On the highways and byways of Georgia, you may soon spot vehicles with license plates that look like this...


The Georgia Toastmasters statewide leadership has received approval from both Toastmasters International World Headquarters and the State of Georgia to market a new Toastmasters specialty license plate. Before this plate can be issued, however, the State of Georgia requires at least 1000 of these plates to be "pre-sold" at an initial manufacturing fee of $25.00. For more information about the plate and how you can pre-order one, please click here. As a Past Georgia Toastmasters District Governor, I have already submitted my request.

As far as I know, Georgia would be the first state in America to offer such a plate. If you know of any other states (or Canadian provinces, for that matter) that have ever had such a plate offering, I'd like to know about it.

So what is Toastmasters?

Back in 1924, at the Santa Ana, California, YMCA, a gentleman by the name of Ralph Smedley decided to put together a group where men could work on their public speaking skills. The group decided to call themselves "Toastmasters" and the name has stuck since.

Over the past 86 years, Toastmasters grew from its humble beginnings in California to the world's largest non-profit educational organization with over 12,500 chapters (clubs) and nearly 260,000 members (men and women) in 113 countries. Toastmasters even had a Club in Antarctica at one time, making it the first organization to have chapters on all 7 continents!

At a typical Toastmasters Club meeting, members practice giving prepared presentations, impromptu speaking ("thinking on your feet"), constructive evaluation, and even running a meeting. Unlike a conventional classroom, there is no "pass/fail", as members learn by receiving positive, constructive feedback from one another in a non-judgmental environment.

Since 1990, I have been a member of Toastmasters and thanks to them, I've been able to work on my "life skills" and, like the athlete that must keep training to stay on their "A-game", I still actively participate within my local Club. Leadership-wise, I've served in roles ranging from Club Sergeant-At-Arms all the way up to Georgia District Governor. In the 20 years since I've joined, I've made so many wonderful friends within Toastmasters, including the woman who is now my wife.

If you are looking to enhance your communication and leadership skills, then I strongly recommend you, too, join Toastmasters. In fact, tell them that a "roadgeek Toastmaster" sent you.

To learn more about Toastmasters and to find a Club near you, please visit their website at www.toastmasters.org... and if you are a Georgia Toastmaster, then please help "spread the word" about Toastmasters by ordering and proudly displaying your very own state-issued Georgia Toastmasters license plate.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading and hopefully, I'll see you at Toastmasters! Have a great weekend!

 

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