THERE was a time when indoor bowlers converged at the Dandenong Town Hall to pit their skills against each other.
John Crichton recalls happy times at the town hall (now the Drum Theatre). John, who has played a major role in many Dandenong organisations, can turn back the clock to the time he was a lolly boy at matinees at the Boomerang Theatre in Thomas Street.
The Dandenong Indoor Bowls Association had 13 teams in its competition and members met in the town hall to play.
“The team having the bye in the first round would prepare the supper, and the team with the second bye would do the washing up and put the crockery away,” John said.
“It was a team effort. When I started playing Jim Smith was the president. Roy Williams, a railway man, was secretary/treasurer, and when they retired from office Gordon Saunders took over the president’s role and I became the secretary/treasurer.”
Some of the teams were the Mums and Dads, Anglers and Parkfield (the Lucas family) and CYMs. Can any of our seniors remember the bowlers and the organisations they represented?
Hole in one for charity
Greater Dandenong businesses are to be congratulated on raising more than $40,000 at the third annual Take a Swing for Charity golf day earlier this year.
The money will support a very worthy cause: the Royal District Nursing Service’s Dandenong-based homeless program.
The joy of helping others
If it were not for the hand of help extended by thousands of volunteers, many of our vital organisations would be unable to function.
One shining example of this help is the Rotary Club of Dandenong, which has a new eight-burner barbecue and trailer that will help with catering for community fund-raising functions.
The club is proud of its community work record and achievements over the years, and justly so. It has supported the Homes for the Aged in Dandenong, the formation of the Apex, Probus and Ladies Probus clubs in Dandenong, instigated the Gateway Centre and continued its support of Dandenong Hospital.
On May 16, as part of Volunteers Week, the City of Greater Dandenong, with the Dandenong Volunteer Resource Group, hosted an awards ceremony to highlight the work done by volunteers.
About 270 people volunteer directly with the council. More volunteers are needed to help with Meals on Wheels services, guide visitors at Heritage Hill, deliver library books to homes, help with homework, act as council ambassador, prepare food, sit on a music network committee, assist a playgroup, mentor learner drivers, and do administration and gardening tasks.
For more information, call 9239 5335 or log on to greaterdandenong.com.
Do you have a milestone, memory or question for Marg? Email marg@yourweekly.com.au or post submissions to A moment with Marg, c/o Greater Dandenong Weekly, PO Box 318, Dandenong 3175.
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