PRESENTATION NIGHT – 2024

It was Presentation Night at Pakenham Bowls Club on the last Saturday in April and the club rooms looked magnificent.  Thanks mainly to Kate Pianezzola, the tables had been set in Pakenham’s colours, each with a bowl and jack, and there were balloons and other decorations strategically placed – and the Lawn Bowls Survival Kit provided at each place setting was a nice additional touch.  Every Pennant player also found a new shirt draped over the back of their chair – in addition, volunteers received a new “staff” shirt (that explains why Jennifer was so particular about allocating table numbers).  Kate had also assembled a photo booth.

The night was kicked off by Bowls President and MC for the occasion, Gian Pianezzola, who provided a run down of the club’s achievements over the 2023/24 season, with emphasis on the fact that five of seven teams had made the finals, with the Tuesday Twos winning a Section Flag (and there had been no relegations).  Gian also made particular mention of the individual efforts of Neville Brown who skipped in the Eastern Ranges Region side and was runner-up in the Vic Open Singles.

Those present were then treated (at the club’s expense) to a delicious roast dinner, catered for by Cop A Roasting who are developing a close relationship with Pakenham Bowls.

After dinner, Gian introduced our special guest Marie, official representative of the Eastern Ranges Bowls Region.  Marie presented OBE’s (Over Bloody Eighty’s) to Terry McRedmond, Ray Illing, Gillian Harper, Frank Webber, Bill Bosch, Allister Stewart, Norm Box and Keith Archer.  She also attempted to pin the badge on Grizzly and Crow despite both protesting that they had yet to reach that milestone – it’s not how old you look, it’s what is evidenced by your birth certificate!

Next up were the members (or those attending) of the Midweek Twos who were presented with their badges and posed with the framed group photo and flag.  They were Jim Williams, Paul Currie, Rick Burns, Vince Bevilacqua, Gayle Harkness, Helen Wright, Brian Norton, Allister Stewart, Norm Box and Keith Archer (Emergency).  Those absent were Judith Ferrari, Maree Taylor, Ashley Graham and Luis Aguilar (Second Emergency).

Eight badges were then presented to Bill Bosch, Rick Burns and Wayne Oosthuizen, (Maree Taylor absent) collected during their big win over Noble Park in round 12 (Saturday).   Bill Bosch then doubled up for a second eight badge, picked up in a Midweek match in company with John Donazzan, Gillian Harper and Ray Leggett.

After a short drinks break and time to catch his breath our MC moved on to the all important Club Championship events:

Men’s Singles: Max Mannik – Runner Up:  Neville Brown;

Ladies Singles: Jennifer Bainbridge – Runner Up:  Gail Bowman;

Minor Singles: Gayle Harkness – Runner Up:  Brenda Moloney;

Open Pairs:     Geoff Van Vugt/Tom Van Vugt– Runner Up:  Ned Courtin/Keith Lewis;

Mixed Pairs:    Brenda Moloney/Terry McRedmond– Runner Up:  Judith Ferrari/Eric Peterson:

President’s Handicap: Rick Burns– Runner Up:  Lynne Smith;

100 Up:                        Keith Lewis– Runner Up:  Peter Bott;

Open Triples:  Neil Devlin/Gian Pianezzola/Adrian Wheelan– Runner Up:  Geoff Van Vugt/Tom VanVugt/Terry McRedmond.

Gian then acknowledged the many volunteers who keep the club functioning, with particular reference to the following members who were each presented with a small momento, including a small card thanking them for the “Roll” (pun intended) that they played:

Greens and Grounds:  Lindsay Stevenson & Michael Hahn;

Bar:  Gary Crowley, Brian Norton, Bill Bosch and Russell Jones (absent).  Bill also spends a lot of time toiling over the B-B-Q;

Kitchen:   Faye Ritchie, Lorna Currie and John Siekman;

Press/Website Reports and Photos:  Des Leigh;

Team Managers:  Gillian Harper and Karen Oosthuizen; and

For a Multitude of Tasks Including Umpiring:   Peter & Gail Bowman and Kerry and Keith Lewis.

Our President then made reference to two members who have made a significant contribution to the performance of the club, particularly on the greens – each, sadly for us, will move on to new challenges next season.  Both men are great characters in their own way and will be missed not only as players but as friends.

Glenn Bainbridge has given an enormous amount of his time to Pakenham Bowls Club as a player, coach, mentor and critic (not always well received but always offered with the best of intentions).  Thanks to Glenn, many of the newer members of the club have advanced the standard of their bowling above and beyond the level which might normally be expected given their (at this stage) limited exposure to the sport.  

Glenn was presented with a gift in recognition (in a small way) of his efforts.  He takes with him our thanks and best wishes for success at his new club – he will, however, remain a (non-playing) member at Pakenham.

Also heading off to fresh pastures is Neil Devlin who will also be greatly missed – we have grown so used to having the tall, lanky, and laconic Scot about the place that it will not be the same without him.  Those of us who have played with him or have watched him play stand in awe of his overall ability, particularly of his incredible judgement of weight and his capacity to nominate and then execute a shot.

Many of us have (almost) learned to interpret Neil’s strong Scottish brogue but none of us ever understood all of the instructions/comments issued from the head.  However one of Neil’s calls which we all recognised was, “a yard” or, “one yard,” – this in response to a bowl which might have been anywhere between five foot short and five foot through!  It was appropriate, therefore, that Neil was presented with a yard glass as a memento of his time at Pakenham.

The evening’s formalities were concluded with the presentation of the Jack McFarlane Medal to the member(s) who, in the Board’s opinion, was/were the best clubperson(s) of the year – for 2024 the very deserving joint recipients were David and Jeanette Laird.

Des Leigh