Engineers Club
Memoir - Part II
The revitalised
Engineers Club
By William Bapire
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The second Engineers Toastmasters Club 02355273 was chartered on 30 June 2012 by founding members Emmanuel Lisapo CC,ALB and William Bapire ACS,ALB – who were surviving members
from the previous Engineers Toastmasters Club. The club was birthed after a consensus that the Engineers Toastmasters Club brand was a brand worth reviving. The new club was sponsored by Kizito
Madzura DTM and Edmore Gamundani DTM. It was mentored by Justice Udzembwe ACS, ALS. The first
charter member to join was Maria Mugabe. Yes Maria, wife of the current district 74 champion of public
speaking in southern Africa, Lloyd Mugabe. The first club president was Emmanuel Lisapo CC, ALB.
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Achievements of the club thus far include producing winners of the following contests: *ZIMCON
Area A1 Evaluation speech contest 2013 - Emmanuel Lisapo, *Division A Evaluation Speech Contest 2013 –
Emmanuel Lisapo *Receiving the ‘Beat the Clock Award’ as Engineers in June 2014 *Achieved Select Distinguished Club Status as at 30 June 2013 *Achieving President’s Distinguished Club Status as at 30 June 2014.
Uniqueness
of the Club
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After re-chartering the target group was broadened
to accommodate all professionals
The club rebranded to focus on precision in commu
nication and leadership.
Engineers Toastmasters Club was not in competition with other clubs. It sought to become
the best of it’s true self and still does. It endeavoured not to replicate other clubs but to curve
a unique identity. The question was consistently asked ‘Why conform to what other clubs
are doing? Why not do what has not been done before as a club?’ Hence Engineers Toastmasters Club scored a number of firsts some of which were then adopted by other clubs:
* first club in the area to show word of the evening, taboo words and DCP points dash board
on meeting agenda – in line with the club brand of ‘precision in communication’
* first club in the area to have induction ceremonies for new members *first club in post Zim
dollar era to invite guest speakers like Milton Kamwendo CC etc.
* first club to revert back to meeting in the CBD when all clubs were meeting outside the
CBD due to costs.
* first in Zimbabwe to purchase branded equipment bearing new toastmasters logo
(lectern, banner, and club sign).