Rail trail friendship walk celebrates seniors

The Leopold Probus Club will host a friendship walk along the Bellarine Rail Trail next month to help celebrate Geelong Seniors Week.

The sociable group is inviting others to join them on October 10 for a walk between Kensington Road to Christies Road (or beyond), followed by a barbecue lunch.

Registration is at Leopold Sportsmans Club (rear carpark) at 10.30am and cost is a gold coin donation.

For the past six years, members of the Leopold Probus Club have been meeting on a Tuesday morning to walk the rail trail before enjoying a coffee at McDonald’s.

Co-ordinator Joan Pardoe said about 15 members participated in the walk each week, with a record number of 22 during summer.

“We enjoy the company, and socially it’s fabulous, it’s the best group in the Probus – well, we reckon it is!

“We walk a different section of the rail trail every month and then meet for coffee afterwards at McDonald’s, and anyone who can’t walk just meets us there, so we are quite a big crowd.”

Joan said Probus members walked for about three kilometres each Tuesday, and in rain, hail or shine.

“The walking group is good because we don’t say ‘it’s raining so we can’t walk’, we only had one wet day when we couldn’t walk and that’s because there was a thunderstorm, but we just went to Maccas instead, and they always know we are coming!”

While walks are only for members of the Leopold Probus Club, Joan said they had accrued a few newbies over the years who just joined to take part in the walking group.

On October 2, 9, 16 and 30, the Tuesday walking group will meet at Gateway Plaza (near McDonald’s) and walk down Melaluka Road, then along the Rail Trail for a short distance before returning.

Walks start at 9am and then members join afterwards for coffee at McDonald’s around 10am.

For more information on the Friendship Rail Trail Walk or the Leopold Probus Club, phone Ken Flavell on 0414 372 401.