15 March 1996 Toastmasters trophy back on campus

The Opal Trophy is back with Lincoln Toastmasters after doing the rounds of the Pegasus and Oaklands clubs.

Competed for among the three clubs since 1994, the trophy was first held by Lincoln but every four months or so it is put up for challenge by the holding club, which nominates the topic and hosts the competition. Lincoln lost it first time up and it has only now returned to the campus.

The Lincoln team of Debby Hutchison, Alison Lister and Helen Watt won it back for Lincoln in a competition based on "interpretive reading". There were teams of three from each of the clubs and also three judges from each club. The competitors all gave readings of three to four minutes with humorous, dramatic and other pieces in a wide range of styles covered.

The Opal Trophy – acronym for Oaklands, Pegasus and Lincoln – is in the form of a toko toko (talking stick) resting on a waka. It was carved by Lincoln University's Centre for Maori Studies and Research and symbolises the communication necessary not only in Toastmasters but in the world, as well as the travelling which is part of Toastmasters and life today.

Lincoln team members (from left) Alison Lister, Debby Hutchison and Helen Watt are pictured here with the trophy.

The Community Diary. Produced by The Community Relations Centre, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand