Pania Toastmasters foundation members Graeme Valentine (left) and Craig Robinson, Richard Perkins, Toastmasters District 112 district director, Pania president Jacqui Hartley-Smith and Marcus van Irsel, Pania Toastmasters and 40th birthday celebration MC.
Pania Toastmasters foundation members Graeme Valentine (left) and Craig Robinson, Richard Perkins, Toastmasters District 112 district director, Pania president Jacqui Hartley-Smith and Marcus van Irsel, Pania Toastmasters and 40th birthday celebration MC.
Napier-based Pania Toastmasters has seen many people through public speaking and communication journeys over 40 the years the club has been running, and has celebrated the milestone with lunch and of course a few speeches.
Among the guests were founding members Graeme Valentine and Craig Robinson, who attended their Pania meeting in June 1984 and are still members today.
Before lunch, Robinson spoke on the history of the club and how he was wrangled to become a part of it.
Robinson remembered it being a Thursday lunchtime when a work colleague of his said they were looking to start a lunchtime Toastmasters Club at Cobb & Co (Masonic Hotel as it was then known).
“My wife had been a Toastmistress so I knew a little about what they did, so I kept him company and here we are 40 years and more later and we still meet every Thursday lunchtime,” Robinson said.
While not everyone returned after the first meeting, the number of members built up to the required number, and the Pania Toastmasters Charter became official in 1984.
In his speech, Robinson acknowledged fellow foundation member Graeme Valentine DTM (Distinguished Toastmaster), who was VP of Education for Pania for 15 years and has been Seargent at Arms for 10 years.
Valentine has also represented Pania at many district speaking contests, including winning the humorous contest and evaluation contest more than once.
Special mention was made of charter member Laurel Francis, who was a past district governor (now director) who continued her membership up until her death last year.
In the early days, Pania Toastmasters was mostly from Napier CBD. Over the years, meetings moved to different venues; they are now held at the Blind/Low Vision Rooms in Thackeray St.
Now 40 years on, members and distinguished guests including 112 district director Richard Perkins DTM, from Rotorua and division director Meegan Herewini, from Auckland.
Those who attended Pania Toastmasters' 40th birthday celebration held at Cafe & Larder No 5 on October 6.
After members enjoyed the lunch and catching up district director Perkins shared his vision for all Toastmasters clubs to aim for five new members a year and also his early memories of joining Toastmasters in 1997.
Perkins said, “It is those early memories of successfully completing his first speech and first table topics (impromptu speech) that still fuel his passion today. In fact, it’s likely I’ve repeated my first table topics speech 1000 times over the years.”
Present and past Toastmasters were invited to share their memories, which included comments about the friendliness of Pania Toastmasters, a love of creative meetings, with the example of a recent Talk Like a Pirate meeting, and how members are given insight into the lives of others we may not otherwise meet.
Current Pania Toastmasters president Jacqui Hartley-Smith acknowledged the vast input of the various roles and knowledge of the two founding members, Valentine and Robinson, over the years, and both were presented with a gift from the club as a token of appreciation.
Carol Reid, immediate past president, was acknowledged for her 10 years of service. Marc van Irsel who MC’d the event and who has held numerous district leadership roles in his 31 years with Toastmasters, initially in the South Island before moving to Pania since moving to Hawke’s Bay eight years ago, was also acknowledged for his contribution to Pania and the club.
Hoping for another 40 years, Pania Toastmasters meets every Thursday (except public holidays) from noon-1pm and welcomes any guests and newcomers.
