Fear factor: If you had to choose between munching on, say, dead beetles and giving a speech in front of a large audience, would you be picking beetle wings from your teeth?

Those of us who hear “Jaws” theme music whenever the phrase “public speaking” is mentioned know we aren’t alone. Just ask the folks at a recent meeting of the Lewiston-Auburn Toastmasters Club, since almost all of them felt the same way before they joined.

As one who never took public speaking in high school or college because — catch this — I was too afraid to speak in public, there is much comfort in the thought of like-minded individuals overcoming the same fear.

Toastmasters International began in 1924 when Ralph C. Smedley thought young men at the YMCA in Santa Ana, Calif., needed help with their socials skills. There are now more than 12,500 clubs worldwide, all following the same premise: to help people improve their communication and leadership skills, and find the courage to overcome their fears.

Each meeting follows a standard agenda. Roles are assigned to each member in attendance to help the meeting run smoothly, such as Grammarian or Official Timer. The high-energy atmosphere is fun and friendly, yet respectful. Applause flows freely. Each speech presenter is assigned a speech evaluator, whose task it is to make notes about the speech to share with the group later in the evening.

Local club President Francis Gagnon, who owns and operates Via-Vision Video, said he’s been in the group for three years. Using techniques he’s learned at Toastmasters, he has been able to both improve his own skills and share communication tips with clients. He smoothly got the meeting started, welcoming guests and introducing the evening’s toastmaster, Tom Nesbitt. The toastmaster, considered the meeting manager, told the group the word of the night was “expostulate.” Accolades are given to members who use the word during the course of the meeting.

Nesbitt has been giving speeches for 18 years, while his 89-year-old dad, Jim Nesbitt, has been involved with Toastmasters for “40 years, in and out, with breaks,” he said.

Speeches were presented by Hillary Schau and Jim Nesbitt. Working toward her initial 10 speeches, Schau gave a speech designed to inform and motivate titled “The Gift that Keeps on Giving.” Following Toastmaster guidelines, she will move up to the bronze level after she presents two more speeches.

Evaluation of Schau’s speech was presented by Steve Hayes in a gentle, complimentary fashion. His constructive feedback was cushioned with much positive feedback, and as an onlooker it seemed to me the task of evaluator was equally as challenging as that of delivering a speech. Hayes, a local psychotherapist, said he recently had to testify in court and, thanks to his Toastmasters training — unlike in years past — he was very comfortable on the stand.

Carl Natale, vice president of public relations for the club, gave Nesbitt kudos for using a “shout out” in his speech — referring to someone specific in the audience — and his ability to get the audience involved. Natale, a freelance writer and consultant, has been a member for one-and-a-half years, and also uses his Toastmaster techniques in his business.

Each member I met was enthusiastic about Toastmasters and the benefits they’ve derived. Member Jeanine Arey, who joined in 1996, said she particularly likes “Table Topics” — impromptu subjects that are not prepared in advance. Each participant speaks about that subject for one to two minutes. She said that because she used to have a tendency to ramble, “I found this much harder than prepared speeches. Now I’m more focused. It makes you think about what you’re going to say.” She has learned to quickly follow the same format she would use in a prepared speech: an introduction, the body and a closing.

Newcomer Kevin Ridley of Lisbon good-naturedly received the designation of having the most “ums” in his table topic speech (yes, there is an official “um” counter), with a total of five. It seems ums miraculously disappear the longer a person participates in the group. A structural designer at Bath Iron Works, Ridley was voted in that evening as the club’s newest member. He admits to wanting to overcome his fear of speaking in public and “hopes to improve his techniques.”

Gagnon said the club meets twice a month from 6:30 to 8 p.m., on the first and third Tuesdays, at the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce, 415 Lisbon St. “Guests are welcome any time,” he said.

Some people overcome their fears so well and love speech-giving so much, they actually compete against other Toastmasters in contests. Ummm. I can’t even begin to expostulate!

Information about the organization can be found at www.toastmasters.org.

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