MARYSVILLE – A club is forming in Marysville that will help people overcome any fears of speaking.

Every Tuesday at noon, the Marysville Toastmasters is meeting at Bob’s Burgers & Brew at Tulalip. Deb Ferguson is hoping to get 20 members to charter the club. Ferguson called herself a “Toastmasters junkie” after joining almost six years ago. Her goal is to help others learn to communicate more clearly.

“It’s fascinating listening to others and hearing what people’s passions are,” she said at this week’s meeting.

Jackie Bailey joined in 2007, having just started a business. She wanted to be more confident. She saw professional speaker Jeanne Robertson and saw how she commanded the stage and made people laugh and cry.

“That motivated me,” Bailey said, adding when she talked to Robertson she was told, “If you want to be a better speaker you have to join Toastmasters.” So she did.

Lisa Phillips said she hated public speaking in school. But she has finished her first book, called “Faith for Military Families,” and has some speaking engagements set up. That’s why she wants to be involved.

Ferguson said Toastmasters is like a family.

As an example she mentioned that when she became sick years ago her fellow Edmonds Toastmaster Club members were the ones who showed the most concern.

“They helped me believe in myself when I didn’t,” Ferguson said. “They showed me you can become a leader even if you weren’t born one.”

Jan Doran Faulds said the club isn’t just about becoming a better speaker.

“Life is about relationships and creating a better life,” Faulds said.

As for the meetings themselves, they usually include a few speeches that members prepare in advance, along with Table Topics, where everyone gets a short chance to speak.

On this day, Ferguson was the speaker. Her topic was “Inspire Your Audience” out of the Toastmasters manual.

Ferguson’s speech was called, “One Last Hug … and a few Smooches.” It was about grief and children, something Ferguson knows about since her mother died when she was 11.

Ferguson said help with grief was nonexistent when she was a girl. “It was suck it up and move on,” she said.

She talked about resources nowadays that can help children with grief.

For details about the club, contact Ferguson at Deb.MarysvilleToastmasters@gmail.com.