Seniors on lookout

By Shaun Inguanzo
EDRIS Dorrity was once Springvale’s most renowned lollipop lady, helping others safely reach their destination.
But now the 68-year-old is appealing to the older members of Greater Dandenong’s community to help the Dandenong North Seniors Club bolster membership numbers – and having fun and keeping a healthy mind.
Ms Dorrity said her 18 years as a lollipop lady along Springvale Road, near Clarke Road, between 1975 and 1993 gave her many happy days. But after retiring from her passion, Ms Dorrity turned to the Dandenong North Seniors Club, of which she is president.
The club hosts a plethora of activities, from card games to indoor bowls for an annual membership fee of $3 and an extra $1 fee for each activity, including line dancing, bingo, board games and even trips interstate.
Ms Dorrity, who lost her husband to cancer in 1983, joined the club 10 years ago. She has not looked back since.
“The best thing that ever happened to me was joining this club,” she said. “It’s getting you out with people your own age, so you can form a community with those people.
“You’re also getting out and moving, which is important.”
But Mrs Dorrity said membership numbers were beginning to dwindle as older members passed away and not enough new members filled the gaps.
“We have about 300 members on the books but a lot of them are dwindling away into nursing homes and hostels,” Mrs Dorrity said. “Ten years ago we were getting about 60 people in on a Monday (for bingo) and 60 on a Thursday. Now we are lucky if we get 40 to either.”
Mrs Dorrity said the club was affordable and sociable.
“We had a sausage sizzle at our hall on Melbourne Cup Day and we had 50 people there,” she said.
“They had sausages, salad and then different people made sweets like cakes and slices, and everyone was only charged $3 for the whole day.”
To join the club ring 9793 3080.