What is Toastmasters?

Toastmasters is a worldwide organization of service clubs. Members serve other members to improve communication and leadership skills and by this are served. Toastmasters was founded in 1924 by Dr. Ralph C. Smedley in the basement of a YMCA in Santa Ana, California. Dr. Smedley's vision was "to form a club that would afford practice and training in the art of public speaking and in presiding over meetings, and provide sociability and good fellowship among its members.î In other words, Toastmasters help each other to improve their public speaking and management skills. It is a place to overcome your inclination to become ill or be nervous when called upon to speak in public. Your fellow club members want you to succeed by providing support. This support includes speech evaluations, where help is provided to improve your speaking skills. Evaluations are a very important part of every meeting. Each meeting also provides an opportunity to speak "off the cuff" with Table Topics. Members speak for one to two minutes on a surprise topic. One of the side benefits of Toastmasters is fun. After getting over your inclination to freeze up when speaking, Toastmasters meetings are fun events that you want to come back to next week. Contests, held twice a year, help increase the fun and allow friendly competition.

What about the Col. Jack D. Wallace Club?

Col. Jack D. Wallace was a gentleman who believed in Toastmasters and formed a club in his local area, Canyon Lake, TX in 1997. He was a member of the New Braunfels Toastmasters in New Braunfels, TX at the time. Read Jeani Richie's excellent Memories of Jack D. Wallace for his story. After Jack's death from cancer, the club changed its name from Canyon Lake Toastmasters to Col. Jack D. Wallace Toastmasters in his memory. This is an "open community" club that welcomes all people who want to participate. Over the years it has wandered from Canyon Lake somewhat South to the Bulverde, Spring Branch area, but people still come from Canyon Lake and Boerne TX. Come and see for yourself.

What kinds of Toastmaters Clubs Exist?

Their are several kinds of Toastmasters Clubs. First, and the kind founded by Dr. Smedley in 1924, is the Community Club. This type of club welcomes all who want to join. This is the most common type of club and there are many of these throughout the world. Some may be open to all, but if they meet on a military base, you may need base access (like Randolph AFB Toastmasters).

The Company Club (also called a Corporate Club), is a closed club composed of members from a specific company (like Valero Toastmasters). These clubs generally have their members dues paid for by the company, who gains an employee who speaks well in public and who gains management skills. Companies provide meeting space and necessary accessories, such as computer projectors, lecterns, etc.

The Advanced Club, is a closed club composed of some limited set of members who hold an advanced Toastmaster designation, like Competent Toastmaster (CTM) or better. An example of this kind of club is the Austin Area Advanced Toastmasters Club #743843.

Institutional or Specialized Clubs are closed clubs made up of members of some institution, like the Institute of Electric and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) or a church (a church may accept anyone for membership and yet pay membership for church members - like Resurrection Baptist Church Toastmasters). A specialized club might be made up of all disabled people, or people with a common language, or single people (like San Antonio Singles) or some common characteristic.

Gavel Clubs are made up of people who would not qualify for normal Toastmaster membership, but need communication and leadership skills. Examples of these are clubs in prisons, schools, and hospitals or people under 18 years of age.

How are Toastmasters organized?

Several clubs make up an Area (like Area 82). Several Areas make up a Division (like Division H). Several Divisions make up a Region (like Region 3). Regions make up Toastmaster International, the parent organization. All of this organization exists to help the individual member. It is all about members.

What happens at a Toastmaster meeting?

In general, a meeting is composed of speeches, speech evaluations, impromptu speaking, award presentations, and fun events. Guests are always welcome - come and see. Take a look at the agenda for our next club meeting at Next Meeting Agenda.