A Whimsical Win

Intergraph Toastmasters—a corporate club at Hexagon, an information technology solutions company in Madison, Alabama—took its company’s scarecrow-design competition as a chance to promote the club. Competing against 15 other teams, these Toastmasters highlighted common struggles people face when speaking in public. After a few planning sessions and some hard work, they created “Russell, the Scare (… d of public speaking) Crow.”

Exhibiting clammy hands, a stomach full of butterflies, a racing heart and knocking knees, Russell won the company contest and even went on to the citywide competition at Madison County’s Huntsville Botanical Garden.

Andrew Fandre, CC, ALB, the club’s vice president education, says, “The challenge was an incredible exercise that proved our leadership, team-building and collaboration skills could take our whimsical idea and turn it into a powerful tool to showcase what Toastmasters is all about.”

The club has since used the momentum generated by ­co-worker interest in the scarecrow to grow its club membership.