Committee For Lorne: A word from the Chairman – October 25, 2018

What a week it’s been in Lorne with the mercury getting close to 30 for the first time on Monday past and then reminding us that it’s not quite summer yet as the week rolled on. It’s a great time of the year in the lead up to Christmas as the weather continues to improve, we have more hours of daylight and we can enjoy our town intimately before the arrival of our summer visitors.

While you have the chance, a visit to the current exhibition – Lorne’s Fishy Tales – at the Lorne Historical Society is an absolute must. The fishing industry was such a vibrant and rugged chapter of Lorne’s colourful past and a legacy that we must preserve forever. Head down to the Lorne Historical Society on a Friday or Sunday before noon to check it out.

There are so many stories over so many years that can be shared about the industry which, along with logging, was the lifeblood to our town. My favorite remains well documented and presented in a framed article at the Lorne Aquatic and Angling Club of the day the Norton brothers Couta boat was sunk by a white pointer shark in Louttit Bay – what’s yours?

Those that read this column will know that I am a “glass half full” type of person and positivity plays a major role in the values that I aspire to achieve, sometimes to the criticism of others – but that’s OK. At times I’ve received comments how readers enjoy the same “up beat” views in the way I share the experiences of Lorne, and that’s great – but more than anything it’s real!

There was no better reinforcement of this than a social media post that I was alerted to earlier this week and I wanted to share it with you word for word and it went like this.

“Hi, I am posting to express my gratitude and appreciation for the welcome I have received from members of the Lorne Bowls club. You couldn’t find a nicer, kinder or more patient group of people; even when my bowl went in the wrong direction onto another lane and my hat flew off my head across the green during my first pennant game. My team lost surprise, surprise.

I have had a pretty tough and lonely few years and being a member of a group such as this has helped me more than I can say, thank you so much – Dory Hompas”.

Absolute gold and at the core of living in this town are the feelings that Dory was kind enough to share and others lucky enough to experience. Thank you Dory and may your first pennant win not be too far away.

Ian Stewart
Chairman – Committee for Lorne