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D46 Honorable Mention Website 2007-2008

Chartered
Apr 16, 2009

Distinguished Club
2008-2009

President's Distinguished Club
2009-2010

Distinguished Club
2010-2011

Per Jerry Seinfeld... “According to most studies, people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.”
How To Tell a Joke
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Hackettstown Toastmaster Takes Home the Gold in the Division Contest Held in Parsippany, NJ!

Emmelina Stanescu, placed first in the Division contest competing against other local clubs on April 17th at Glaxo Smith Kline in Parsippany, NJ. Emmelina took home the gold in the Evaluation contest competing against four amazing competitors. Emmelina will compete, as an Evaluator, in the District 83 International Speech and Evaluation Contest at the District Conference to be held in Morristown, NJ on May 5th and 6th. For more information, visit the District 83 website

Dan Schnipp (3rd Place), Emmelina Stanescu (1st Place) and David Romanchick (2nd place) (photo courtesy Dennis Quirk)

Hackettstown Members attend contest to support our champion on April 17, 2012. Dan Bennett, Emmelina Stanescu and Dennis Quirk, President of Hackettstown Toastmasters (photo courtesy Paula Markert)

Hackettstown Toastmasters Proudly Announces Winners for Area Contest Held in Denville, NJ

Two members of Hackettstown Toastmasters placed in the Area contest. Emmelina Stanescu placed first in the Evaluation contest. Emmelina will compete in the Division contest to be held at Glaxo Smith Kline in Parsippany, NJ on April 17th. Dennis Quirk, President of Hackettstown Toastmasters placed second in the Speech contest. For more information, visit the District 83 website

Emmelina Stanescu and Dennis Quirk-President, Hackettstown Toastmasters (photo courtesy Dan Bennett)

Toastmasters Donate Food Supplies to NORWESCAP

Members of Hackettstown Toastmasters assisted Northwest New Jersey Community Action Partnership in stocking the shelves of the food bank for the holidays. The food will be distributed to families in need in the north-western area of NJ.

Gerard Kaiven - VP of Membership, Tomas Cambara , Christine Bodon-Daly - VP of Public Relations, Julia Bird - VP of Education and Dennis Quirk - President.
(photo courtesy Emmelina Stanescu)

Toastmasters at Hackettstown Community Day!

Members of Hackettstown Toastmasters represented our amazing group on Saturday, October 1, 2011 at Lowe's for Hackettstown Community Day. All visitors were invited to attend our meetings on the first and third Thursdays of each month. Hope to see you there!

Nancy Boyer, Suzanne Gilman and Tracy Williams at the Hackettstown Community Day venue.
Also thanks to Dennis Quirk, President and Chris Bodon-Daly, VP Public Relations for representing our group at the event.
(photo courtesy Christine Bodon-Daly)

Toastmasters Host Halloween-Themed Meeting!

Members of our spooktacular club participated in our Halloween-themed meeting. On Halloween you can be anything that you would like to be for an evening. Toastmasters allows you to practice and hone your skills to be the communicator that you would like to be! Join us for an evening of live entertainment while you enhance your skills!

Back row, Alicia Cherniak, Dennis Quirk, Jose Cosme, Gerard Kaiven, Gina Tupaczewski, Nancy Boyer, Front Row Chris Bodon-Daly, and Julia Bird.
(photo courtesy Tanya Zavala)

Hackettstown Toastmasters Place in the Division B International Speech contest on April 13, 2011!

Julia Bird was awarded first place for the Evaluation contest and Dennis Quirk placed second at the Division B International Speech contest! Congrats to both on a job well done. Julia moved on to the District 83 International Evaluation contest. For more information, visit the District 83 website

Julia Bird, President, John Harvey, Division B Governor and Dennis Quirk, VP Membership after their victory
(photo courtesy Gerard Kaiven)

Hackettstown Toastmasters bring home gold at the area contest!

Two Hackettstown Toastmasters competed in the Area International Speech and evaluation contest, held at 1500 Littleton Rd, Parsippany on Tuesday 22nd March.

Julia Bird, President, Theresa Yarosh, area governor, and Dennis Quirk, VP Membership after their win
(photo courtesy Dennis Quirk)

Both Dennis and Julia won the International Speech and Evaluation contests, respectively. Dennis gave a speech motivating us to work out which habits help us, and which ones hinder us, to let us move onto greater things. Julia gave an unusual tip to the target speaker during her evaluation of his speech that made an impact. Both Julia and Dennis will be going on to the Division contest. For more information, visit the District 83 website

2011 Club Spring International Speech and Evaluation Contest

The Hackettstown Toastmasters braved the cold and held their annual International Speech and Evaluation Contest on February 3, 2011. The eventual winner of the International Speech contests held at the club, area, division, district and regional level has the chance to compete for the title of World Champion of Public Speaking! For the evaluation contest, a volunteer gives a speech and contestants are judged on their evaluation ability for this speech.

The winner of our club International Speech Contest was Dennis, with a motivating talk about breaking our bad habits and establishing our good ones. Julia was the winner of the Evaluation contest, with Virginia in second place. Thank you to Joe for being our contest master! The winners of the contests have the opportunity to compete at the area contest, held on Tuesday March 22, 2011. For more information, visit the District 83 website

Toastmasters at the Long Valley Fireworks and Parade!

In late August 2010, on a balmy summer's afternoon, Hackettstown Toastmasters were represented at the Long Valley Fireworks parade. Member Virginia carried our flag in the annual parade. Later on, the Hackettstown Toastmasters had a table set up and were available to answer questions from local Long Valley residents about the club.

Julia Bird, President, and Virginia Mills at the Long Valley fireworks and parade

Members Bid Farewell to Founding Member

On Thursday June 17, 2010, founding member Steve Lord gave his final speech as a member of the Hackettstown Toastmasters Club. In his farewell speech, Steve took us on a trip down memory lane as he recalled his years with the club. Years filled with great joy as he watched new members grow and become confident in their public speaking. The sad emotion of the moment was soon replaced with sounds of laughter as Steve vividly described his first time giving a speech many, many, many years ago. In the end, he said that the greatest gift of his Toastmasters experience is the friends he has made.

Steve Lord, DTM

Attending the meeting was close friend, former club member and Distinguished Toastmaster Jim Birnbaum who gave Steve a proper send off as only Cap'n Groggy knows how. The Hackettstown Toastmasters Club owes a great deal of its success to Steve’s tireless efforts and energy. Under his guidance the club increased its membership, became an officially chartered Toastmasters Club, achieved the Distinguished Club Award and for 2010 is on its way to becoming a President’s Distinguished club.

Steve has become a respected friend and mentor and his presence will surely be missed. Fellow club members bid a fond farewell to one of its founding members and wish him all the best as he begins a new chapter in life – retirement!

Steve Lord is a Distinguished Toastmaster with over 12 years experience in Toastmasters International, a member of the Open Door club in Denville and a founder of the Hackettstown Toastmasters club. Steve credits Toastmasters with sparking his improvement in speaking and he highly recommends joining a club.

When do we meet?

First & third Thursday of every month from 7:00 to 8:30 pm.
Guests always welcome - no charge!

Where do we meet?

Hackettstown Community Center
293 Main St. Hackettstown, NJ 07840

Click here for directions

Next Meeting Click here for a sample AGENDA Dress is casual.

Contact Info - VP Membership (908) 689-1439 Or contact any club officer HERE

Hear from people whose lives were
changed by Toastmasters! (click here)

If you need help to tame your fears, you must read this!

Tame Your Public Speaking Fears!
(click here)

What is Toastmasters?

Toastmasters is a convenient, cost effective way to practice speaking in front of a group. You can move as quickly or as slowly as you like. You work with manuals that give you step by step pointers on organizing your speaking style, controlling nervousness, and increasing the impact of your speech. You speak before a supportive audience and receive immediate, constructive feedback. Please join us for our next meeting - no cost, no reservation needed! And no obligation to speak unless you'd like to do so!

The Benefits of Toastmasters?

Toastmasters helps people with their communication, speaking and listening skills in a mutually supportive and positive learning environment. Not everyone is going to be a company CEO or public orator, but we all communicate everyday in our lives whether at work, with friends or family, strangers or customers, as a coach for little league, or at a town meeting. We all want to be understood when we state our ideas or personal beliefs. Whatever the case, good communication and speaking skills will help foster self-confidence and personal growth.

"I've always been a believer in self-investment. Investing in 'your own stock' is one of the best places to put your money. The stock market may crash. The bottom may fall out from under your real estate investments. You may discover that some scam artist made off with your hard earned dollars.

But when you invest in yourself, the assets you buy are yours forever. The skills you learn become an internalized part of you. As a corporate entity, your worth increases...for the long haul.

In fact, I'd suggest that the value of your investment increases at a faster rate during tough times. Your competitors are often investing their money in big-screen TVs. And they're spending their time watching the latest reality TV program. You, on the other hand, can be spending your time building a better you." - John Kinde, author, speaker, humorist

Toastmasters History

Founder Ralph Smedley

How to Give a Bad Speech

Speaking = a Death Sentence?

Other Local Toastmasters Chapters