Probus celebrating 30 years of fellowship

Newest Probus member Vicki Downing and Foundation member Joan Loone share a welcome cuppa.

Photo by Mike Moores

By Hayley Manning

THE DELORAINE Ladies Probus Club held an action- packed morning of events in April to celebrate their 30th anniversary and launch a commemorative book of the Club’s history.

Foundation members Vonda Hardy, Helen Greene and Joan Loone, who were present at the inaugural meeting of the Ladies Probus at the Mountain View Motel on 6th April 1989, were given the honour of cutting the cake.

The Rotarians who conducted the meeting all those years ago – Paul Bowman, Athol Smith and Malcolm Taylor (apology) – attended the celebration as special guests, as did former foundation members Beverley Davis and Anne Haines.

Author of The Third Decade, Pauline Grey, thanked Rotary for their establishing support and continued assistance, but said the reason the club had survived for three decades was because of its members. ‘Loyal members who come week after week, year after year,’ she said.

‘I have a theory that if thirty Probus women had been tasked with designing and rolling out the NBN, it would be up and running all over Australia and it would work – all the time!’

Probus began in the 1960s as a social club for retired businessmen in the UK, but under parent body Probus South Pacific Ltd, it has developed into mixed and single gender clubs in 23 countries worldwide.

Over 3000 active members of the Probus family in Tasmania share: ‘Friendship, Fellowship and Fun’ in a social club that gives retired people ‘a new lease of life’ through monthly meetings, knowledgeable guest speakers, local outings and interstate travel.

Pauline thanked Council for a $500 donation towards catering and printing costs and Type It Copy It for printing the book.