Hudson County Clubs Celebrate Toastmasters International’s 90th Anniversary

HOBOKEN, N.J. - Feb. 16, 2015 - PRLog -- Ninety years ago, when Toastmasters (http://www.toastmasters.org/) founder, Dr. Ralph C. Smedley held the first meeting in the basement of a YMCA in Santa Ana, Calif., USA, only a few people showed up. Now, with membership exceeding 313,000 in more than 14,650 clubs in 126 countries, Toastmasters International continues to build on Dr. Smedley’s foundation of teaching public speaking and leadership skills. Clubs around the world will celebrate Toastmasters’ 90^th anniversary with special meetings.

Linda Isaacs of Hoboken, NJ has been a member of  Mile Square Toastmasters for  ten years. She credits Mile Square for helping her to overcome her hesitancy to speak in front of an audience. “Since joining Mile Square, I have won speech contests, spoken at conferences, and taken on leadership roles in Toastmasters,” says Ms. Isaacs. “I recommend Toastmasters for anyone looking to improve their communication and leadership skills.”

Dr. Smedley said, “The unprepared speaker has the right to be afraid,” which is why Toastmasters teaches the art of preparation. Toastmasters clubs provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth.

Hudson County has multiple Toastmasters clubs that are open to the community, with locations in Bayonne, Hoboken,  Jersey City, and Union City.  In addition to a club that meets in English, Union City is the home of Toastmasters en Espanol, providing a total immersion experience for students of Spanish as well as a supportive environment for native speakers looking to improve their public speaking. In addition, various corporations in Hudson County such as AXA, BTMU, Cigna and UBS sponsor clubs open to company employees.

The general public is invited to visit a meeting and learn more about what Toastmasters has to offer. Please visit the Toastmasters District 83 website, toastmasters83.org, for more information about local clubs.