March 1, 1973, Cranbrook First Toastmasters #3532 was chartered by Toastmasters International.

March 9, 2023, 50 years later, members of this Cranbrook Toastmasters Club gathered to celebrate and remember 50 years of training people in the skills of communication and leadership.

In 1973 a men’s only club was formed, 49 years after Ralph Smedley started the educational organization, Toastmasters. Club #3532 then sponsored the first Women’s only in Toastmasters. In 1975 the Ladies Toastmasters Club #731 was chartered. The Ladies club eventually went down to four members and those remaining joined the Men’s club.

At the meeting in March 2023 one of the original members of the Women’s only club spoke about the genesis of Cranbrook First Toastmasters becoming what it is today.

There is one slight change in dynamic of meetings from the 1970s to current day and, that is the inclusion of hybrid meetings. COVID-19 did not stop our Toastmasters club from meeting. This club jumped on the online method of speaking and leading within the first month of the pandemic.

If you are interested in improving your communication and/or leadership skills, consider joining Toastmasters.

We are more than just doing toasts at weddings or eulogies at funerals. Toastmasters has a new educational program called Pathways that encompass 11 paths.

You learn skills like writing speeches, delivering speeches with vocal variety and gestures. You will learn your communication and leadership style and how to use that effectively.

This link will give you an idea of the paths and projects you work on to move forward in Pathways.

We meet the second and fourth Thursday of the month from 7-9 p.m. at the College of the Rockies room 193. Contact VP Membership at [email protected] for information.

Lead image: Sharron Billey, long time member of Cranbrook First Toastmaster and a former member of Club #731 the first Women’s Toastmasters Club in the World. Photo submitted

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