WTNY 9-26-2007 00:29
Toastmasters
Toastmasters International (TI) is a nonprofit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their communication, public speaking and leadership skills. Through its member clubs, Toastmasters International helps men and women learn the arts of speaking, listening, and thinking--vital skills that promote self-actualization, enhance leadership potential, foster human understanding, and contribute to the general betterment of humankind.
The organization grew out of a single club started by Ralph C. Smedley in 1924. Smedley Club Number 1, which would become the first Toastmasters club, was founded on October 22 of that year at the YMCA in Santa Ana, California, United States. Toastmasters International was incorporated under California law on December 19, 1932.