America's Best Toastmasters, New York City

07/06/2024

Celebrate "Independence Day" at America's Best Toastmasters:
== With Keynote Speaker Harry Aneziris, DTM, a two-time District Humorous Speech Champion, at our HYBRID meeting
== Saturday, July 6, 10 AM Easter Daylight Time (GMT-4)

"Hybrid meeting" means you have two opportunities to participate:
-- Zoom-in (email [email protected] for the Zoom link)
-- Walk-in to our historic in-person location at Elmhurst Hospital Center (Room A1-15), 79-01 Broadway, Elmhurst, Queens, NY 11373. See flyer (at right, below). You can also get directions to our meeting room at our Club's website at this link: https://americasbest.toastmastersclubs.org/directions.html

07/01/2024

Happy New Year!! ... as we begin today the 2024-2025 Toastmasters program year. You're welcome to participate at our Saturday morning HYBRID meetings, either by Zoom or attending in-person. Email [email protected] to get info, including the Zoom link or directions.

We're proud to present our new Vice President Education, the amazing Angela Lee, DTM:

03/26/2024

The great ones, like Apple, Inc. founder and CEO Steve Jobs, made it "look" easy. But behind the scenes they practiced and rehearsed relentlessly: https://www.inc.com/carmine-gallo/steve-jobs-made-presentations-look-natural-you-can-too.html?fbclid=IwAR3TohykrZDqSjJfdEAuCg8qdmRncllTJVaU0Ngbsst8Qiqrl67ikv9avzE

5 steps for effective rehearsals.

01/26/2024

Congratulations to America's Best Club Secretary, Angela Lee, DTM, for completing last night (at our club's "Amelia's Corner" gathering on Thursday, Jan. 25, 7 PM) the Strategic Relationships Path in the Toastmasters International Pathways Educational Program. Aside from Angela's Project Speech ("Reflect on Your Path") our gathering included Project Speeches from two other club members.

Our club meets EVERY Saturday morning at 10 AM (Eastern Standard Time, GMT-5) either via Hybrid or by Zoom. We also hold additional speakouts ("Amelia's Corner") for club members on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7 PM via Zoom.

01/12/2024

Happy to share that as of EOB Wednesday (Jan 10), our club made it to 10/10 in the 2023-2024 Toastmasters International (TI) Distinguished Club Program [DCP] (see pic below on the left). The DCP is the official metric created by TI -- a 10-goal program -- to assess club performance and motivate healthy achievement by clubs. Our America's Best club is the first Toastmasters club (and so far only club) to reach this bar in the metro NY/NJ region (Districts 46, 83 and 119) for 2023-2024.

Sincere thanks to the efforts of our club President Jesse Cassell, club officer team, our 33 current members and dozens of friends and visitors for making it happen. Still, we have a LOT more to do by June before we complete the 2023-2024 year.

We meet every Saturday at 10 AM Eastern Standard Time (GMT-5) by Zoom. Join us tomorrow and every Saturday. In addition, our 1st and 3rd Saturday meeting are "hybrid meetings" in which participants have the option of "Zooming in" OR "showing up in person" at our traditional pre-pandemic meeting venue: Elmhurst Hospital Center, Room A1-15 (first floor Conference Room), 79-01 Broadway, Elmhurst, Queens, 11373 USA.

01/05/2024

100 years of Toastmasters history "at a glance" ... from the January 2024 issue of The Toastmaster magazine, available today online and, if you’re a member, in your email inbox.

For nearly a quarter-century, America's Best Toastmasters, New York City has been a part of this history. Two weeks ago, we achieved President's Distinguished Club honors -- the highest distinction -- from Toastmasters International for the 24th year in a row. We aim to excel as a club so that each of our members can excel in their lives.

Formed in late spring 2000 by Club Founder Amelia Abad, DTM, PDG, our club initially aimed to serve the people of metropolitan New York. But, now, thanks to Zoom and our hybrid meetings twice-a-month, we serve the world.

Join us at our weekly meetings, EVERY Saturday at 10 AM, Eastern Standard Time (GMT-5). Tomorrow's meeting, on January 6, 10 AM, will be a hybrid meeting: you can choose to join us by Zoom or by attending in person at the Elmhurst Hospital Center, Conference Room A1-15 (Ground Floor, just past the lobby and to the left), 79-01 Broadway, Elmhurst, Queens, NY 11373.

12/23/2023

Best wishes for a joyful Christmas and a magnificent 2024, from the members and officers of America's Best Toastmasters (club #8685) in New York City.

In the early 1950s, Dr. Ralph Smedley, Founder of Toastmasters International, wrote: "Our Toastmasters movement is bringing a gigantic Christmas gift to the world. We help to realize the ideal of peace on earth, by teaching all to get along with each other."

The photo [below, left] of the cover of the December 1955 issue of "The Toastmaster" magazine, depicts Santa Claus studying the "Basic Training" manual issued back then to all members by Toastmasters International. It was the precursor to the Pathways educational program we use today. The montage [below, right] represents a partial collection of photos of members and friends of America's Best Toastmasters, New York City, including three members who passed away in 2023 and who are remembered with fondness and love: Pauline I.R. Edwards, DTM; Milton Ivo de Freitas, DTM; Chayan Kumar Pant, DTM.

12/15/2023

Santa Claus invites you to join him on Saturday, Dec. 16, 10 AM Eastern (GMT-5), for the "Holiday Hybrid" event of America's Best Toastmasters, New York City. Attendees will have the choice of attending IN-PERSON (at our legendary location, Elmhurst Hospital Center, Room A1-15) or by ZOOM.

Headlining the festive gathering will be two-time District Humorous Speech Contest Champion Dr. Harry Anezeris, DTM, PQD, with his touching presentation, "On the Road to Love." Harry will attend IN-PERSON and, after his talk, will present winning Area/Division contest trophies to America's Best members, Contest Champions Petra Choradol, DTM, and Sonu Shrimali, DTM. We also have 4 other top-notch speakers on the agenda and fun "Table Topics" (or impromptu speaking) questions on the meeting theme, "Christmas and Holidays."

We meet every Saturday morning, 10 AM Eastern. Join us for fun, fellowship and self-improvement. For directions to our IN-PERSON venue (Elmhurst Hospital Center, Room A1-15, 79-01 Broadway, Elmhurst, NY 11373), go here: https://americasbest.toastmastersclubs.org/directions.html

11/04/2023

Which leader do you admire most? Later this morning, America's Best Toastmasters, New York City celebrates the "Joy of Leadership" with 6 speeches and fun Table Topics. Join us Saturday mornings at 10 AM Eastern (GMT-4)

10/28/2023

Happy Halloween! "Trick or treat?" Later this morning, America's Best Toastmasters, New York City celebrates Halloween with a scarily impressive gathering with 6 speeches and fun Table Topics. Join us Saturday mornings at 10 AM Eastern (GMT-4)

10/27/2023

Congratulations to DTM Petra Choradol and DTM Sonu Shrimali for winning 1st place in their respective speech contests tonight at the Area 42 Speech Contest (Oct. 26). Next step for both occurs in two weeks at the Division D contest on November 9 (Thurs, 7 PM, Eastern, GMT-4). BEST WISHES to both of them ... as we cheer them on !!