Impact that Toastmasters is making in the lives of those incarcerated.

Rick Schnur the VP of Education from the  Framingham/Natick Toastmasters Club wrote to his fellow Toastmasters stating what an impact our organization is making in the lives of those incarcerated. He wrote the following:
The prison Toastmasters clubs serve has powerful and tremendously positive influences on inmates who are looking to acquire communication and leadership skills that will help them with parole hearings and in job interviews when they re-enter the outside world. Although no formal studies have been done, the recidivism rate among Toastmasters participants is far lower than the rate for the overall prison population. For many inmates, the Toastmasters meetings are the highlight of their week, and they are tremendously appreciative of the volunteers who come in to help them build and sustain their clubs. Below I've pasted some quotes from volunteers and an essay from an ex-Toastmaster inmate.

Quotes from volunteers:

 “It is the most meaningful thing I’ve ever done in my life.
 “The offenders give me more than I give them.”
 “I appreciate my life so much more because prison volunteering puts my problems in perspective.”
 “Their stories are incredible. I feel inspired and humbled by their hope.”

 Here’s a short essay on the impact of prison Toastmasters from Ron C. who served 27 years in prison and is now the sergeant at arms for District 31 :

My inability to properly process and deal with the feelings and thoughts related to childhood abuses (physical, mental, emotional and sexual ) led to extensive substance abuse. Not because I liked how I felt when using, but because I liked how I did not feel. I had my  first drink at 12 and was drunk that day. By 14, I was not only drinking to get drunk daily I had progressed to mainline heroin and any other drugs I could find. That feeling of not feeling, numbness, was so complete that I lost the ability to empathize, see or care about, anyone else's feelings. This led to all kinds of criminal behavior and having no feelings, or self-respect, prostitution on my part. At 20, after 8+ years of total immersion in alcohol and drugs, I had completely separated from my humanity and participated in a terrible crime. During my first 10 years in prison my feelings, thoughts, and behaviors did not change. I was not sober a total of 200 days over that 10 year period. I was physically, mental and emotionally abusive towards others and was constantly in trouble with the prison authorities, accumulating over 100 disciplinary reports and years in segregation, the hole.
As a direct result of my negative behaviors and associations in 1992 I was stabbed 8 times and almost died. This was the best thing that could have ever happen to me. For the first time I realized, appreciated and felt, some of the fear, pain, and helplessness of my victim prior to his death. I also realized that my problems were a direct result of my thought process and behaviors and if I did not change them then I was not only going to die, a violent death, but that I was going to die alone as I was totally estranged from my family. I knew I had to change but I had no clue how. 
My first opportunity after this to enter general population, where I would have access to programs, came on May 13, 1994 when I arrived at Bay State Correctional Center. May 17th, 1994 I went to my first Toastmasters meetings as I knew the first step back was to learn how to appropriately and effectively express my feelings, thoughts, fears, hopes, dreams and pain.
Through TM I not only learned how to appropriately and effectively express myself I developed enough courage to enter other programs to find and address my causal factor, ( reasons I needed, used, alcohol and drugs criminal behaviors ) so I could change from who I was, how I thought , felt and acted and have a future different from my past. Not only did that happen I went back and facilitated literally dozens of programs with outside volunteers to give back what I got and help> other inmates see that change is not only possible but that life is sweet and worth living without drugs/alcohol and criminal, abusive behaviors.
I not only gained better communication and leadership skills through TM I was able to effectively participate in other programs to address my underlining issue that cause, resulted in , my negative behaviors, and then give back. The most important thing I got through my TM participation was the ability to address my issues and reconnect to my humanity.  While I am and always will be responsible for what I have done, I have 17+ years of sobriety, and the love, respect and trust of my family and now my freedom and Toastmasters was the catalyst. I am forever in your debt.

Please join us for a demonstration meeting and get a taste of prison volunteering Monday, Nov. 15 at 6 pm at the Women’s State Correctional Facility in Framingham. Contact me for more information and to volunteer. You can reach me at 508-788-1334, or send an email (elschnur@gmail.com) with your contact information and times that are best to reach you.

Rick Schnur, VP of Education
Framingham/Natick Toastmasters Club
elschnur@gmail.com

Area B3 Fall Humorous Speech Contest Winner

Our own Steven Castle won the area B3 “Fall Humorous Speech contest” and will be competing on Tuesday 10/19 against areas B1, B2, B4 and B5 at the Microsoft Northeast District in Waltham located at 201 Jones Road, 6th Floor beginning at 6:30pm..

The purpose of the Humorous Speaking Contest is to…
• Provide an opportunity for speakers to improve their speaking abilities and to recognize the best as encouragement to all.
• Provide an opportunity to learn by observing the more proficient speakers who have benefited from their Toastmasters training.
• Recognize the value of humor in speaking.

Steven is an outstanding contender, the location is going to be great and this contest will feature the best speakers in the Area. This is going to be a competition full of energy and excitement and all club members are encouraged to attend.