BEGINNINGS  The genesis of Hackettstown Toastmasters was a speech by District 46, Area-33 Governor Steve Lord to Open Door Toastmasters and to Skylands Toastmasters in October, 2006. In it he outlined the benefits of helping to start a new club. Members from Open Door Toastmasters subsequently went on to help charter First of Sussex Toastmasters in Sparta in May, 2007.

In Hackettstown, two demo meetings were held at Centenary College in April, 2007 but turnout was small. After a struggle to find a meeting space, room at the Hackettstown Community Center was obtained in November, 2007 and three demo meetings were held in December. Turnout was again extremely light although the list of those expressing interest continued to grow. Several experienced Toastmasters who lived in the area decided to help get the chapter started.

MEETINGS START  The Application to Organize was filed with Toastmasters International in January, 2008 and prospective club #1140672 was assigned on February 25, 2008. During the next thirteen months, Hackettstown added members slowly but the pace quickened in late 2008 and the final four members were enrolled at the meeting of April 2, 2009. Charter paperwork was speedily assembled and on April 16, 2009 Hackettstown Toastmasters was officially chartered. District 83 Governor Paul Scharf, DTM presented the club with its charter on May 7, 2009.

Even before chartering, we distinguished ourselves in several ways. At the District 46 Spring Conference on May 18, 2008 Hackettstown was awarded Honorable Mention in the District Website contest! Also at the Conference, Hackettstown VP-Education Steve Lord placed first in the Speech Evaluation contest. For the 2008-2009 Toastmasters year, Hackettstown Sergeant-at-Arms Jim Birnbaum was the Area 23 Governor!

In August, 2008 Hackettstown captured the District 83 Traveling Gavel! See the District 83 website for details about the Traveling Gavel. And Hackettstown Sergeant-at-Arms Jim Birnbaum again made the news as the 2009 Spring Conference chair for District 83.

2½ MONTHS  Defying precedent, Hackettstown aimed to become a Distinguished club before the Toastmasters year ended on June 30, 2009. (For the goals of the Distinguished club program click here.) Jim Birnbaum and Steve Lord completed Competent Leader awards on April 20 to give the club its first two points. VP-Membership Bill Watras completed his Competent Communicator 10th speech on May 7 and was awarded the club's very first CC. Steve Lord followed with another CC two days later. And an Advanced Communicator Bronze award to Steve on June 5th left the club at four points - one shy of the Distinguished category.

Fortunately, Hackettstown was continuing to attract new members and, with a bit of effort by VP-Membership Bill Watras, signed up it's 4th member on June 29th. The fifth point was complete and the club became Distinguished in its first (partial) year!