Eloquent Raiders Celebrates End of Year

Eloquent Raiders Toastmasters Club in Lubbock, Texas, held its second annual end of year banquet Tuesday night at the Texas Tech University Rawls College of Business.

With nearly twenty members and guests in attendance, the club celebrated their accomplishments and looked forward to graduation for some and next year of school and Toastmasters for others. Area 62 Governor Kerry Mobley spoke after dinner and congratulated the club and members for all they've achieved.

Fatima Naeem and Jimmy Morrison

Layne Russell and Jimmy Morrison

Photos by Kerry Mobley

Kevin Coffey Goes to District

During Saturday's Division F speech contests in Lubbock, Texas, WWJS Toastmasters member Kevin Coffey won the International Speech contest with his speech "First World Problems."

As a mechanical engineering student at Texas Tech University, Kevin lives in a high tech world and drew upon his life experiences to craft the speech.

Pam Davis of the Enriched Speakers club in Eunice, New Mexico, won the Table Topics contest.

Both Toastmasters move on to compete in the District 23 contests on May 1st and 2nd in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Along with Kevin and Pam, Midland's Layne Rouse placed second in International Speech and third in Table Topics, Lubbock's Jason Davis placed third in International Speech, and Lubbock's Jef Conn placed second in Table Topics.

Contest winners Kevin Coffey, Layne Rouse,
Jason Davis, Pam Davis, and Jef Conn

Photo by Bobby Kimbro

Ernée Kozyreff Earns Distinguished Toastmaster Award

Ernée Kozyreff with his
Distinguished Toastmaster plaque.

After pulling double duty as last year's Area 61 & Area 62 Governors for the clubs of Lubbock, Texas, Ernée Kozyreff earned his Distinguished Toastmaster Award.

Though he now lives in Sorocaba, Brazil, Ernée was a member of the Lubbock Toastmasters club that meets at 6:30 AM on Tuesdays in the McInturff conference room at University Medical Center.

Congratulations Ernée!

Lubbock Pro Club Hosts Area 61/62 Contests

The Lubbock Professional Toastmasters club will be hosting the Spring 2015 contests for Area 61 and 62 on March 7, 2015, at 8:00 am. The briefings will begin at 8 and the contests will begin at 8:30am.

The Lubbock Professional Club meets in the University Room at Green Lawn Church of Christ. See the maps below for details on how to get there.

Immediately after the Area 61 & 62 Contests on March 7th, stick around for the Lubbock Professional Toastmasters Club meeting and learn ...

How to Get Paid to Give a Speech

Having spoken extensively inside and outside of Toastmasters, Jef Conn will give you the nuts and bolts of how to expand your speaking horizons while getting paid in the process. 

How to Excel in Toastmasters Contests

A panel of Toastmasters who have advanced all the way to District-level contests and beyond will be on hand to give insights for doing better in contests as well as answering your questions about contests.

Along with extensive speech evaluations, these are just a few of the things you can expert to learn and be inspired by at every meeting of the Lubbock Pro Club. Join us after the Area 61 & 62 Contests for a taste of what the Lubbock Pro Club can do for you.

Getting to Green Lawn:


Getting to the University Center once you're at Green Lawn. (PDF)

Robert Barnhill PFP Chartering Ceremony

As a tribute to Past International President Robert Barnhill, Toastmasters in Lubbock, Texas, chartered the Robert Barnhill PFP Toastmasters club on November 8, 2014, and is having their chartering ceremony on Thursday, February 12, 2015.

Jef Conn and Shigang Zhong of the Articulate Toastmasters club sponsored the new club and Ben Mercado of Eloquent Raiders is currently the club’s mentor.

Growing out of the Personal Financial Planning department at Texas Tech University, the club will be a benefit to students and faculty by providing the opportunity to improve both leadership and speaking skills. Financial planning professionals communicate with clients and other professionals on a daily basis. Presentations in front of peers or clients can cause anxiety and paralyzing fears. The Robert Barnhill PFP Club looks to help its members gain confidence and overcome the fear of speaking.

The chartering ceremony will take place on Texas Tech campus in the Human Sciences Building, room 111.  The ceremony will be 7pm-8pm followed by a reception with snacks. Please see the map to the right which indicates paid parking locations (highlighted in pink) and the Human Sciences building (highlighted in yellow.)

The club’s regular meetings take place on Thursdays from 6:35pm to 7:35pm in room 136 of the Human Sciences Building.

Robert Barnhill was the president of Toastmasters International from July 1996 to June 1997. Prior to that, he’d served in a number of other volunteer offices for the organization. Since that time, Robert has been a friend and mentor to Toastmasters across the world and especially in his hometown of Lubbock, Texas.

Robert is also an adjunct professor in the Personal Financial Planning department where he continues to educate and inspire the next generation of financial planners.

It is Robert’s passion for the Toastmasters organization as well as his dedication to the continued personal growth of its members that led the new club to take on Robert’s name.

You can find out more about the Robert Barnhill PFP club at their website: http://barnhillpfp.wordpress.com