By Casey Neill
This was supposed to be a story about Joe Peluso retiring from the seniors club he set up 17 years ago.
But apparently the Noble Park North Multicultural Elderly Citizens Club couldn’t bear to let him go.
They threw him a retirement celebration at Jan Wilson Community Centre on Friday 17 February, complete with a giant cake, and convinced him to stay on past the June departure date he’d set.
“The people they don’t want me to go,” he said.
“If I go, the club will close down. It will close down for sure.”
Mr Peluso, 83, said he wanted to give it away because he was fed up with last-minute cancellations for the group’s functions.
It meets from noon to 4pm each Wednesday for cards and bingo and Friday for lunch.
He’s staying on one condition: “One week before, I will not receive any more phone calls to cancel.”
“I don’t want to lose money all the time,” he said.
Mr Peluso arrived in Australia aged 30 in March 1964. He’d never been to school and couldn’t speak English.
He made a go of it, and worked as a crane driver for 28 years.
“When I retired from work, I said ’I’ve got to do something for the older people’,” he said.
“I opened up the club here to help the people, to help the older people to have enjoyment.
“I started it with 50 people.
“I finished with nearly 200 people.
“It’s like a family.”
His wife, Angela, is on the club’s committee and has been involved since its inception.
“She followed me all the time,” Mr Peluso laughed.
Mrs Peluso replied: “You wanted me to come with you all the time!”
People from a wide range of countries attend the club, from Chile to Greece and beyond.
“Anyone can join,” Mr Peluso said.
“Everyone enjoys themselves.
“When I see the people are very happy, I’m happy too.”
