CLUB HISTORY

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The first generation and history of Club #4884 originated on June 17, 1982, when it was chartered as the “Graduates Toastmasters Club” under District 16 Governor, Tom  McEvoy.   It was considered an advanced club because potential members had to have earned the “Competent Toastmasters”   award to qualify for membership.  The club met biweekly at the Swiss Family Restaurant located at 2800 NW 39th Street in Oklahoma City and was designed to give members the opportunity to present advanced manual speeches.    Steve Peter and Eddie Baker served as the club mentors and John Griffith and Bob Goin were the club sponsors.    The following members served as the original club officers:    Bob Goin, President; Julie C. Peter, Educational President; Terry Zajic, Administrative President; Eddie C. Baker, Secretary, and John D. Griffith, Sergeant-at-Arms.   The club flourished for three years until about 1986 when membership began to decline because of the oil bust.   By 1987 district leaders sought out new opportunities to rebuild the club and save the charter.

Phillip Bridge, an employee of the Mid-Del Local employment agency was a member of the Uptown Toastmasters club. He knew from participation in the Toastmaster program that the agency could benefit from the program. He approached his office manager, Pat Harbert, with the idea of getting employees involved in Toastmasters.  A demonstration meeting was held by experienced members of the Uptown Toastmasters club and the effort was successful.  Pat Harbert at the time was also a chairperson of an inter-agency task force designed to make communications and services between local and state-level agencies more effective for the general public.   Ms. Harbert called the task force “Let’s Talk.”  It was a matter of timing and a desire for more intra-agency communications that led to the new club effort being named the “Let’s Talk Toastmasters”.  Within three months the charter was saved, and Phillip Bridge was elected the first president of the “Let’s Talk Toastmasters” club. This was the beginning of the corporate and second generation of the “Let’s Talk Toastmasters” club.

 

From 1987 to mid-1989 the “Let’s Talk Toastmasters” club thrived.  But a change in meeting location caused many members to leave the club and by early 1989 the charter was again in trouble.  By 1990 District 16 leaders again sought solutions.      

 

Denyvetta Davis, director of the Ralph Ellison Library in northeast Oklahoma City had been interested in basing a Toastmasters Club at her facility for several years. However, interest was limited and so was the number of African-Americans involved in the Toastmaster Program.  Ms. Davis contacted then District 16 Lt. Governor of Marketing (the late) Barbara Dillon and shared her desire to host a Toastmaster Club at the library.  Again necessity and opportunity joined hands.

 

Barbara Dillon saw the opportunity to save the club, now located in northeast Oklahoma City, and sought out Kenny Freeman to head this endeavor.  From 1983 to 1986 Kenny Freeman, an employee of the Mid-Del Local office was also a radio personality in Oklahoma City hosting a twice-weekly job broadcast on Radio Station KFJL .  Although only a passive interest, Freeman was the only member of the Let’s Talk Toastmasters who had achieved the certification of Competent Toastmaster.  So in essence, Ms. Dillon targeted Freeman specifically because he was not only a Toastmaster and member of the failing club but well known at the time in the northeast Oklahoma City community. 

 

Kenny Freeman met with Ms. Davis who agreed to provide the glass-enclosed conference room while he agreed to conduct the first Speechcraft for the Let’s Talk club.   By the end of the first Speechcraft, two of the five participants joined the club.     

 

 Phyllis Been, a current member, first joined the Let’s Talk club in 1988 when it was a corporate club.   After the club relocated to the Ralph Ellison Library, the club status was changed to a community club and membership was opened to the public. Phyllis rejoined the club in October 1991 and assisted Kenny Freeman in conducting a second Speechcraft in an effort to save the club.  Within three months, the club now had over thirty members of the third and current generation of Let’s Talk. 

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By June 1992, Let’s Talk Toastmasters Club ranked among the top clubs in the State of Oklahoma.  Kenny Freeman became the club’s first member to be appointed to serve as a district officer (Area Governor 1992-1993) under Barbara Dillion.   Phyllis Been was the first club member elected to the district office as the Division O Governor (1994-1995).  Zen Foy was the first club member to win both the District 16 International Speech Contest (Spring 1998) and the Region III Contest (Summer 1998) held in Tucson, AZ.   Zen represented Region III as a finalist at Toastmasters International World Champion of Public Speaking held in Palm Desert, CA (Fall 1998).   Saleema Muhammad was the first club member to be chosen as the recipient of the District 16 Fun Vest (Fall 2006), the first club member elected as LT Governor of Marketing (2007-2008) and the first member to serve as the District 16 Spring Conference Chair (2015).   Wiline Stevenson was the first club member to serve as the Dean of Toastmasters Leadership Institute in Oklahoma City (2007-2008) and the only member to join the Oklahoma Toastmasters Speaker’s Bureau.  The first Let’s Talk newsletter was published in 1995 by Sherri Williams, Editor and called the “Let’s Talk Gazette”.   Also, noteworthy, is the fact that three of Let’s Talk members served as Area Governors during 2008-2009 under the District 16 Governor, Hobart Richardson:  Alicia Kemper Area O2, Kathleen Watkins Area O4, and Wiline Stevenson Area K4.    

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Since the early 1990s, Let’s Talk has continued to be a viable club helping its members to become better communicators, better public speakers,  and better leaders.   In the last 21 years Let’s Talk club earned the “President’s Distinguished” award 19 times and “Select Distinguished” twice.  Currently, Let’s Talk is ranked as one of the top 5 clubs in District 16 with 26 members.

  

As we celebrate our club history and 40th Anniversary, it is our hope to continue to improve the lives of our members, to prosper as a club, and serve the greater Oklahoma City area as well as members across the United States due to our virtual meetings.  The club members extend their appreciation and thanks to the efforts of Denyvetta Davis, (retired Ralph Ellison Library Administrator); (the late) Barbara Dillon (District 16 Governor 1993-1994); and Kenny Freeman (Let’s Talk member).  They deserve the credit for the genesis of Let’s Talk, the third generation.  As current members, we have embraced the passing of the baton and will continue to walk in their footsteps to be Keepers of the Dream.