Mike Neilson has been a toastmaster for a couple of years now, but found out Monday the organization has deeper roots in the city than he thought.
Recently a former Yorkton member Dr. Robert Gaskin and his son Mark reached out to Neilson as they were going to make a pass through the city on a tour through Saskatchewan at places Gaskin had lived.
It was a meeting that showed that the local club, now Treasure Chest Toastmasters, has been around a lot longer than current members realized.
Gaskin, a veterinarian who spent four years in the city, was president of toastmasters in 1963, bringing a past president plaque for 1964 with him.
Gaskin, who now lives in Stoney Creek, ON, said he became a member of toastmasters on the recommendation of someone at his church, Knox Presbyterian.
“He was a member and got me into it, and like all organizations, in a year, or two I was president.”
Neilson said he joined as a way to become more confident.
“You can’t function in life if you don’t have some confidence,” he said.
That puts the toastmaster club at near 60-years in the city, which Neilson said came as a surprise.
“Someone in the club told me it 35-years old,” he said.
The club of Neilson’s world and that of Gaskin’s are not so very different.
“Our membership was not too big,” said Gaskin, adding his memory of it was between 15 and 20 members, a number at the time being part of “the RAF radar base at the time.”
“It’s almost the same now,” said Neilson, adding last year there were 18 members.
Treasure Chest Toastmasters begin meetings again in September. Anyone interested can check out the club at; https://1245.toastmastersclubs.org/
