By Tanya Steele
The Probus Club of Lilydale Inc will celebrate 40 years on 2 June with a birthday celebration luncheon on the organisation’s Foundation Day, at Fortnums Restaurant in Sassafras.
President Rhonda Watson has been a member with her husband David for 23 years.
“It’s been an absolutely wonderful thing,” she said.
The core values of the Probus movement are fun, friendship and fellowship and Ms Watson said the committee works hard to plan interesting guest speakers and activities.
Probus members meet at the Lilydale Lake Community Hall on the second Thursday of the month and have morning tea and listen to an invited guest speaker.
This is usually followed by lunch at a local venue afterwards is then a time to further catch up with friends.
The Probus Club of Lilydale was originally formed on 2 June 1983 with a membership of 23 men, at that time the Club was formed of male members only with the ladies invited to attend meetings and outings as guests.
In 2013 the club changed its rules and welcomed ladies as full members.
Probus began originally in the UK at Welwyn Garden City, 33km from London, with the amalgamation of two community based social clubs in the 1960s.
Both clubs realised they had the same social and intellectual needs of retired business men, the inevitable happened, Probus was born.
Bill Molyneaux, a long time member said as far he knows Probus has became the fastest growing Club of its type in the world.”
“Our Club was the 16th club to be formed in Victoria in 1983 and 169th in Australia,” he said.
Ms Watson said she enjoys planning and organising the annual Probus holiday with Mr Watson, the 2023 trip was a five day break to Benalla.
“We look for activities that are outside the normal tourist list,” she said.
The Samaria Rose Farm was popular with the trip attendees this year, they were able to learn about Damask roses and distilling the petals into rose products.
“We really enjoyed it as something quite different, we were able to view the stainless steel cylinders where they put the rose petals, which then develop into rose water and rose oil,” she said.
The first President was Stan Moser from 1983 to 1984, from 1987-1988 Brian Walsh took a stint in the role and is now the club’s longest serving member.
Members take turns within the various roles in the organisation.
The Probus also has an almoner, which means they have someone who will ring and check on members if they are experiencing illness or have been away.
“It’s very important for our members to receive that phone call, it passes a little time for them and means they have someone who is touching base with them,” Ms Watson said.
The club now has a combined membership of about 75 people and is always welcoming to new members.
The 40th Luncheon promises to be a delicious affair with a two course lunch with birthday cake and dessert.
“It will be very nice, I’m very much looking forward to it,” Ms Watson said.
If anyone is interested in visiting or joining the Probus Club of Lilydale, please contact the President, Rhonda Watson 0432404711 or Secretary, Karen Kearney 0467360798 for further information.
