Why Toastmasters?
What is it all about? What's in it for me?

Benefits: A Toastmasters club is the easiest, and most fun way to conquer that fear of public speaking. Toastmasters everywhere are your coaches. Beyond that, other benefits include:

Other Benefits/Activities:

Guests at a Meeting: Visit any Toastmasters meetings around the world; guests are always welcome. You will be offered a chance to introduce yourself at the beginning of the meeting. Near the end of the meeting, you may be asked to give comments about the meeting.

New Members: Join Toastmasters and you will receive a starter kit ($20) plus the monthly magazine from Toastmasters International. Club semi-annual dues are $27 pro-rated monthly and are due March 31 and September 30. Clubs may also have additional club dues to purchase meeting supplies.

Basic Manual Speech Projects: As a new member, you will begin with the basic manual called "Competent Communications Manual". It contains ten speech projects, all prepared by you:

CC: When the basic manual is completed, you will receive the first award level -- Competent Communicator (CC). Then you will choose two of the fifteen advanced manuals. Each advanced manual has five speech projects. The advanced manuals are listed next.

Advanced Manuals:

AC: After completing any of the two advanced manuals, you will achieve the next award level -- Advanced Communicator (AC). There are three levels of AC: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each level has different requirements.

Leadership Awards: Four leadership award levels exist: Competent Leader (CL), Advanced Leader Bronze (ALB), Advanced Leader Silver (ALS) and Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM).The DTM award is the highest level possible to achieve.

Club Officers: Each club elects seven officers:

President VP Education VP Membership VP Public Relations Secretary Treasurer Sergeant-at-Arms Meeting Roles: Each Toastmasters club can vary how it conducts its meetings and which roles to perform in each meeting. The roles rotate among the members from meeting to meeting. Some roles require outside preparation (e.g. selecting a joke, selecting the word of the day or preparing a speech).

Voting for the Best: Voting for "The Best" occurs in each meeting. The voting is done by all audience members, including guests. Ribbons are usually awarded for best speaker, best evaluator, and best table topics speaker.

The Organizational Levels within Toastmasters: There are thousands of Toastmaster clubs around the world. Each club has from 10 to 50 members. Two or more clubs make up an area. Two or more areas make up a division. Two or more divisions make up a district. The clubs have officers. The area, division and district have governors. Two or more districts make up a region, which have directors. The nine regions around the world are under the International Board of Directors. This board consists of International Directors plus the President. Clubs often interact with their areas and districts for a variety of reasons including: information, training, contests and conferences.

Further Information: See the following web sites:

Toastmasters International at http://www.toastmasters.org