Founding member reunited with toastmasters trophy
Clarke was a member of the very first Toastmasters club which chartered in 1950 in Johannesburg.
WESTVILLE resident, Brian Clarke (92), was reunited with the trophy he donated to Toastmasters six decades ago.
The trophy, named the Brian Clarke Shield, was awarded to the Toastmaster who won the most interclub speaking contests in their area.
Clarke read a story about the Toastmasters, a public speech craft course in KwaZulu-Natal that was published in the Highway Mail in April.
Clarke was a member of the very first Toastmasters club which chartered in 1950 in Johannesburg. He was ecstatic to hear that the Southern African Toastmasters organisation had grown from only one club in 1950 to 169 clubs to date, with 3 547 active members.
He then informed Toastmasters that when he resigned, he donated a trophy and was interested to know if the trophy was still in circulation.
In May this year, the director of Toastmasters in KwaZulu-Natal, Jason Sanders, attended the Toastmasters Conference for Southern Africa and after some investigation, discovered that the Brian Clarke Shield was still being awarded each year. It is currently being awarded to the division whose members obtain the most speaking and leadership awards throughout the year.
After much planning and effort the trophy was shipped to Durban. When Brian was presented with the trophy he was overcome with joy and thrilled that the trophy was still being awarded, nearly 60 years later.
Brian donated the trophy to Toastmasters because he felt that the organisation had helped so many individuals who found it a challenge to stand up and speak in public or in any situation.
He had battled to speak throughout school and university and when he finally joined Toastmasters, he was able to overcome his fear of public speaking rapidly. In fact, he won almost every competition he entered during his time with Toastmasters.
The Brian Clarke Shield will continue to encourage others to follow the legacy that Clarke wants to leave – that is to become confident and grow through public speaking.
For more information on Toastmasters in KZN, visit www.toastmasters74.org or contact Jason Sanders on divisionp@toastmasters74.org or call Jason on 031 569 2092.
