by David Winkowski SR1 Area 51 Director

On April 28, 1945, Wichita Falls was a growing community, firmly rooted in the cattle and oil industries.  One man, Lewis E. Thompkins, had a desire to bring greater opportunity to the people of the area.  Good communication skills were at the core of this dream, so he started a Toastmasters club in Wichita Falls.  The rest is history.

Fast forward to April 28, 2022, 77 years to the day, the oldest club in Texas, Wichita Falls Club 305 celebrated its 77^th anniversary!  The event was spectacular, centering around a trip through the decades.  As Toastmaster, Marvin Bailey started off with the 1940s, and different club members walked us through the years – putting into perspective what those 77 years meant in history – the events that shaped our culture and our lives. We were reminded of the words of Martin Luther King, Neil Armstrong, and others. This club has been around through it all.

Thank you to all of the wonderful members at Wichita Falls Club 305 for an entertaining and informative celebration.  A special thanks goes to their President, Katie Britt, for her strong club leadership and to Richard Brown, DTM for his wisdom and guidance.  Also, a special thanks to their VP Education Jennifer Dunn, VP Membership Brandon Savell, VP Public Relations Kyle Gordon, Secretary Keyla Ahow, Treasurer David Ruhe, and Sergeant at Arms Marvin Bailey for their work organizing this special event.  Additional thanks to Marvin Bailey for providing historical information for this article.