Friday, February 7, 2025
PRESENTATION AT THE DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY OF SAGINAW TOASTMASTERS CLUB 781
Tuesday, January 28, 2025
WHO WAS HARVEY SPAULDING OF SAGINAW?
Mr. Harvey Spaulding whose name adorns the banner of Saginaw Toastmasters Club 781 was and still is a mystery to all of us in many respects.
# # #
The late Bob Heft of
Saginaw MI, authored a document which he handed to Paul F. Arnhold, DTM who in
turn gave me a copy saying “do with it as see fit”. This document bears the date of October 1,
2009 and is titled: Report on Harvey Spaulding.
# # #
Before going any
further I have to mention who was Bob Heft.
Bob Heft was a member
of the Harvey Spaulding Toastmasters Club 781.
Bob Heft was – an American original – was the designer of the present
U.S. Flag with the 50 States. Hence –
the 50 stars flags. For this achievement
Bob Heft was honored in the White House by President Dwight Eisenhower and all
subsequent presidents up to George W. Bush. Bob Heft passed in 2010.
Bob Heft bequeathed the
Club 781 an original US flag autographed by him. However this is a separate story.
# # #
Harvey D. Spaulding Jr.,
was born sometime in 1896. The Spaulding family settled in the south side of
Saginaw County. Spaulding Township is named after these early settlers.
On August 1, 1915,
Harvey D. Spaulding Sr., drowned in the Cass River near Bridgeport MI, while
successfully rescuing Mrs. Joanna Hensler, who was a non-swimmer. Harvey Jr. was at the time a student at the
historical Arthur Hill High School and a member of the local Saginaw YMCA
chapter. In 1917 Harvey Spaulding entered
the service of the U.S army until the end of WWI.
Upon his return to
Saginaw he committed himself and his life work to the local YMCA Chapter. He taught every non-swimmer the basic skills
of swimming at the YMCA pool facility and Saginaw school system. He became a physical education
instructor. He designed classes for all
local schools to have swimming training. Harvey Spaulding Jr., was recognized
in 1933 by the YMCA Society of Physical Education Program Directors.
His local efforts in
physical education and swimming bore evidence when on September 26, 1946,
Harvey Spaulding Jr., was recognized by the Joint Navy and War Departments for
his life work. The citation was signed
by the Commanding General of the U.S. Fifth Army.
The immediate reason
for the citation narrates that -
“On the
Destroyer Escort vessel that was sunk by a Japanese diver bomber during action
in the South pacific, thirty-four of the sixty survivors were from
Saginaw. Thirty-two of those survivors
were taught the skills of swimming by Harvey D. Spaulding Jr.”
# # #
In 1920 he became the
head of physical education in the Y. In
1941 he became the associate general secretary of the Y.
In February 1950, seventy-four
years ago, Harvey Spaulding Jr. chartered the Toastmasters International Club
781 in the Saginaw YMCA.
On April 2, 1954,
Toastmasters club 781 conferred on Harvey Spaulding a life membership. Harvey
Spaulding passed at age seventy in October 6, 1966.
Shortly after his death
the swimming pool in the Saginaw Y was named after him.
# # #
This post was excerpted from a report by Bob Heft based on the book titled “A Century of Service” by Crittenden & Smith, pages 128-131.
All
dating errors are likely made by author of this blog.
© Mandy Lender 2015,
2024, 2025
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Sunday, January 19, 2025
75 YEARS of ELOQUENCE: SAGINAW’S HARVEY SPAULDING TOASTMASTERS CLUB 781 CELEBRATES DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY!
The Harvey Spaulding Saginaw Toastmasters (Club 781) celebrates its Diamond Anniversary, marking 75 years of fostering communication and leadership skills. Founded in 1950, the club provides opportunities for personal growth, networking, and tailored learning experiences in a supportive community.
HISTORY: For three-quarters of a
century, a dedicated group in Saginaw, Michigan, has been honing their voices,
sharpening their leadership skills, and building lasting connections. That
group is the Harvey Spaulding Saginaw Toastmasters (Club 781), and this February,
they're celebrating a remarkable milestone: their Diamond Anniversary!
Chartered in February 1950, this chapter of the renowned Toastmasters International has been empowering individuals to become more confident communicators and effective leaders for 75 incredible years.
I joined Club 781 in October 2008.
But what makes this club, and Toastmasters in
general, so special?
More Than Just Public
Speaking:
While mastering the art
of public speaking is a core component, the Harvey Spaulding Saginaw
Toastmasters offer so much more. Their comprehensive educational program
provides members with opportunities to:
- Unlock Their Leadership Potential: Learn
to organize, motivate, and inspire – skills that translate to success in
any field.
- Expand Their Social Network: Connect
with a diverse group of individuals, forming valuable friendships and
professional relationships.
- Boost Their Personal Satisfaction:
Experience the joy of personal growth and the thrill of achieving new
goals.
A Pathway to Your Best
Self:
Toastmasters isn't a
one-size-fits-all program. It recognizes that communication styles are as
diverse as the individuals who use them. Whether you're drawn to the theatrical
flair of artistic drama, the clarity of classroom teaching, or the precision of
technical engineering, the program offers pathways tailored to your interests
and aspirations.
An Open-Ended Journey of
Self-Improvement:
What truly sets
Toastmasters apart is its self-paced, open-ended nature. This isn't a course
with a final exam and a graduation certificate. It's a continuous journey of
growth and learning, where you set your own goals and reap the rewards of your
own investment. There's no finish line – only new horizons to explore.
The Power of "You
Get What You Invest":
The enduring success of
the Harvey Spaulding Saginaw Toastmasters is a testament to the simple yet
profound truth: you get from it what you invest in it. The more effort,
dedication, and passion you pour into your Toastmasters experience, the more
profound the transformation you'll undergo.
Join the Celebration!
Whether you're looking to
conquer your fear of public speaking, develop your leadership prowess, or
simply connect with a vibrant community, the Harvey Spaulding Saginaw
Toastmasters welcomes you. As they celebrate their Diamond Anniversary, there's
never been a better time to discover the power of your own voice.
Want to learn more about this historic Toastmasters club?
An open house event will
take place on Sunday, February 2, 2025. Time: starting 1:30 PM. Place the
Festival Hall adjoining the Christ the Good Shepherd Hall 2445 N. Charles St,
Saginaw, MI 48602.
FROM
THE GALLERY
Tags: #Toastmasters #PublicSpeaking #Leadership
#Saginaw #DiamondAnniversary #PersonalGrowth #Community #75YearsStrong
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Monday, January 6, 2025
WRITING IS POWERFUL: INSIGHTS FROM C.S. LEWIS and ROGER BANNISTER
CS LEWIS, ROGER BANNISTER & HABAKKUK ON WRITING TO MANIFEST
C.S. Lewis,
(1898 –1963) is (was), the prominent British author and literary scholar, who
is best known for his fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia. C.S Lewis held academic positions in English
literature at Magdalen College, Oxford (1925–1954), and faculty chair at Magdalene College, Cambridge (1954–1963). His celebrity status was branded as the author
of The Chronicles of Narnia. He turned down the king’s honorific title of OBE (1951),
so we can’t refer to him as Sir. (One more thing – Magdalene College in
Cambridge U. has an e at the end,
unlike Oxford U. Magdalen sine e).
One of C.S. Lewis many pearls of wisdom is: "You
can make anything by writing."
He emphasized the power of writing to create and
shape reality. C.S. Lewis believed that through writing, we can bring into
existence new worlds, characters, and ideas, thus influencing not only our own
minds but also the minds of others and their bank accounts. Ask great wealthy writers like J.K. Rowling, James Patterson,
Danielle Steel or Paolo Coelho. They did
it. JKR is a billionaire. JP is an almost billionaire.
C.S. Lewis was not the first to declare the many
higher meanings of writing.
The biblical prophet Habakkuk (Hab. 2:2-3), received a vision from God and is instructed
to "write the vision and make it plain on tablets, so he may run who
reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will
speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely
come”.
This passage highlights the importance of recording
divine messages and prophecies, ensuring their preservation and future
fulfillment.
In our time Sir
Roger Bannister, (1929 – 2018), was a British
neurologist and middle-distance athlete who ran first the sub-4-minute mile. At the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Bannister
set a record in the 1,500 meters run and finished in fourth place. This
achievement strengthened his resolve to become the first athlete to finish a
one mile (1,609 meters) run in less
than four minutes. He accomplished this feat on 6 May 1954, in Oxford. In his memoir,
Bannister described his training routine and record keeping and quoted…
Habakkuk 2:2-3.
How do I know?
The 25 years old, Bannister, a neurophysiology student and athlete, kept
written records of how he achieved what no human being did before him. (For that he was awarded the OBE honor from
the Queen).
Connecting these ideas with my experience of "serendipity
encounters" leads me to summarize my thoughts and mindset in this writing
that aligns with Lewis’s quote, the biblical passage of Habakkuk, and the distinguished
physician-neurologist Sir Roger Bannister.
How so?
The
power of writing. By
writing down our thoughts and experiences, we are giving them form and
substance. We are, in that sense making something by writing. This
act of writing clarifies our thinking, solidifies our understanding, and
potentially influences our future experiences. Just as Habakkuk was instructed
to record his vision for future generations, our writing serves as a testament
to our personal journey and a source of inspiration or guidance for others.
When you as a writer create a real circumstance, You’ve engineered a serendipitous encounter.
My Take
Writing is a creative act with the power to shape
reality, preserve experiences, and communicate ideas across time and space.
Whether through fictional stories, personal
reflections, or prophetic visions, writing allows us to "make"
something meaningful and lasting.
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