AN AMERICANA IN SAGINAW TOASTMASTERS CLUB

Saginaw Harvey Spaulding Toastmasters Club 781 owns a piece of American memorabilia worthy of the Smithsonian’s curator’s envy. This historical piece of Americana is neither for transfer nor for sale. The club owns a dedicated and autographed 50 states flag by the flag’s designer.

The flag was donated to the club by its official designer, Robert G. Heft who was a Toastmaster and member of Club 781 until his death in December 2009.

The 50 star flag was designed by Bob Heft in 1958 as a class project at this junior year in high-school. On November 19, 1958 the Secretary of Defense for President Eisenhower introduced the new flag to the President during a cabinet meeting. Then the flag was then officially approved by the cabinet and the president.

Bob Heft designed and copyrighted American Flags with 51 and up to 60 stars. As the flag designer Bob Heft was invited to visit the White House 14 times and met with 9 US presidents.

In Saginaw Harvey Spaulding Toastmasters Club 781, Bob was the official Club Timer. Once a year he delivered a commemorative historical speech on his life-time experiences as the flag’s designer. I attended the last of his speeches in a club meeting in 2009.