Community clubs celebrate decades of service

TWO community organisations have celebrated separate milestones this week in recognition of their tireless work in the Surf Coast community.

The Rotary Club of Torquay celebrated 30 years of service at Bellbrae Estate on Saturday evening with 100 past and present members, while the Anglesea Lions Club acknowledged its 50th anniversary on Monday night at the Anglesea Hotel.

The 39th anniversary of the Anglesea Lioness Club was also celebrated.

Past Rotary Club of Torquay president Greg Plumridge said the evening at Bellbrae Estate was a fantastic success and a wonderful trip down memory lane.

“It was a great celebration of the people and extended family of the club getting together a lot of memories. We’ve got a photo archive and slide shows of photos covering 30 years,” he said.

“A lot of the people that were initially involved in the charter of the club were present. It was good to have people still involved from 30 years ago.”

The Anglesea Lions had Betty Butterworth, 90, wife of “Lion Brian” Butterworth, a founding member of the Anglesea Lions, as the evening’s guest speaker.

She recounted the early days of the Lions Club in Anglesea and gave an insight into the early activities of the Lions.

For more on the respective celebrations, click here.