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JOURNEYS
Meet Allan Edinger
Toastmaster Extraordinaire!
by Brinn Hemmingson, ACG, CL
Allan decided 29 years ago that he wanted Receivable in most companies and for all cargo
to be a member of the management team that claims with the airlines. He believes Toastmasters
gave good information in an excellent way. He helped in all phases of his job. Allan talked with
had seen examples of people who could speak customers every
eloquently but present little information, who day; collecting
garnered good reviews from the company owner. money and paying
And he saw people with excellent information monies owed.
who could not present well, and they got no He had to deal
response. As he put it, “It did not hurt that the with staff all the
owner was also in favor of Toastmasters!” time. That many
In 2003 Allan became the District Governor of those close to
(Director) and Carole Petranek was given the Allan also joined
task of forming a Toastmasters Club in the State Toastmasters
Prison. Capital Toastmasters Prison Club was a helped! They
gavel club at the time, and it turned out to be 1 of followed the
17 clubs formed in that year. The District barely adage, “When
made Distinguished District that year, so all 17 we walk through
were needed! This was the first of the Prison that door, we all
Clubs, now located in Portland, Wilsonville, become equal.”
Salem, Madras, Lakeview and Coos Bay. Allan Allan’s prison volunteer work began with
began mentoring prison clubs and became the Capital Toastmasters. His vision was very
District 7 Prison Liaison. clear. He lives in Salem. Many of the families
Allan joined Toastmasters in 1988 and has of inmates moved there too. After an inmate
held every club office position, as well as Area leaves the system, if they are going to stay in the
Governor, Division Governor and District community Allan wants them to be a normal
Governor and finally, Regional Advisor. His citizen. He wants them to be able to look well
personal goal had been to become District and talk well. Allan wants them to be able to
Governor after retiring; however Adele Edwards get interviews and jobs. He says, “I am blessed
O’Neal was a personal friend. When he had the to have community people volunteer in order
opportunity to work with her, he took it (because, to make meetings possible.” All of these volun-
as his wife says, “In Toastmasters you don’t’ teers are Toastmasters, and they could use more
always get a choice in whom you deal with!”) volunteers!
Currently Allan belongs to 5 Toastmaster clubs. The most rewarding thing for Allan is to
His home club is in McMinnville. The others see an inmate get out and succeed. He knows
are Beachtown in Lincoln City, Capital in Salem, how hard these individuals work to make a
Wil-Sher in Willamina and Liberty in Salem (an difference for themselves and the community.
advanced club). He is happy, and proud to note that inmates
Allan worked for 30 plus years at Evergreen who join Toastmasters in prison, and then join
International in McMinville. It was a difficult Toastmasters in the community in Oregon, has
place to work with a lot of turnover. He worked a 0% recidivism rate. Allan found as Regional
in many departments and offices there. His Advisor that Hawaii has the same rate. He has
final job was Accounts Payable Manager in the seen inmates enroll in universities. He is pleased
Airlines. He was also responsible for Accounts twith their success!
14 VOLUME 3 ISSUE 8 FEBRUARY, 2017
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