In October 1924, a group of men assembled by Dr. Ralph C. Smedley met in the basement of the YMCA in Santa Ana, California, U.S.A., forming a club “to afford practice and training in the art of public speaking and in presiding over meetings, and to promote sociability and good fellowship among its members.” The group took the name “Toastmasters.” We are a local chapter of Toastmasters International.

Today, Toastmasters International is a non-profit organization which gives its members the opportunity to develop and improve their public speaking abilities through local club meetings, training seminars and speech contests. Toastmasters International includes more than 199,000 men and women in more than 9,300 clubs in more than 70 countries.

Experienced professionals and beginning speakers alike can benefit from our practical, face-to-face learning program. Whether you're speaking to the board of directors, your customers, your co-workers or your kids, Toastmasters can help you do it better. You'll learn and practice in a friendly, comfortable environment with people who are there for the same reason you are—to become better communicators.

It would be dull if we all talked alike.

Change is an element of life, and so long as a language is living and in use, change is inevitable.

There are no absolutes in public speaking.

The target, or destination, determines the style of speech.

A pertinent story or a picturesque word is remembered when the argument has been forgotten.

There must always be some degree of intelligence mixed with the perseverance.

Sometimes it pays to make yourself ridiculous, just to prove that you can.

It is not the size of the words that counts, but the clearness with which they represent your thoughts.

For effective speaking, try to talk with – not to – your audience.