Alberton Toastmasters celebrates 800th meeting
According to Brian Gordon-Davis, one of the co-founders and longest active member, the club has been able to sustain its longevity due to what if offers the members.
The Alberton Toastmasters Club (ATMC) recently celebrated their 800th meeting since it was formed in 1985.
ATMC is an affiliate of Toastmasters International, a non-profit educational organisation that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs.
ATMC was formed on December 1 in 1985 at the Reading Country Club by likeminded people who wanted to improve their leadership and communication skills.
The late Pieter de Beer was elected founding president.
According to Brian Gordon-Davis, one of the co-founders and longest active member, the club has been able to sustain its longevity due to what it offers the members.
“I keep coming back because I love the spirit of learning and growing that I see around me. I see people joining that cannot say a word and six months later can’t keep quiet!”
Gordon-Davis added the club has a programme that anyone can follow at their own pace, developing the skills of leadership and communication.
“We had seen an advert for the club in the Southern COURIER, and David said ‘that’s what I need to help me develop some speaking skills’. I said, ‘sounds like fun. I’ll come along for the ride’,” said Margaret Carser who together with her husband joined the club in 1992.
“However, when we arrived we were so impressed, as well as daunted, by the many polished sounding speakers in the club. We soon learnt ATMC could teach us more than we had imagined,” said Carser, who is based in the United States of America and joins club meetings via Zoom.
“The atmosphere was crackling, the standards were high, the curriculum set by Toastmasters International stretched far beyond anything we had expected – in particular as far as leadership roles were concerned. We soon became hooked,” she added.
The current club president, Quinton Losper, attributes the club’s longevity to its friendly and warm environment, where members see their growth in real terms.
The club accepts guests with no obligation to join.
If you would like to visit one of the club’s Zoom meetings, contact vice-president for membership Joel Motaung on 082 781 2479.
