Fonds 161 - Yellowknife Toastmistress Club fonds

The Yellowknife Toastmistress Club was established in 1968 as a local club (charter No. 1798) in Council 6, Glacier Region of the International Toastmistress Club (ITC). Founder of the Club, Jane McAskill, had previously been a member of the Canadian Summit and Edmonton Toastmistress Clubs and served as the Club’s first President until elections were held in December 1968.

ITC’s objectives, adopted by the local club, included improving members through study, practice in conversation, speech, group leadership, and analytical thinking; fostering a better appreciation of public speaking; and stimulating community service and responsible citizenship. The Club’s elected officers included a President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Club Representative, who each held office for a term of six months.

Executive members from 1968 to 1972 included: Margaret Robinson, Jean Hodgkinson, Viama Pohlak, Ruth Smith, Marvel Barton, Judy Zimmerman, Joy Pearson, Didi Woolgar, Trudy Verhappen, Goldie Lowell, Ann deWeerdt, Pat Nikiforow, Christel Kwaterowsky, Cathie Monroe, Jackie Heileson, Ann Campbell, Geneva Richardson, Jo MacQuarrie, Adina Penner, Elaine Kasteel, Margot Koepke, Betty Thomas, Christine Legagneur, and Catherine Lovell.

Until 1972, Club met on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at the Yellowknife Public School. Besides their regular meetings, the Club also hosted occasional dinner meetings, speech contents for their members, and workshops and seminars. During the NWT Centennial Year, they also sponsored trophies for the winners of Centennial Speech Contests at Yellowknife Public School and St. Patrick High School.

By the end of 1973, several members had left the community and the club appears to have almost entirely ceased operations. According to a former member, the remaining members were folded into the local Toastmasters Club.