Friday, February 7, 2025

PRESENTATION AT THE DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY OF SAGINAW TOASTMASTERS CLUB 781

On February 2, 2025 I delivered this presentation at the 75th anniversary of Saginaw Toastmasters Club 781.  The club was chartered back in February 1950 by Harvey Spaulding Jr. at local YMCA chapter. 
Harvey Spaulding was an American Original, a patriot whose physical education work was recognized by the US Sixth Army and US Navy during WWII. He trained pre-war young navy Americans from Saginaw MI with the life saving skills of swimming.   When the Navy Escort ship was attacked by Japanese, the Saginaw shipmates swam and survived the sunk ship. 

Robert G. Heft, an American Original, was also a Club 781  member.  He he designed the original official U.S. flag with 50 stars. His flag design was accepted by Presient Dwight Eisenhauer and approved by Congress and on was flown first on July 4, 1960.   Bob Heft hand-signed a U.S. flag he designed and donated it to the club.   



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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.



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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.

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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.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

Club Members in 2024.

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.

Artwork by Charles Gillen III

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

Historical club banners.

Past club presidents.

Visitors from WNEM

Distinguished Toastmaster (from way back in 20th Century).

Relentless DTM.


 

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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.

Now, get this – serendipity encounters can be engineered.

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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