In October 1924, Dr. Ralph C. Smedley assembled a group of men in the basement of the Santa Ana YMCA and formed a club “to afford practice and training in the art of public speaking and in presiding over meetings and to promote sociability and good will among its members.” They called themselves “Toastmasters.”

The idea spread rapidly and a standard program was developed as requests came from other communities and states to start Toastmasters Clubs. In 1930, triggered by a request from British Columbia, the federation became know as Toastmasters International.

Indio Toastmasters was organized on May 16, 1957, and chartered on July 20. It was founded as a breakfast club, meeting at 6:30 a.m. Thursdays in the Hotel Indio. While the meeting location has changed several times over the years, the club still meets for breakfast at 6:30 a.m. on Thursdays.

During its early years, other clubs were formed in the Coachella Valley but didn’t last long. Most went dark during the summer and never started up again in fall.

In the mid-1970s the other clubs in the area, which included Indio Toastmasters were in Hemet, Banning and Temecula. About that time, Toastmasters International changed its bylaws to allow women to become members if individual clubs so desired. On its second attempt, Indio Toastmasters voted to allow women with only one dissention.

Now, many clubs have joined Indio Toastmasters in the valley, often formed with the help of Indio members.

The Indio club has had its ups and downs over the years – sometimes with nearly 30 members and others with very few. Once, in the mid-‘80s, only one person showed up for a meeting. The next week there were three and now it seems to have stabilized around a dozen active members helping each other become better communicators and leaders in their professions and communities.