Federation Toastmasters officially reached a century of meetings on Wednesday, August 17, celebrating the milestone at the Courtyard Cafe with guests from afar.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Those 100 meetings of table topics, debates, speeches and more have been spread over four years – and may lag a little behind that of Stanthorpe Toastmasters who last year celebrated their 1000th meeting – but the small club is keen to see out hundreds more.
Stanthorpe was the sponsoring club for Federation Toastmasters’ establishment in 2013, so it was fitting that members were included in the special meeting. Area 20 director Linda Tighe also journeyed across from Inverell for the ocassion.
Federation Toastmasters’ president Peter Van Schaik pondered ‘What if’ in his speech, specifically what if Tenterfield Toastmasters hadn’t folded in 2000 after being chartered in December 1981. While he regrets the miles he doesn’t regret the friendships established from his need to travel to Stanthorpe to Toastmasters meetings before a Tenterfield branch was re-established. He also lamented the difference the original club could have made in the community had it continued.
He said past Toastmasters are clamouring for Toastmasters to be reintroduced in local schools so their own children could benefit, to share in the pastime filled with great speeches, education and fun.
Quite a bit of fun was had at the 100th meeting celebration with chocolate rewards for trivia quizzes and a tongue-on-cheek debate on whether A woman needs a man like fish needs a bicycle, with an obvious conclusion.
Federation Toastmaster Susan Butterworth said she has lots of experience on the topic…