Successful Leaders Are Made Here

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - It’s 6:15 a.m. Thursday morning. As the meeting room at Perko’s Café Grill begins to slowly fill up it is obvious those arriving are there for a purpose. After the cobwebs have been shaken off with a good cup of coffee and greetings exchanged, the Pledge of Allegiance is recited and the fun begins. This is Sunrise Center Toastmasters.

This scenario is repeated day and night throughout the United States and internationally as men, women and young adults of all ages, different cultures, professions, interests and life experience come together as part of Toastmasters International. They are there to learn how to become better communicators at their job, other organizations and in their personal relationships.

Toastmasters International (TI) is a nonprofit, educational organization that operates clubs worldwide to promote public speaking communication, and leadership skills. Members give speeches, make presentations and do projects, continually challenging themselves to improve. Impromptu speaking, evaluations and mentoring are all important components of the program.

Sunrise Center Toastmasters was founded in 1976 by a small group of experienced Toastmasters from a club in downtown Sacramento. Over those 42 years hundreds of members have come and gone and a few remain today. Armed with the knowledge and confidence gained from their work with the club, members have become entrepreneurs, advanced in their present jobs, become leaders in the community and local government, and simply become better people.

Founding members Dave Mason and Ed Schroeder fought through the hard times as they grew but forged on as they believed that “one person can make a difference, two can change the world,” setting the tone of excellence for the life of the club.

By 1986, club membership reached 88 members, earning Sunrise the #3 position in the world of Toastmasters. They were forced to split and formed American River, Spellbinders and Birdcage clubs, among others.

On April 26, 2001 nearly 40 members and guests, including 14 past presidents, gathered to celebrate the club’s 25^th anniversary. Former member and then District 39 Governor, Ruth Maloney had been quoted as saying, “What we learn at Toastmasters we take with us forever. You never know when you’ll make a difference (with your words) in another person’s life.”

At least five members have received their Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM), the highest honor to be earned. The club itself has been in the “Top 10” clubs in the world for eight years in a row.

Distinguished Toastmaster, Marty Maskall has been a member of Sunrise Center for 35 years. She credits the confidence and knowledge gained from Toastmasters to her authoring two books, starting a business and becoming the co-founder of the Fair Oaks EcoHousing project to open in 2019.

Toastmasters come from all backgrounds, including local government and community services, art, finances, law, education, health, and law enforcement. Members and guests heard stories from speakers such as a former Vietnam fighter pilot who ejected from his jet as it crashed to the ground; the vacation one member was compelled to take to the North Pole; and a story told by a member of her harrowing experience at the age if nine as she became one of the thousands of “Boat People” escaping North Vietnam in the 1970s.  

Why the continued success of the Toastmasters program and Sunrise Center specifically? Members attribute success to having fast moving, well run meetings, being supportive of all members, and having fun. Many also see fellow members as family, with whom they share their lives each week. The endless cache of speech topics keeps members coming back. Each meeting gives three speakers the opportunity to talk about things such as their greatest challenges, world-wide travels, newly discovered book or magazine article, or a poignant story of the loss of a beloved family member.

Two quotes from founder Ralph Smedley explain the Toastmaster philosophy. He said, “Ours is the only organization I know dedicated to the individual, we work together to bring out the best in each of us and then we apply these skills to help others.” And, “All speech is for communication, and there is no possibility of communication unless people understand. Your club can help you find out whether you are making yourself understood.”

Sunrise Center Toastmasters meets at Perko’s Café Grill at 6215 Sunrise Boulevard at the corner of Greenback. Meetings are held every Thursday except major holidays from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.