Call for Nominations for the Position of President of the Old Edwardian Society

The ever dynamic Richard McEvoy (president 2015 - 2017).

At Old Edwardian Society's AGM held on 11 December 2017 important changes were made to the Constitution in respect of the position of the Society's President.

The most important change is that the requirements needed by the candidate have been changed in order to allow a greater number of members to be eligible to hold this position.

As a result, the President of the Society now only needs to:

• Be a member of good standing of the Society of not less than five years of consecutive membership if a past pupil of King Edward VII Schools, or 
• Be a member of good standing of the Society of not less than ten years of consecutive membership if not a past pupil of King Edward VII Schools.

Since the manner of electing the President has largely remained unchanged, in that an electoral college consisting of the Executive Committee of the Society and the Chairpersons of the Sub-Clubs of the Society elects the President from nominations received from the Society, the Executive hereby requests members of the Society to submit nominations to the Administrator (mwoldeds@mweb.co.za) by no later than 17H00 on Tuesday, 23 January 2018.

Please note that all nominations must be accompanied by a letter of acceptance as signed by the nominee.

All members, should however note that no person may accept nomination or appointment as the President if to his knowledge he is ineligible or disqualified from being a director of companies in terms of section 69 (8) of the Companies Act No. 71 of 2008.

Please be mindful that when nominating the President of the Society the following should be considered (not limited to); 

• Conduct oneself fitting of such an Honour
• Attendance of all monthly Executive Meetings
• Attendance of all monthly Sub Club Meetings
• Be an active member on the Society Executive
• Attendance of all ceremonial and general Society and Sub Club functions and events
• Present an annual report at the Society Annual General Meeting
• Attendance of the Society Traditions Committee meetings  
• Attendance of all ceremonial King Edward VII Preparatory (KEPS) and King Edward VII School (KES) functions and events

• Laying of the Society wreath at the School’s annual Armistice memorial service held at the School Cenotaph
• Attendance of all King Edward Educational Trust (KEET) quarterly meetings held at the School
• Represent the Society at KEET functions and events

A tribute to Sylvia Webster

Sylvia Webster held high by fellow team mates (from the left) Butinyana Mothibedi, Don Malambe, Samuel Pule, Petrus Mqoshekile, and Gregory Kupczyk in the Crown Room.

The memorial service for Sylvia Webster was held in the Round Table Room, Old Edwardian Society, 11 Ninth Ave., Lower Houghton on Saturday, 28 January 2017 at 14H00. Many of the Society's faithful ere there such as Celia Niederhoffer, Richard McEvoy, Neil Darroch, Pat Cotter, Peter Haydock, Tutty Faber, Gareth 'Tails' Taylor, Aidan Smale, Jason Batzofin, David Webster and Colin Webster.
The catering was exceptional and the event indeed was a celebration of Sylvia's life.

Sylvia Webster was one of the great unsung heroes of Mind Sports South Africa and an Old Edwardian since 1984.

Few knew that Sylvia, was part of the first Morabaraba team to ever officially represent South Africa. Such team attended TAFISA's 2nd World Sport for All Festival in Bangkok, Thailand. The team was one of the most successful teams ever having won gold.

The team also turned heads and attracted huge amounts  of supporters when the team demonstrated the game and handed out free samples of the game. Such was the interest shown, that extra police had  to be deployed to control the crowds.

Yet Sylvia was not deterred.

Even though Sylvia was diminutive in stature, Sylvia had the heart of a lioness.

Little, if anything scared her.

Even though Sylvia was a formidable Morabaraba player (which Sylvia credited to her degree in Mathematics), Sylvia was drawn into helping administrate MSSA itself.

However, Sylvia never sought elected position. Sylvia was ever happy to work behind the scenes ensuring that events went off smoothly.

Without Sylvia's help and expertise, MSSA would never have been able to have hosted 5 out of the 6 world championships hosted by MSSA. Such championships in which Sylvia was involved were those held in 1997, 1999, 2002, 2007, and 2012.

Sylvia's contribution to the Checkers test match between Hugh Devlin (of Ireland) and Lubabalo Kondlo (of South Africa) in May 2001 was truly phenomenal. Little, if anything, was too much trouble.

Sylvia too threw her heart-and-soul into SK Gaming's visit in 2008. Nothing was too good for 'her' Swedes and she treated them royally.

Through her efforts, Sylvia built up a world-wide network of friends, all of whom she loved dearly.

Sylvia tackled all her problems head-on in her quiet unassuming manner. She kept all her successes and hardships private. All except for her ultimate joy in life, her son, his wife and their son. David, Kelly, and Cooper were her life. Of them, Sylvia would  speak often and with much love.

With Sylvia's passing the world has become colder place, but her spirit will remain as bright and cheerful as ever, and Sylvia, although having gone too soon, will remain forever young.

Sylvia Webster at IWF's 1999 World Championships Award Dinner in The Castle, Cape Town.