Vancouver Toastmasters #353, established 1946
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, our group consistes of longtime members, and new recruits, and those somewhere in -between; we welcome men and women. We are professionals, white collar and blue collar, self-employed, retired and those looking for work. The primary goal of our group, and each member, is to become a better speaker and a better leader.
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 areto become better communicators.
At Toastmasters, members learn by speaking to groups and working with others in a supportive environment. Our Toastmasters club is made up of 15 to 20 people who meet once a week for just over an hour. Each meeting gives everyone an opportunity to practice conducting meetings, giving impromptu speeches, presenting prepared speeches, and offering and receiving constructive evaluation.
We meet at the Central Park Burgerville on Fourth Plain. The address is 2200 E Fourth Plain Blvd., Vancouver, WA 98661. Serving breakfast items and coffees, come visit and learn.
We meet every Thursday morning. Feel free to start your day with cup of coffee and a breakfast item at Burgerville. We start promptly at 6:30am sharp. And end around 7:40am. Giving you time to mingle or to get to work. Please come and check us out. You will learn to become a better speaker and leader at our group, we promise!
