Aiming for top at 81

An octogenarian is breaking down barriers and paving new pathways. Hawera's Daphne Keighley is the New Zealand Savage Club's first dominion executive, gaining the hot seat at a recent national annual meeting. Keighley has her eyes on the presidential badge and estimates that she should be the country's first woman to make it to the top. It has been her goal since 1975 - long before women were even allowed to be members of the group. "It'll be great if I can," she said. Keighley's husband George, now deceased, was rangatira (Taranaki-wide president) from 1976-77 and dominion president (New Zealand-wide) from 1990 to 1992. Not wanting to miss out on all the fun, Keighley and some of the other wives of Savage Club members had formed their own Wahine Club in 1975. Based on the same principles of performance, fellowship and charitable works, the Wahine met every month for 25 years. In 2001 they disbanded; the Savage Club had changed its policy to allow women to join during the 1990s and Keighley felt it was her time to shine. She joined both Hawera and Eltham's Savage Clubs and worked her way through the ranks. In 2009 she became Taranaki's first female rangatira, an office she held until 2012. As dominion executive, the 81-year-old has to work her way through junior vice-president and senior vice-president roles before she can take her place as the country's first female Savage Club lead. Keighley said she should be on track to take office when she is 88 years old. "It takes you about six years or so, you've got to work yourself up," she said. But she has never shied away from the work it takes. The friendship, opportunities to perform, and the chance to be a part of something special have always drawn her towards the Savage Clubs' structure. - Taranaki http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/10433396/Aiming-for-top-at-81 PETRA FINER PETRA.FINER@DAILYNEWS.CO.NZ Last updated 11:33 28/08/2014