Wes Johnson took a deep breath, looked to his audience and spent over a minute trying to convince them to take a wonderful vacation to sunny Coalinga.

He wasn’t suggesting a trip to Coalinga State Mental Hospital or Pleasant Valley State Prison. In fact, Johnson suggested that with the Southern San Joaquin Valley community being home to the Harris Ranch Beef Co., a vacation would be a wonderful way of testing “your olfactory system.”

While it was all laughs, it was also a chance to work on his public speaking during a demonstration meeting for Toastmasters International – a non-profit educational group intended to improve communication, leadership and public speaking skills – Monday night at Sequoia Heights Baptist Church.

As one of the two organizers currently putting together the Manteca Toastmasters Club – a 7 p.m. meeting intended to attract those that can’t make the 7 a.m. start time that is common with other clubs – Johnson, a Toastmaster for two years, enjoys the constructive criticism he receives when he takes the podium.

“I like that it’s welcoming to new people because everybody is here to improve something in their lives,” Johnson said. “The constructive criticism that we get when we speak helps us become better communicators. I like that.”

Award-winning speaker David Goad served as the meeting’s key speaker when he delivered “From Catalyst to Catapult” – a humorous but telling tale of his desire to advance his career and his life with help that he received through Toastmasters.

“The catapult has thrown me into this battlefield, but I’m anxious to get into the catapult again and see where it throws me next,” Goad said. “I’m not in it to win. I’m in it to learn.”

Louise Houdelette, who at one time represented the organization’s 39th District – which runs from Manteca to the Oregon border and from Fairfield to Reno – says that the camaraderie and the ability to improve her personal skills are the biggest reasons that she’s been an active member for 18 years.

And the Sacramento-area resident – who is a member of six different groups – doesn’t just sharpen the tools in her kit at meetings.

While watching television with her 18-year-old grandson she had him back up to a channel where politicians were talking about legislation and started counting the number of “umms” and “uhhs” on her hands.

“I’ve got to consistently practice because if I don’t then they start to creep up,” she said. “I’m here because I have a family and it’s called Toastmasters. I had a fire at my house a while back and who came to the rescue? Toastmasters.

“They made sure that I had a place to stay and everything that I needed. Did it make me feel good? Absolutely.”

The Manteca Toastmasters Club needs 20 members before it can receive its official charter. Those interested in joining can e-mail Wes Johnson at wjohnson@mrwes.net. A facebook page is also available at www.facebook.com/MantecaToastMasters.