Frequently Asked Questions:

About membership
Do I have to join right away?
We encourage individuals to visit as many times as they want, and visit as many different clubs as they want and join only when they feel comfortable doing so. If you know ahead of time that you are ready to join or have visited once already and are ready to join, feel free to print and fill out the membership application now: Click here for membership application.

Is there a membership fee?
Yes. There is a one-time new member fee of $20.00, and a biannual fee of $60.00, which is prorated for new members. This membership fee may be tax-deductible. Ask any member and we will tell you this fee is well worth the benefits of the program. If this membership fee would cause financial hardship, please talk to an officer about it and we will work something out with you. It is not our desire to see anyone with a genuine desire to partcipate not be able to do so for financial reasons. Our dues go toward operating costs on the international level as well as the club level, and to cover the fee to rent our meeting facility.

Why should I join Toastmasters? / What's in it for me?
You are invited to check the following web pages for answers to these questions: What's In It For Me? and Members Testimonies.

Why do people have to be taken out of the room and discussed/voted in, before they can officially join?
The simple answer to this question is that it is required by our Gilbert Toastmasters Club Constitution and by Toastmasters International. We find it an excellent opportunity to make the inductee feel special by realizing that we actually want them to be a part of our club, badly enough to vote them in! In addition, it is an opportunity to give the new member a warm welcome to the club in the form of a standing ovation when they are brought back into the room.

What would be expected of me as a member?
Take a look at the second page of the membership application. When you fill out, sign, and submit the application, you are making our club a promise-- the Toastmaster's Promise -- which we will have you agree to publicly at our new member induction ceremony held on the first week of each month. This promise includes the commitment to attend regularly and put in the best effort to prepare for your function for the evening. Club meetings are maximized when not only all functionaries are present to fulfill their function and speakers are well-prepared for their speech, but when there are additional members there to greet guests, applaud speakers, and add energy to the club meeting. Those who are able to commit to attending regularly will receive the most benefit and will contribute the most to the already high quality of Gilbert Toastmasters. Also note that part of this promise includes willingly preparing for and fulfilling assigned meeting roles. Occasionally individuals join our club who only want to present formal speeches and do nothing more. Our leadership has very little patience for such individuals. Members who routinely request replacements for functionarly roles and only manage to show up for formal speaking slots will find themselves removed from the speaking rotation until they demonstrate their ability to work as a team by following through with assignments. Anything else would be breaking the Toastmaster's Promise and would be unfair to the rest of the members who have to pick up the slack.

I travel quite a bit and wouldn't be able to make it to meetings each week. Can I still become a member?
As long as you understand the previous question's answer, absolutely. In fact, we have several members who travel quite a bit and only attend when they are in town. You will still be able to benefit from the program as long as you put your best effort into it when you are able to attend, and take advantage of these times by participating as much as possible. We recommend travelers volunteer to be on the On the Spot Speakers list, always have a pocket speech ready to present in the event a scheduled speaker is unable to make it, and respond quickly to email requests for a replacement speaker. That way, you will be able to jump in there and give your speech. Also, keeping in close contact with the Vice President of Education (who makes up the schedule) and keeping her advised of the days you will be attending meetings will be important in ensuring you have the opportunity to participate regularly. Your progress through the Toastmasters program may be slower than that of other members, but you can definitely still benefit if you are committed.

What if I only want to learn to speak and not be involved in the leadership programs?
One of the great things about the Toastmasters program (as well as a challenge of it) is that you get out of the program what you put into it. If your goal is only speech improvement, you need not pursue leadership roles. Of course, we encourage everyone to expand their experience base and skills by participating as leaders, but it is not a requirement of the program. The program has two tracks - the communication track and the leadership track. There is some overlapping of the two tracks, and both tracks are required for the highest Toastmasters distinction (DTM - click here for more information), but it is up to the individual how much effort will be put into one or the other tracks. Additionally, working your way through the leadership track also benefits our club as a whole by helping us meet club goals set by Toastmasters International (see right column of "Events/Programs" page) and contributing to the quality and variety of our leadership.

Who makes up the schedule every week?
The schedule is made up 3-4 weeks in advance by one of our officers, the Vice President of Education.

How will I know what I'm supposed to do?
There are several resources at your disposal. First is the officers. We are available to answer questions at any time; we are here to serve our members. Second is the weekly schedule, which tells us what our functions are up to a month in advance for easy preparation. Third is this website. The webmaster strives to put as much information on this website as possible for the convenience of members (as well as visitors). Finally, new members are assigned a mentor (if the new member would like one). A mentor is an experienced member whose job it will be to guide new members through the first three speeches, provide tips and encouragement, and answer any questions that come up. You may also check out the New Member Resource page for a few tips. We also hold New Member Orientation classes as needed. If you would like to attend an orientation class, please click here to send an email inquiry to our Vice President of Membership.

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