Page 96 - Friendships Through the Years

months. Of course, the motion was carried. At the March 1994 meeting, Jack Coffey
moved and John Hill seconded a motion, which was carried, that a sum of $120 be
donated to the Atheneum Theatre Trust. Inflation?
nd
The planned trip to Gellibrand Park on Wednesday 22 September was cancelled
as a bridge in the area was washed out, so, instead of a coach trip, a car trip to Silvan
Dam for a barbecue picnic was organized.
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Our 114 General meeting at the Theatre on Thursday 11 November 1993
commenced half an hour earlier at 9.30 a.m. due to a remembrance service at the original
Honour Board at the Theatre. The Shire President, Cr.Gis Marven conducted the service
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with representatives of the Lilydale R.S.L. This commemorated the 75 anniversary of
the Armistice of 1918.
Carl Adamson reported upon the M.O.E.R. meeting, which he attended as a
delegate, and said that there were then 21 Clubs affiliated. Jack and Aileen Coffey
celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary whilst they were away “up North”. Martin
Taylor spoke regarding the proposed formation by the Rotary Club of Lilydale of a
Probus Club at Mooroolbark. An important motion that was carried at the February 1994
meeting brought great benefits to the Club and it’s members. This motion was moved by
Jack Coffey and seconded by Denis Smith: that in future, the Club also meet in January
each year.
One of the three visitors at the April 1994 meeting was Bill Spiers, a Probian from
Scotland. At that meeting Jack Coffey reported upon an excellent picnic outing at the
Silvan Dam with the M.O.E.R. Association.
Vice President Arthur Geary took over the chair at the May meeting. Arthur
congratulated Frank Pollock upon receiving a Life membership award from the Royal
Victorian Institute for the Blind for his “Talking Books ” efforts over the years. Arthur
also congratulated Past President Jack Coffey on being inducted as President of the Outer
Eastern Region Association (M.O.E.R.) for the forthcoming year.
At the June meeting, President Harry presented our “caterer”, Jack C offey with
his “Badge of Office” and a recipe book. Harry also presented Russell Johnson and Geoff
Page with Probus certificates for outstanding service to Probus clubs generally and to the
Probus Club of Lilydale Inc. in particular.
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Also at the June meeting, Bert Walker reported on the 7 annual picnic day at the
Yarra Glen race meeting on 12th of May. He said: “there were 15 starters, lots of
scratchings, Ladies Maiden Handicap, winners were scarce. Keith McLennan, the only
winner with the assistance of a lady jockey, whom he fancied!”
The guest speakers at the March 1994 meeting were Carole Parkinson and Dianne
Cremean (Les Wanstall’s daughter). Their subject was “Better Hearing”. A Mrs. Brett,
who, with Carole, has “Bionic” hearing, accompanied them. Any Probus group obviously
has a fairly large percentage of members with some degree of hearing difficulties, and
our Club is no different, and this was shown by the large number of questions during the
talk and afterwards. In Chapter 10, Les Wanstall mentioned how proud he was when his
daughter, Dianne, was the guest speaker. Other interesting speakers were Mr.Wilson Barr
whose subject was the Royal Flying Doctor Service; Sandy Khan talking about the Dykes
of Holland. Brenda Cawte, who is a member of the Ladies Probus Club of Lilydale and is
also a member of the Royal District Nursing Service, spoke about her memories of the
Nursing service. Jenny Bruschen from CSIRO spoke on ‘The sneezing season’. The last