Bruce Toastmasters Club History
Bruce Toastmasters club, Club No. 7339, is a member of Toastmasters International in Area 17 of District 70 in Monaro Division, Australia.
The Club celebrated its 20th anniversary in March 2009, having been founded at the Canberra University on Wednesday 1 February 1989 and named the “Cocktail” Toastmasters club.
Charter Date: 1 March 1989
Kevin Norton, the club’s first president recalls the club’s foundation:
“When I was a member of Ginninderra Club I could not understand why there wasn’t a club at UC and Kippax. After all, ANU had two TM clubs. So when I was President of Ginninderra in 1988 we decided to allocate the third Speechcraft for the year to starting the club at UC. Jak Carroll who worked at the AIS attended one of the Ginninderra Speechcraft then undertook leadership of the course at UC. This was a deliberate lead into starting the new club.”
“Bryce Peddie heard I was initiating the club so asked if he could be a mentor and did an excellent job”
“At the meeting to launch the club, in addition to Bryce and the Nortons we had three people in attendance, one of whom we did not want because he had abused people at the Speechcraft sessions. Michele and I were sponsors and I was the first President. We finished the year with 33 members in Cocktail Toastmasters. The Head of the Communications School was very supportive of what we were doing and allowed John Cleland and myself to speak to one very large student class. The outstanding member of the Club in the first year was Karen Sellman, a brilliant VPE. A member of the first executive was Bulletin Editor Peter Newlinds of ABC sports fame.”
“In later years Mark Carmody of gardening fame was a member as you probably recall.”
Kevin Norton 6 February 2007
Club Presidents
- Year
- President
- 1988/89
- Kevin Norton 1, 2
- 1992/93
- Andrew Wirth 1
- 1993/94
- Graham Neal 1
- 1994/95
- Anne-Marie Amoyen “Enthusiasm with purpose”
- 1995/96
- John Channon “Building Confidence”
- 1996/97
- Janet Scott 1
- 1997/98
- Kevin Ranclaud 1
- 1998/99
- Graham Neal 1
- 1999/00
- Malcolm Potts
- 2000/01
- Frank Habraken
- 2001/02
- June Pedersen
- 2002/03
- Andrew Wirth 1
- 2003/04
- Ben Frohling
- 2004/05
- Kevin Ranclaud 1
- 2005/06
- Yvonne Daniell
- 2006/07
- Heather Thomas
- 2007/08
- Kevin Ranclaud
- 2008/09
- Michael McDonald
- 2009/10
- Andrew Wirth
1 Served or serving as Area 17 Governor
2 Served or serving as District 70 Governor
Club Contests
Evaluation Contest Trophy Donated by Guy de Cure
- Year
- 1st Place
- 1988/89
- Karen Sellman
- 1989/90
- Matthew Saddler
- 1990/91
- Kevin Norton
- 1991/92
- Andrew Wirth
- 1992/93
- Kevin Norton
- 1993/94
- Melanie Hutchinson
- 1994/95
- John Channon
- 1995/96
- Phil West
- 1996/97
- Sally Gowing
- 1998/99
- Kevin Ranclaud
- 2005/06
- Heather Thomas
- 2007/08
- Angela Greensill
- 2008/09
- Kevin Ranclaud 26-Nov-2008
Club Contests
International Speech Contest
- Year
- 1st Place
- 1992/93
- Anne-Marie Amoyen
- 1994/95
- Melanie Hutchinson
(represented Area 17 at Monaro Division contest) - 1995/96
- Gwyneth Beasley
6 March 1996 - 1998/99
- Graham Neal
February 1999 - 2006/07
- Kevin Ranclaud
- 2007/08
- Angela Greensill
- 2008/09
- Jenny Wright 26-Nov-2008
Club Contests
Humorous Speech Contest
- Year
- 1st Place
- 1988/89
- Georgina Windson
- 1989/90
- Kevin Norton
- 1990/91
- Andrew Wirth
- 1991/92
- Kevin Norton
- 1992/93
- Graham Neal
- 1993/94
- Melanie Hutchinson
- 1995/96
- Andrew Wirth
- 1996/97
- Darryl Bourke
- 1998/99
- Andrew Wirth
- 2007/08
- Heather Thomas
- 2008/09
- June 2008 Mike McDonald
Club Contests
Table Topics Contest
- Year
- 1st Place
- 1998/99
- 1999 Brian Beasley
- 2007/08
- July 2007 Heather Thomas
- 2008/09
- June 2008 Kevin Ranclaud
- 2009/10
- July 2009 Eileen Catanzariti
Club Contests
Tall Tales Contest
- Year
- 1st Place
- 1988/89
- Jack Carroll
- 1989/90
- Kevin Norton
- 1990/91
- Andrew Wirth
- 1991/92
- Ken Hogan
- 1992/93
- Melanie Hutchinson
- 1993/94
- Kevin Ranclaud
- 2006/07
- James Nation
- 2007/08
- Adriana Vanden Heuvel
Club Toastmaster of the Year
Toastmaster of the Year
- Year
- Toastmaster of the Year
- 1988/89
- Karen Sellman
- 1989/90
- Bryce Peddie
- 1990/91
- Andrew Wirth
- 1992/93
- Graham Neal
- 1993/94
- Anne-Marie Amoyen
- 1994/95
- Kevin Ranclaud
- 1996/97
- John Channon, Gwyneth Beasley
- 1997/98
- Andrew Wirth
- 1998/99
- Graham Neal
- 1999/00
- Kevin Ranclaud
- 2000/01
- Cassandra Plowman
- 2004/05
- Yvonne Daniell
- 2005/06
- Kevin Ranclaud
- 2006/07
- Heather Thomas
- 2007/08
- Kevin Ranclaud
- 2008/09
- Mike McDonald
Club Meeting Venues
University of Canberra conference rooms above the Refectory from formation to May 1996. Meeting room 2 was known as the “Clive Lucas” room. The club voted on a motion at the meeting held on 17 April 1996 to move the venue to Western Districts Rugby Union Club.
Western Districts Rugby Union Club, Jamison from 1 May 1996 to June 1998.
Current Venue: Belconnen Community Centre, corner of Chandler and Swanson Streets, Belconnen.
Bruce Club Speechcraft Courses
The club has conducted the courses consecutively from 1989 for the general community and corporate organizations.
- Year
- Course
- 1991/92
- Held at UC to October 1992.
- 1992/93
- Australian Institute of Sport September 1993.
Comsuper Retirement Benefits Office November 1993. - 1996/97
- February - March 1997
- 1997/98
- June 1998 Wests Rugby Club
- 1998/99
- March course cancelled
- 2002/03
- March
- 2004/05
- Community
- 2007/08
- August - September 2007 Community
- 2007/08
- February - March 2008 Community
Bruce Club Special Occasions
16 June 1993 Club’s “Grand Centenial” Meeting
The club held a special meeting at Belconnen Motor Inn, Hawker, to celebrate 100 meetings since the club’s formation in 1989.
Area 17 debates during 1993
These debating contests were conducted as a series of inter-club challenges in Area 17 and were held between 28 February 1993 and 11 September 1993. The Bruce club team consisted of Melanie “Mel” Hutchison, “swaggering” Andrew Wirth and Kevin Ranclaud. Bruce club hosted the combined final Debating contest and Area 17 Tall Tales contest on 20 November 1993 at the Belconnen Motor Inn, Hawker. Bruce club competed in and won the contest, defeating Ginninderra club.
30 December 1994 club “Wedding” Meeting
The club had a “Wedding” theme for its meeting with all attending taking the role of wedding participants and guests. This conveniently coincided with the real wedding of members Melanie Hutchinson and Stuart Meadley.
8 October 1995
Bruce club hosted the Monaro Humorous Speech and Evaluation contests at the ACT Rugby Club in Barton. Club president Anne-Marie Amoyen formed an organizing committee to plan and stage this important event. The theme was a twenty-first birthday to celebrate twenty one years of Toastmasters in Canberra.
20 March 1995 Canberra Day Bed Race
Canberra Day Bed Race. Club members Janet Scott, Darryl Bourke, Norman Meredith, Anne-Maree Amoyen and Lindi Bowen represented our club in this event which was part of the Canberra Day celebrations. The Bruce Club team was placed second in the race, narrowly missing out to the bellboys and chambermaids from the Hyatt Hotel Canberra. The event also raised money for the Canberra branch of Technical Aid for the Disabled.
11 April 1995 first Gungahlin Jumbunna Toastmasters club meeting
Bruce club sponsored the formation of Gungahlin Jumbunna club and publicised the new club in the local area. The new Gungahlin club held its first meeting on 11 April 1995.
20 January 1999 Club’s Tenth Anniversary meeting
The club celebrated the tenth anniversary of its founding at the club meeting on 20 January 1999. 25 members and guests were present at the meeting which featured a “speech marathon”. Many of these went on to dinner at the Turkish Pide House restaurant in Jamison.
7 February 2007 Club’s Eighteenth Anniversary meeting
The club celebrated its eighteenth birthday at the 7 February meeting. Club treasurer and former president Kevin Ranclaud proposed a toast to Bruce Toastmasters club. Club president Heather Thomas presented a chocolate birthday cake, baked by Heather’s husband Greg, to the club. We introduced our new timing lights to replace the club’s original set. Guests included Ianon Yusoff, from Benjamin club, Jenny Power, from TIF Training In Focus club, former members Hugh Trieu and Ben Frohling.
1 March 2009 Club's Twentieth Anniversary Celebration
The club celebrated its twentieth birthday on Sunday, 1st March with a barbeque lunch at Weston Park in Canberra. We were pleased to welcome members and long term friends, including Kevin and Michelle Norton and David Grantham, together with past and present Club members.
Updated by Webmaster Kevin 3 September 2009