Team Georgia Connection

25th Anniversary Celebration of Capitol Hill Toastmasters

Capitol Hill Toastmasters #5997, of Atlanta, Georgia, celebrated 25 years of service to the employees and community surrounding Capitol Hill with a celebration held on Tuesday, September 29, 2009, in the Sloppy Floyd Building. The event was open to the public.

The guest speaker for the event was District Governor Theresa Spralling, DTM. Several District Officers and former members were also in attendance.

From a humble beginning in 1924 at the YMCA in Santa Ana, California, Toastmasters International has grown to become a world leader in helping people become more competent and comfortable in front of an audience. The nonprofit organization now has nearly 250,000 members in more than 12,500 clubs in 106 countries, offering a proven- and enjoyable! – way to practice and hone communication and leadership skills.

Most Toastmasters meetings are comprised of approximately 20 people who meet weekly for an hour or two. Participants practice and learn skills by filling a meeting role, ranging from giving a prepared speech or an impromptu one to serving as timer, evaluator or grammarian.

There is no instructor; instead, each speech and meeting is critiqued by a member in a positive manner, focusing on what was done right and what could be improved.

Good communicators tend to be good leaders. Some well-known Toastmasters alumni Include:
Peter Coors of Coors Brewing Company, Debbi Fields, founder of Mrs. Fields Cookies, Tom Peters, management expert and author, and Linda Lingle, Governor of Hawaii.

Capitol Hill Toastmasters meets every Tuesday, from 12:05 p.m. to 12:55 p.m., in Suite 1302
West Tower. Contact Janice M. Wesley, DTM, at janicewesley@att.net or 404/656-1724 for more information.

By:  Thelma Hamilton, Public Relations Officer