What Our Members Say About GATM

Loye Fagbemi |  February 2021

GATM is the Toastmasters Club to be at. I love the meeting ambience. Great company of people willing to help you develop and grow your leadership and speaking skills in a fun and equally professional atmosphere. Joining GATM was one of my better decisions of 2020. Absolutely no regrets!

Maha Mansoor  |  July 2016

Succinctness, confidence and comfort in public speaking – these are the three things that I have already picked up in my first three months at Glen Abbey Toastmasters. From being an introverted and nervous speaker, I am already feeling more comfortable and confident ‘winging’ speeches in the workplace. These benefits are particularly attributable to the welcoming and supportive nature of this group, a perfect mix of experienced and younger members, that results in you receiving tailored tips, feedback and compliments on your speeches. I highly suggest this club to anyone who wants to perfect the art of public speaking – it’s worked for me!

Jack Jagernauth | September 2012    

Joining Glen Abbey Toastmasters Club more than 13 years ago was one of the best decisions I ever made.  Over the years, I have learned speaking skills, leadership skills, conversation skills, and much more.  Having achieved the designation of Distinguished Toastmaster, I sometimes ask myself, ‘why do I keep going to Toastmasters?’ 

There are a few reasons why.  First, public speaking is one of those skills where the following is true: ‘If you don’t use it, you lose it’.  Second, I am still learning by preparing for various roles, speaking and listening to others speak.  And, third, our club atmosphere is encouraging, upbeat and fun; it’s a supportive environment in which to learn valuable communication and leadership skills. I highly recommend Toastmasters to anyone seeking to learn and improve speaking skills and overcome the fear of public speaking.

Katherine Bullock  |  January 2021

I expected to improve my speaking skills at Toastmasters, but I didn’t know I would also be receiving life lessons that would benefit me in my personal and professional life.  Thank you Toastmasters!

Jason Yakimishyn | May 2016

The members of Glen Abbey Toastmasters are friendly, supportive, and encouraging. The feedback I have received has helped me gain confidence and refine my public speaking skills in a short period of time.

Neeta Sharma  |  October 2013

Since joining Toastmasters in May of 2012, there are many aspects to my public speaking abilities that have improved. Not only do I feel better about public speaking but my colleagues and friends have seen a change, for the better.

The club to which I belong (Glen Abbey Toastmasters (GATM) in Oakville) has a group of supportive and experienced members. Their feedback has given me more confidence to speak in public. Through their suggestions I have learned that nothing has to be perfect and if you practice what you need to say, the confidence will come.

In taking an active role on the executive committee, I have also learned that there is always help to be had at toastmasters. It isn’t always the club, but the people who make up that club that make it an enjoyable, nurturing and learning environment.

GATM members have helped me not just in public speaking, but in a very subtle way have aided me in becoming more organized, less afraid of speaking to new people(skill developed through the Table Topics sessions) and accept a challenge, no matter how daunting it may seem. If you don’t try, you will never know if you can succeed.

Reema Duggal  |  June 2012

I joined Glen Abbey Toastmasters in 2010. I was giving many presentations at the time and really wanted to get some structure / discipline into my processes. GATM has definitely helped me achieve that. I really like the energy of the club. We laugh a lot. Everyone is warm, friendly, and very supportive.

Zehra Raza |  January 2021

Four years ago, I made the best decision for my personal and professional life when I stepped into a room full of Toastmasters at Glen Abbey Toastmasters Club. As nervous as I was, I was welcomed with open arms, given a quick overview of the meeting, was handed a copy of the agenda, and introduced to a friendly member of the club. It’s 4 years later now, and Toastmasters has helped me strengthen my communication skills, and enhance my confidence. Specifically, Glen Abbey Toastmasters has a great mix of experienced and beginner members, which makes it comfortable to learn, and you build a strong bond with each member. I highly recommend this club for any beginner who is scared, but wants to take a leap and meet new people while working on your communication skills. This club is truly the best place to start!

Helena Karabela  |  April 2016

Having recently joined Toastmasters, I love how quickly you can dive in and participate in speaking, whether giving a speech or the many roles that need to be filled for each meeting. You are challenged in a positive way and by a supportive peer group. How refreshing!

I have already benefited in a marked way. After having participated in a few table topics and gained some confidence, I found myself in a professional setting where I needed to ask a question. I was hesitant at first, but then thought to myself, “pretend it’s a table topic” so I just asked away and got my needed answer! This is now a shift in my thinking that has given me the courage to speak up! Thank you Toastmasters!

Sean Connor  |  October 2012

I joined GATM 6 years ago to gain public speaking confidence. I strongly believe that public speaking is a very empowering skill to learn both professionally and personally. Public speaking is what separates upper management from middle management and leaders from followers.

Toastmasters provides a fun, relaxing, supportive, and instructive environment to develop strong public speaking skills. I choose to join GATM each year over other clubs because of the ethnic, age, and background diversity of its members. The members of GATM are also a very dedicated bunch of members who consistently help the club achieve President’s Distinguished status each year.

Over the last 6 years at GATM, meeting by meeting, I have significantly improved my confidence speaking in public. I have accomplished so many public speaking goals that I thought were insurmountable.  GATM has, and will continue, to play a major part in my professional and personal development. You are reading this testimonial because you probably have some level of interest in joining GATM. Don’t think about it any more, just join, it will be one of the most empowering things you ever do!