Mt. Helix Toastmasters, an 85-year-old club in La Mesa looking for new members, is inviting the public to visit or interact with it online at its weekly meetings.

The group, founded in 1938, meets Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at La Mesa VFW Post 1774 at 8118 University Ave.

Formed when most clubs were all-male, Mt. Helix is one of only two such Toastmaster clubs remaining among the more than 120 co-ed clubs region wide. Mt. Helix welcomes female speakers and visitors, acting as a gateway to introduce them to the organization and help them find a club just right for them.

Founded in 1924,Toastmasters International, now headquartered in Englewood, Colo., is a nonprofit that builds confidence and teaches public speaking skills through a network with approximately 270,000 members in more than 14,200 clubs in 148 countries. Members prepare and deliver speeches, respond to impromptu questions, and give and receive constructive feedback. Toastmasters empowers members to meet personal and professional communication goals.

La Mesa dentist Larry Pawl, a Mt. Helix member for 28 years, said public speaking is important because it gets your thoughts across. “As a dentist I need to tell people what I think is in their best interest, and before Toastmasters I couldn’t do that,” he said. “Now I have the ability to get my thoughts across. Toastmasters has allowed me to build rapport, talk to people like they want to be talked to, and my productivity has been on a steady rise since I joined.”

Retired Navy Lt. Cmdr. Scott Montgomery, a 20-year Mt. Helixian, remains a club member because “I wanted to make a positive impact on the world and one of the best ways to do that is through public speaking. Mt. Helix is a venue where one can make mistakes in a friendly environment and improve. It is also an excellent way to learn to lead a meeting. I wish I’d joined at an earlier age.”

Bill Buzzell, who’s been club president numerous times, said the group helped him overcome a disability. “What Mt. Helix helped me with the most was my stuttering problem,” he said. “When I was younger I stuttered terribly. But it wasn’t until I first came to Toastmasters that I was actually able to beat that stuttering demon once and for all. If it had not been for that, I would not have been as successful as I’ve been in my career. And I give all the props to Mt. Helix and all the guys in the club.”

Mt. Helix also welcomes, and has benefited, English-as-a-second-language members, like Mason Mirlay, an Iranian-American who joined the club about two years ago. “It (club) has improved my speaking skills and given me confidence to speak impromptly, both professionally and personally,” he said.

John Flaherty, a 15-year member, joined Mt. Helix to advance his career. He said the club has helped him do exactly that. “It has taught me the dynamics of how to run an effective meeting,” he concluded adding, “Toastmasters gives you the confidence to speak in large groups and helps make the butterflies go away. It teaches you how to be comfortable (even) when you’re uncomfortable.”

Those wishing to check out Mt. Helix Toastmasters via Zoom on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m can join in at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85026052038?pwd=ODBOaVE1TW12djRPanY3eHQ1OUtHZz09.