of his new club and Area Director, a district leadership role. Crespo was awarded Toastmaster of the year, and is in the process of forming a new club for returning citizens called CONVICTions in District 30, serving the Chicago-area.
The leadership of the club is a team effort. Aside from Norris and the members of the club, there are several others who contribute to the success, including Don Wadleigh, the District Prison Chair. “We really try to build them up,” Norris said about the participants in the club. “We call everyone Mister. I deliberately stay in the background, and they lead.”
The Toastmasters meetings help the men gain skills that will help them after they leave prison. A portion of the meeting is devoted to impromptu speaking, which helps build interview skills. Some of the men are interested in being counselors, so communication skills are key. It’s not all business, though. “If we’re not having fun, we’re not doing it right,” said Norris, who said there is laughter at every meeting.
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To interview Norris, learn more about the award or Toastmasters club membership, contact Amanda Martin, District 19 Public Relations Manager, at [email protected].
About District 19
District 19 is one of 98 districts, which comprises more than 89 corporate and community clubs in Iowa and part of Nebraska and Illinois. To learn more about District 19, please visit: www.district19.me.
About Toastmasters International
Toastmasters International is a worldwide nonprofit educational organization that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Headquartered in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, the organization’s membership exceeds 313,000 in more than 14,650 clubs in 126 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators and leaders. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org. Follow @Toastmasters on Twitter.
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