Committee For Lorne: Lorne Bowls Club Community Cup – Another great event in Lorne

Over the month of September the Lorne Bowls Club conducted the fourth President’s Community Cup, sponsored by the Bendigo Community Bank.

The Club is extremely grateful to the bank not only for the funds to stage this three week event, but for the overall level of support that it gives to many organisations in the Lorne Community and the wider district. Smaller rural bowls clubs do find it difficult to gain business support. In Lorne we are very fortunate not only to have the Bendigo Community Bank’s support, but also that of the Great Ocean Road Real Estate (our major sponsor) and the newly gained support of Live Wire Park.

This year the event attracted a record level of participation, in fact in its current format we were unable to have any more community members participate and registrations were received with minimal effort from the club organisers. The main purpose of the event is to introduce the sport of lawn bowls to a wider audience, in turn encouraging increased community engagement and providing another way to have fun.

Each team contained at least one non-pennant player. However, many teams had two novices and two teams were totally comprised of non-bowlers. For example: Paki Henry, Jack Ngatai, James Harding and John Pene formed a team called “Hi Marks” that did not win a match, but they had a great time, tried hard and really enjoyed playing the game. Another team led by Robert Staley rotated new bowlers from three others – Will Butler, Marie Modrego and Pablo Aldabalde. Called “Ye Olde Bowlers” they won games and had a higher overall score than another team that I shall not mention! The number of young bowlers participating highlighted to me one of the great strengths of lawn bowls – it is a sport that at all levels can be intergenerational.

Photo of winners

Cr. Clive Goldsworthy presented the prizes on the final night and pictured with him is the winning team of Sam Coulson, John Langdon and Tim Foord. The winning team not only collected the cup, but also $450 for first prize. They bowled very well over the three Wednesdays, winning five and drawing one game. Their aggregate score of 139 points was well ahead of the second placed team of Jeff Woolley, Jeff Reddie and Toby Johnson who scored 125 points, followed in third place by Steve Donne, Sheryl Donne and Karen Turner scoring 117 points. Three additional teams won a nightly prize of $150.

I wish to thank Steve Donne and Jeff Woolley who assisted me with the running of the event, Luke Morgan who gave generously of his time to cater for the final night and to the members of the Lorne Community whose support has now ensured the ongoing placement of the event in the town’s sporting and social calendar.

Gary Allen
President
Lorne Bowls Club