For Better Listening, Thinking, and Speaking
Welcome to the City of Norfolk Toastmasters official website. Below you will find a little information about Toastmasters, its benefits, and our club. If the information on this site doesn't answer all of your questions, a member of our club would be happy to help you.
Club members at the District 66 Spring 2010 Conference
City of Norfolk Toastmasters is a President Select Distinguished Club!
How Can Toastmasters Benefit Me?
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 are—to become better communicators. At Toastmasters, members learn by speaking to groups and working with others in a supportive environment.
***The Hurrah Players 420 Bank Street, Norfolk on the first floor in the Theater Room***
Weekly - every Thursday
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Marathon Meetings occur on any and all 5th Thursday of the month. These meetings offer a special opportunity for many members to give speeches in one meeting.
You do not have to be a City of Norfolk employee to join. We are an open-membership club. We encourage you to stop by during a meeting to see what we're all about. We think you'll be inspired.
History of our Club
In February 1988, the Norfolk City Manager, Jim Oliver, led the creation of the City of Norfolk Toastmasters Club 6822. The purpose of the club was to groom employees in the art of effective communication, critical thinking, and leadership. Toastmasters International professed this as its mission and was selected as the best vehicle for accomplishing that goal.
Under the leadership of Harlan Murray, DTM, alias “The Duke", the Club chartered with 48 members. District 66 sent club mentors from one of the oldest clubs in the Area, The Norfolk Club, which celebrated 60 years in 2009. They in turn sent Mary B. Shelton and James Cooke to instruct and nurture us in our infancy. Club 6822 quickly distinguished itself receiving District 66’s Club of the Year award. We were also recognized as 11th in the world in the “Over 40 Members” category.
Club 6822 has provided service to the City as a source of guidance for employees preparing for critical public presentations. We provided public speaking workshops for several departments. Of course, we were ever ready to add flavor to special events with roasts, poetry, and plays. We served the community with public speaking workshops for summer interns, library youth programs and FBLA.
Service also extended to leadership throughout the district as listed under “Club 6822 Leadership.” In addition we served as mentors to the Elizabeth River Club to ensure she returned to charter strength. The first District 66 Leadership Institute began when Martha Rollins served as District Governor. At that time we called it Toastmasters University or “TMU”.
What we all remember most is the fun. The 1991 “Summer Regatta” featured our first Tall Tales Contest. As the children built and sailed boats across the pool, adults played hopscotch. We also transformed Council Chambers more than once when we told Ghost Stories on Halloween for City employees to enjoy. Who can forget our reenactment of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” at Chrysler Hall?
City of Norfolk Toastmasters celebrated 20 years in 2009!
History of Toastmasters International
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.” City of Norfolk Toastmasters is a local chapter of Toastmasters International.
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.
