President's Message  By Ross Quinn, President

Junior Vice President Ronalda Arnott

Our new Junior Vice President is Ronalda Arnott and we are delighted to have another very capable lady on the road to the Presidency after the great job Vivienne Scott did in 2008. We asked Ronalda to tell us about herself in her own words and this is what she said :

When I was young I lived right next door to a golf course and, would you believe, Jeremy and I had our wedding re-ception at a golf course.

You would think this was enough, but Ross wants more!!

Well here goes. My sister often says to me that we had everything but we had nothing. We started out in life at private schools, rode around in Rolls Royce cars, went on ocean cruises in our holidays etc. etc. but the underlying factor was that our parents actually didn’t like each other although they managed to have four children.

So when they finally divorced, which wasn’t the thing to do in the late fifties, everyone ended up with nothing.

Fortunately, not many years after the ‘nothing’ I met Jeremy who in my eyes had everything.

I had completed two years of nursing before we met but had already decided I was no ‘Florence’ and anyway the money wasn’t any good.

Moving back into the commercial world, armed with my shorthand/typing skills (everyone had them in those days) I more or less fell into the position of private secretary to the managing director of a large island trading company. It was a challenging but interesting position where I met many great people some, after all these years, I still manage to keep in touch with.

But you know me, I managed to get myself pregnant and ‘then’ you couldn’t be pregnant and be on ‘show’ with the ‘managing director’ – so, in the ‘twinkling of an eye’ I was back to ‘nothing’.

Living on the Northern Beaches at Avalon was great, we had the best relaxed lifestyle but what do I do, without even trying I got asked to do some promotional work for a fabric company at Surry Hills.

I agreed because it only entailed working for three hours a day but, you know me, I ended up running the show but this was a worthwhile job, not only did they pay me, they dressed me as well. Needless to say, I created extra jobs for all my friends.

Once again I have fallen into a new job (never too late) with Forresters Beach Probus Club and, once again with many new and interesting friends.

And today we live within walking distance of a golf course.

Bob Fitzpatrick is our Secretary

He writes: On leaving school, I started working life as an office assistant at the Pyrmont warehouse of G.J.Coles. Moved to the variety division of Coles and after working at various stores in the metropolitan area and country New South Wales, attained the position of assistant manager.

I left Coles for Waltons at Newtown and having seen how much better paid the ‘travellers’ were, I moved to that division of the company.

I met Pat Clarke, married, lived with Pat's parents at Greenacre where we subsequently built a house on a new sub-division, not far from Pat's family home. We were blessed with three children, Melissa, Christopher and Susanne.

After 10 years with Waltons, Pat's brother Neil suggested I apply for a position as Sales Representative with a firm of English carpet manufacturers who had recently started up operations in Homebush. This was the start of a life-time in the industry, taking me to many parts of the State as the company representative. Unfortunately, the company decided to close the business in Australia but I was fortunate that with the knowledge I attained I had no difficulty in finding another position.

In the years that followed, with the expertise I had in the industry, I was headhunted on several occasions, eventually leaving the manufacturing side to go into Commercial work dealing with architects, designers and builders. Some of the more interesting contracts were the Sydney Opera House, Australia Club and the Lakemba Mosque. The mosque was particularly interesting given that we were dealing with the Arab community who were spending money for the carpet in the mosque which was donated by the Shah of Persia, as he was at the time.

As they say, all good things come to an end and as a result of the recession we had to have I found I was unemployed for the first time in my life. Still in the floor covering industry it was suggested I apply for a position in retail with Harvey Norman. As a 50-year-old I had little choice, so back to retail I went which proved to be not as bad as I thought. Although the money was not terrific, I had a great boss to work with who became a good friend over the years I was with him.

Pat had progressed in her employment as a personal assistant to various heads of companies, mainly in the agriculture chemical industry, and when she retired it was as the customer service manager for the Yates company.

I retired in 2003 and Pat a year later and we decided to leave Greenacre choosing the Central Coast so we would not be to far from our children. Our youngest daughter, Susanne (Ryan's mother) also moved to the Central Coast at Killarney Vale so we are able to assist with minding duties as needed. (Ryan is pictured right).

One of the best things that has happened to both of us since moving to Bateau Bay was to join Probus as Foundation Members. I don't think we acquired as many friends in the thirty eight years of living in Greenacre as we have now.

Life has never been busier for both of us, Probus activities, something on each week, my secretarial work, Pat's involvement with the Church Family Group and as I am also secretary of the Tuggerah Lakes National Servicemen's Association, some days are just not long enough, but I would not change my life for anything.

There are a number of our members who are also members of the National Servicemen's Association which meets once a month at The Entrance Long Jetty RSL Club. An initiative of that group is to send parcels to our service-men in Afghanistan. The responses received indicate that the receipt of these is a good reminder of home and consequently a lift in morale.



When this was mentioned at our June meeting there were a number of Probus members who asked what procedure had to be followed to send a parcel. A "Postpak" mailing box can be purchased at any Post Office for a little over $2 and the mailing address is:-

                An Australian Soldier
                OP Slipper
                AFPO 13
                Australian Defence Force
                Sydney 2890

If the weight of the box and contents is 2kg or less, there is no postage payable.

There is a web site relating to this and there are instructions about what you can and cannot send. Basically, you cannot send any pornographic material or chocolates. The feedback received is they like lollies such as snakes, tea/coffee sachets, soup or noodles in a cup, ring pull cans of tuna, hand and/or face cream, newspapers, magazines and puzzles including crosswords.relating to this and there are instructions about what you can and cannot send.

If anyone would like any further information, please contact Don Harding on 4334 2772.

Powerhouse Tour


Members who enjoyed a great day out at the Powerhouse Museum
and a Yum Cha meal to round off the experience.

Mary Lyttleton would like as many ladies, who can spare a couple of hours, to come along to the August 4th Creative Craft Day at Toowoon Bay Surf Club. Cost $2 including morning tea. (If anyone likes the ’craft group concept’ then there will also be a $5 joining fee).

The club wants to make as many skirts for little girls for Hayley to take back to Cambodia as they can. Please bring scissors, needles, safety pins and any rick-braiding, lace or elastic you can spare. The skirts will be made of non-iron poly cotton, Mary suggests looking in Clint’s behind the Woodport for this material or bring any you may have at home. Even if you cannot make it on the day you may be able to sew a couple of skirts at home, if this is the case please put your name on the list after the August Craft Day and you will be supplied with a ‘skirt cut-out ready to sew kit’. All help & material will be gratefully received.