Celebrating Over 50 Years of Goddard Toastmasters (1972–2025)

Club 3496, District 36, Area 42

A Brief History of Goddard Toastmasters

Our official charter date is January 17, 1972 during the term of Toastmasters International President Russell G. Herron. As of 2025, the club is 53 years old and continues to build on a long tradition of leadership and communication excellence. As with any new Toastmasters Club, the drive for a club at Goddard began with a small group of Goddard people seriously interested in the educational and communication opportunities offered by the Toastmasters International organization. A new group reaches charter status only through the hard work of its organizers who come from the potential new club and from the membership of an established Toastmasters Club. For Goddard the assistance came from nearby Agricultural Research Center (ARC) Toastmasters. Gary Heinz of ARC was our club’s sponsor; he ran the first few meetings, came as a guest almost every meeting while organizing, and oversaw the first Goddard elections. Goddard Toastmasters officially came into existence in 1972 under Area Governor Sam Carney of the USDA.

Early on Goddard management recognized Toastmasters as an important training activity. At first this support was in the form of meeting space and equipment. In May, 1974 William Hocking, who then was the President of Goddard Toastmasters, began the process of having Toastmasters recognized as an official training activity at Goddard. The 1975 President, Doris Anne Martin, continued this process which ended successfully that summer in recognition for the Fiscal Year of 1976.

Until 1992 our club year was the calendar year, so the officers served January 1 to December 31. In 1992 Toastmasters International changed the club year to the current July 1 to June 30.

Goddard Toastmasters Presidents

• Jan. 1-June 30

Compiled by: Regina J. Cody NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Code 691

Source: migrated from legacy GSFC Toastmasters site.