The afternoon tea to end all afternoon teas
On a warm and sunny afternoon nearly 200 guests arrived for the reunion and afternoon tea. For a brief while the ballroom was filled with old friends re- establishing bonds and talking over their glorious past.
The guests both old and young flooded into the main foyer to be greeted by the club’s receptionist Maree, who had cheerfully put up her hand to front the reception table in the foyer, assisted by members Maria Cook and Denice Weaver in welcoming the guests.
Formalities were mercifully brief with Commodore John Midolo addressing the guests and MC Bernie Kaaks noting that visitors came from as far afield as Geraldton, Albany and Denmark with the closer country regions well represented.
The afternoon progressed with the afternoon tea buffet opening and the guests served by the club staff while the bar did a brisk trade for those who wanted something stronger than tea or coffee.
Amongst those gathered were the Howell, Spargo, Sampson and Wilson families, Lorraine Ellard, Gill Cuss (nee Metcher), Peta and David Locke, Lee Holst, Cherry Calcott, Betty Walsh (nee Granger), Colin and Judy Cowden, Edrick and Theresa Delfos from Geraldton, Madeleine Rennie and Len Randall. Former long time staff members Lee Ayles and Margaret Howson joined the party to sit and reminisce with members.
The afternoon closed with the numbers still fluctuating as sailors came up from the river, joining the party and the bar continued to jump well into the early evening, finishing as centreboard results had to be held in the members’ bar.
Many thanks to MC Bernie Kaaks; Researcher and Archive display, Amanda Watson; Garry Morrison for his general help and advice; and Rick Steuart who took care of most of the audio visual needs. Thanks also to Michael Ribaudo, the F&B manager and his staff for their care and attention on the day.
Finally, a dual plea from the Archive Research Team:
If any person reading this has the time to devote to archiving the material we have into a proper museum archive program, please step up! The work is time consuming but oh, so rewarding! Archivists at Royal Perth Yacht Club (Jon Readhead), Fremantle Sailing Club (Carolyn Jupp) and the Perth Dinghy Sailing Club have all shown what is possible. These clubs have histories stretching back more than a century and have much for their present membership to look back on. As we now approach that milestone, our task is to leave a similar legacy for members in 25 years from now.
We have amassed hundreds of photographs and items of memorabilia for the club archives. If you have old stuff lying around in drawers, milk crates, boxes, etc., please share them with us. If you want them back, we can arrange to scan or photograph them and return them to you.
THANK YOU!
Rick Steuart and Bernie Kaaks
