Albany, NY April 18, 2023 -- Toastmasters International is pleased to announce Craig Moore of Guilderland, NY and Roderick “Rattlecat” Kerrigan of Greenbelt/Lanham, MD as the Capital Region’s winners of the Division E International Speech Contest and Tall Tales Speech Contest, respectively, held on March 4, 2023 at the William K. Sanford Library in Colonie.

Mr.  Moore stepped out of his comfort zone delivering the speech “Dare to Be Stupid”, which challenged his listeners to consider whether the fear of looking stupid is holding them back from living their fullest lives.  Terry Goodemote of Glens Falls, NY took 2^nd place, and David Kolman of Niskayuna, NY took 3^rd place.

Mr. Kerrigan wowed the assembled crowd with his speech “I Stole a Man”, a fantastic story involving a horse, a volcano, and Death. Lele Luan of Clifton Park, NY took 2^nd place, and Jim Brooks of Ballston Spa, NY took 3^rd place.

Moore and Kerrigan, both members of the Bethlehem Toastmasters Club in Delmar, NY, will represent the Greater Capital District area against four other contestants each at the District 53 contest, to be held in Springfield, MA on May 6, 2023.  They will be supported by their fellow club members as they face tough competition. 

The winning contestant for the District 53 International Speech competition will then compete in the Toastmasters International Regional Quarterfinals for the World Championship of Public Speaking.

The Toastmasters International Speech contest began over 85 years ago and is the world’s largest speech contest, involving over 30,000 participants from over 140 countries.  Advancing from club to area, then division and district, it culminates in the World Championship of Public Speaking held annually at the Toastmasters International Convention.  This year’s International Convention will be held in Nassau, Bahamas August 16-19 in a hybrid format.

Several Clubs across the Capital Region meet in person, online, or in a hybrid fashion. Guests are always welcome to experience a meeting and see what Toastmasters is about. Visit Toastmasters.org and select “Find a Club” to find a Club that best suits your needs.

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About Toastmasters International

Toastmasters International is a worldwide nonprofit educational organization that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., the organization's membership exceeds 357,000 in more than 16,600 clubs in 143 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators and leaders. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org. Follow @Toastmasters on Twitter.