Name: Einer Herringe

State and Club number: SA, Club 26

Member Since: 1993

Since joining Rostrum I have retired from full-time employment. While I initially joined

to gain confidence in delivering presentations to management and other stakeholders

at work, I continue to benefit from my fortnightly meetings. Being able to think

clearly and on my feet, especially with respect to short notice speeches, is always a

useful skill to have. I believe practicing all the different speaking skills keeps me

sharp and attentive.

And then there is the fun and fellowship... I think I will be among the very many

Rostrum members that will stay in the organisation for life. A side to Rostrum which I

have always particularly enjoyed is the fun our members have during meetings. Ours

start early (7.30am to 8.30am) and after that one hour with my fellow speakers, I feel

energised and ready to take on the world.

Christmas with Club 35

There is always a lot of energy and fun at the Walkerville Rostrum meetings and the final get-together for the year before Christmas was even livelier.

The program centred around a Christmas theme and Carmel chose as her exercise on the Carol, Good King Wenceslas, to conduct the members in singing it. Later, President Peter led them in singing new words to other famous Carols.

Lily spoke about Silent Night and John told us about Santa and presented little gifts including a Certificate with three HO HO HOs on it.

The other hoeing was that of chocolates and everyone wore Santa hats. The group laughed their way through the hour. The photo is of Carmel conducting the team in her singalong.

Later, the members filed down to Jim’s café, ‘The Nest’ for more social interaction as is the fortnightly tradition. We send our goodbyes and looked forward to the Garden Party in January to welcome the new year.

The Club Barbie

This year, a member (in fact the President) decided to have a Garden Party at his home.  The eighteen who attended enjoyed a sumptuous lunch with plenty of nice drinks and lots of friendly small talk.  The group really enjoyed a perfect the day, except it was quite warm. If you are looking for more than just becoming a more persuasive speaker and would like to become part of a big, new family where everyone has fun and loves their membership, then come along to Walkerville Rostrum.  The photo is of the two BBQ stars, John and Peter.

Bad News for the Bard – Annual debate between Clubs 9 and 7

Clubs 7 & 9 debating teams & adjudicator

Club 9 hosted the annual debate for the Genders & Wishart Trophy with Club 7, and despite wonderful Shakespearian oratory was not able to retain said trophy.

Club 9 argued that “he Bard is Better than the Bart (Simpson)” but was narrowly defeated by the arguments of club 7.

Congratulations to club 7 represented by Nathan Rout-Pitt, Sebastian Szczepanski and Vincent Mraz!

Daniel McLean, Iqbal Maddakatel and Steve McClure performed well for Club 9 but were outpointed in the contest.

In the long running series, club 9 leads with only one more win than club 7, showing how evenly matched the contest is.

Club President Peter receiving the official charter document

On Wednesday 29 August, on a, sparkling, warm winter’s day, twenty-four Rostrum members and supporters gathered in friendship over lunch, to celebrate the official birth of the Walkerville Rostrum Club, Club 35 in the South Australian/Northern Territory Zone, with the affable Freeman Peter Martindale presiding.

The Walkerville Provisional Club meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at the Returned Servicemen’s League on Walkerville Terrace since the 5th April 2017, was being affiliated as the first lunch time Rostrum club to be founded in South Australia since Club 23 and Club 25 were started in 1979 and 1980. The provisional club had been established and nurtured by Freemen Peter Martindale, and Maureen and Patrick Bourke.

For one of the founding members, Freeman Patrick Bourke, there was a sense of déjà vu as he had been on the committee which started Club 23 of which he was the Foundation President, providing a link across the decades.

Founding Member John Pohl who had attended since the first meeting of the Provisional Club in April 2017 proposed a toast to Rostrum with wit and style, likening Rostrum to the additive, MSG. which improves flavour of food. It was, he said very appropriate to use the acronym for Rostrum, where it stood for Meeting, Speaking and Greeting. To improve the quality and flavour of our personal communication.

Heather - our inaugural CoachIn responding, Freeman Heather Layton, the Provisional Club’s first Coach, recalled that she, like so many members, had joined Rostrum with a view to being a member for two years, giving herself time to acquire confidence and skills she wanted to develop for her work. Twenty years later, having succumbed to the camaraderie, entertainment and interest of Rostrum meetings she now looked to many more years of membership.

Zone President, Freeman Rod Ellis, presented its Charter to the club and inducted 13 of the 17 members, (four being unable to attend because of work and family commitments.) Then departing from the Agenda, the Zone President presented Freemen Peter, Maureen and Patrick with bronze medallions in recognition of their endeavours in establishing the club.

The official program ended with a formal toast to the new Club by Carmel Westbrook, who relived her delighted surprise at the friendliness that enveloped her when she tentatively came to a meeting for the first time as a visitor. Graham Webster replied to the toast emphasising the place that the club had already made for itself in the Walkerville community and how much the Club had to offer.

A number of visitors spontaneously rose to complement the Club, and wish it well, before Freeman Peter Martindale closed the meeting and invited all who could to enjoy each other’s company informally for a while before leaving.