On Thursday the 5th of July 1962, four members of the Mooroopna community met with John Stewart, Keith Furze, Peter Mountjoy and Phil Banfield of the Apex Club of Shepparton. They were John Watt, Don Murdock, Tony Bullen and Geoff Martin. We met in the CBA Bank (which is now the old Westpac Bank) after hearing about Apex and it’s aims, it was decided to hold a meeting on Tuesday the 17th of July at the offices of Ardmona Fruit Products.
From Mooroopna were — Andrew Vaivars, Lloyd Tremellen, Max Hall, Geoff Hill, Kevin Trudgen, Robert Agnew, David Lane, Ian Russell, Ian Peeler and Jim Douglass. This again led to a further meeting held in the old Fire Station in McLennan Street on Tuesday 31st July.
Tony Bullen, Lloyd Tremellen, Robert Agnew, David Lane, Ian Russell, Ian Peeler, Jim Douglass, Wally Buchelli, Gordon Stewart, Luigi D’Amore, Alec Trotter, Bill Spears, John Towers, Geoff Martin, John McKenzie and Don Murdock were in attendance. It was at this meeting that it was decided to hold a Public Meeting on Tuesday August 28th at the Mechanics hall to form an Apex Club in Mooroopna.
Sixteen people from Mooroopna were in attendance and following speeches about Apex by members of the Apex Club of Shepparton it was moved by John Towers and seconded by Gordon Stewart that The Apex Club of Mooroopna be formed. Elections were then held and the following positions filled.
President John Towers
Secretary Geoff Martin
Treasurer Don Murdock
Board Members Lloyd Tremellen and Jim Douglass
Meetings were to be held on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month with the first Dinner Meeting to held at the Royal Mail Hotel on Tuesday 18th of September 1962 @ a cost of 10/- or $1 per head.
Those from Mooroopna were — Ron White, Gordon Stewart, Wally Buchelli, Lloyd Tremellen, Andrew Vaivars, Jim Douglass, Geoff Martin, John Towers, Max Pell, John McKenzie, Don Murdock, Bill Watters, Luigi D ‘Amore, Peter Gorman, John Gray and Reg Wells.
During the weekend of October 6th & 7th 1962, Mooroopna was represented by two observers at the Bendigo Zone 7 Convention. John Towers and Geoff Martin. An amusing sidelight was Geoff’s dozing off several tidies during proceedings to be awoken by the heavy tread of the Sergeant-at-Arms. This led to Shepparton’s famous or infamous agenda item that Sergeant-at-Arms at all conventions wear soft soled shoes.
Also in the month of October 1962 we saw Apexians becoming involved with outside organizations by the election of Jim Douglass and Don Murdock onto the Swimming Pool Management Committee. Later in May 1963, Andrew Vaivars and Luigi D’Amore became Secretary and Treasurer of the Save the Children Fund.
The Inaugural Dinner of the Apex Club of Mooroopna was held on Friday November 9th 1962 at the Royal Mail Hotel. This was attended by the Shire President Cr Youlden, Zone President Geoff Anderson and District Governor Syd Hill was the Chairman.
The first Board of the Club was —
President – John Towers Sergeant at Arms – Luigi D ‘Amore
Secretary – Geoff Martin Dinner Notice – Gordon Stewart
Treasurer – Don Murdock Commissariat – Tony Bullen
Service – Jim Douglass Social – Leo Lawler
Programs – Lloyd Tremellen Publicity – Kevin Trudgen
Debating – Andrew Vaivars Inter Club Visiting – Phil Banfield
With the Inauguration of the Club, new members could only be admitted by ballot and at the Board meeting on December 18th 1962 Eric Timm and Alan Beare were both elected. On January 15th, 1963 President John carried out the first induction ceremony when Eric Timm was inducted into the Club.
In March 1963 following two suggestions by Rev. Stephens of the Methodist Church, Sub Committees were elected to investigate Rodney’s participation in the Regional Library Service and the stationing of a Police woman in the district. Both schemes have since been successfully implemented and there is no doubt of the efforts made by this Club to hasten these events.
On receival of official notification that Mooroopna was chartered Club Number 401, fresh elections of Office Bearers and Directors was held on April 23rd 1963. All were returned and allotted their previous portfolios. Kevin Trudgen’ the Publicity Director served another fortnight before applying for leave of absence for an overseas trip. Ray Quinlan was appointed by the Board to serve in his place.
In May 1963 one of the greatest milestones in the history of this Club was passed and I quote from President John’s annual report.
"Undoubtedly the highlight of our year was Saturday, May 11th 1963 when it was my pleasing duty to accept from Zone President Geoff Anderson our Charter No. 401 of the Association of Apex Clubs. This was a great night for our Club and also I feel a great occasion for Mooroopna. Being the first Service Club in Mooroopna undoubtedly will in years to come bring much to Mooroopna and District. Firstly, from the community efforts of the Club as a whole and indirectly from the Club Members who from the experience and training they obtain from Apex must eventually benefit the community as a whole."
Tony Bullen John Towers Geoff Anderson Phil Banfield
Now that Mooroopna had officially received its Charter, it was up to the Club to keep on proving it was worthy of the same. One of the laws of the Association is that every club and every member has to pull his weight each year and not live on past achievements. This has led Apex from one success to another and made it one of the most successful organisations in the country.
With this in mind, the club was to tackle two more service schemes before the end of the Apex year. Our first wood-drive, which resulted in 25 tons of wood being sawn, split and delivered, and the distribution of collection tins and literature for the Freedom from Hunger Campaign.
A small but very important community service that was carried out during the year was the offering of members to become blood donors in the local Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service.
On June 15th 1963 at Berrigan, Mooroopna took its seat as a full voting member at a. District Convention with John Towers and Geoff Martin as our official delegates. Here, our first agenda item was discussed and carried. This was the stationing of policewomen in the Goulburn Valley.
It is of interest to note that the first moves for road signs (Apex signs at the town entrances) took place in July on a motion of Luigi D’Amore and Tony Bullen. These were eventually erected in the small hours of a Sunday morning in September 1965. They still stand although under threat of removal by Vic Roads.
The fourth elections of the club took place on July 16th 1963 when Phil Banfield was elected President, Andrew Vaivars Secretary, Geoff Martin Treasurer and nine Board members.
A combined Handover Dinner with Tatura at the Royal Mail Hotel Mooroopna, on August 3rd 1963 brought us to end of our first Apex year.
A very important year, and a year that has more or less set the pattern for the succeeding years. I feel that here, tribute should be paid to our first President, John Towers and the foundation members of this club for the very high standard they set for the following Presidents and Club Boards.
At the start of our second year 1963/64, we were warned of the difficulties experienced by other new clubs in their second year. But through loyalty and keenness of Board and Club members, Mooroopna was to have another successful year.
The Board consisted of Phil Banfield President, Andrew Vaivars Secretary, Geoff Martin Treasurer, Tony Bullen Programmes and Senior Vice President, Max Connors Service to Youth, Morrie Cowley Publicity and Social, Luigi D’Amore Inter-Club Visiting, Jim Douglass Sergeant at Arms, Leo Lawler Dinner Notice and Kevin Trudgen International Relations.
Service during the year included the completion of the landscaping of the Swimming Pool, the preparation and seeding of the MacKellar Crescent Playground, another successful Learn to Swim Campaign, our second Carry-On Concert, the Asthma Appeal Door-Knock which raised $370, Traffic Control for the Goulburn Valley Centre’s "Bonanza Day" and (who will forget) the thousands of lug boxes broken up for kindling.
This year we sent a full quota of 20 children and two chaperons to the Lord Mayor’s Portsea Holiday Camp. The club also donated $100 towards the purchasing of the campsite; this was later to be used for a recreation hall.
The Goulburn Valley’s first Fun and Food Fiesta was held in February 1964, being organised and run by the Service Clubs and Chambers on Commerce of Mooroopna and Shepparton. Mooroopna Apex assisted with a concert featuring the Australian Boys Choir in the Queens Gardens Shepparton and the Southern Command Band in the gardens of the Mooroopna Base Hospital.
Our Dinner Meetings during the year were enlivened by the introduction of two-minute talks by members, five-minute readings of the Handbook and a different Chairman at each Dinner. All these gave every member an opportunity to participate more at our dinners. The highlight of the year was our convincing win in the interclub debating competition especially as six members debated during the series.
Kevin Trudgen, our International Relations Director, laid the foundations to what was to become a very important facet of Apex in Mooroopna. Our first overseas contact was made by way of letters and a tape recording to Round Table members at Takapuna in New Zealand. Max Connors also visited this club in June 1964 while attending a Round Table New Zealand Conference. Magazines and books were sent to the library at Berhampore, Pakistan. Mr Creighton Burns spoke on the political, social and religious problems in India and Pakistan.
The District Convention for 1964 was held in Shepparton where we successfully applied for the 1965 Convention. We were unsuccessful in our agenda item that there be no fines sessions at Convention Dinners and the nomination of Phil Banfield as District Governor. (Phil was later to become D.G. in 1975/76)
Two Golf Days were held this year and at the second, we introduced our Perpetual Golf Trophy which takes the form of a Dinner-Gong. This year it was won by Kyabram from a count back with Tatura.
Our second year ended as it began with a very enjoyable sports night with Mooroopna R.S.L. This took the form of sporting activities of table tennis, hookey, darts and billiards followed by a supper of pies, chips, onions and eggs.
YIA
Phil Banfield
Phil Banfield.
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