Back in 2009 Leith Hillard reported on CFA Connect that a new social club set up by the brigade was going great guns – and a few years down the track it’s great to see that the club – which started off as a bit of an experiment – has proved itself to be much more than a flash in the pan.
“I reckon a lot of commercial establishments would be happy to get the kind of numbers through the door that we do,” says Kevin Atteridge, a brigade Lieutenant.
Kevin was instrumental in getting the social club off the ground, even he’s keen to see everyone else take the credit.
“Full credit goes to the community for playing their part in making it work. It’s just a big community get together and I’m rapt to see it going so well."
The club, which now has 160 members, was set up by the local brigade (who took matters into their own hands after the local pub closed down) as a place where locals could meet for a meal and a chat.
Most of the social club members are also members of the CFA Fire Brigade, which has 150 members – an impressive figure in a town of 300 people.
Kevin emphasises that it is the dedication of rostered teams who serve alcohol and cook the meals that make the social club a success.
“We have five teams of five that plan the meals and decide on their own menu, and we have anything from roasts to a pizza night.
“A whole bunch of people have gone and done their RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) course and they take it in turns to look after the bar. On average we serve up around 70 to 80 meals on a Friday night,” says Kevin.
After putting in the hard yards galvanising people to get involved, and wading through red tape around the liquor licensing process, these days Kevin is pretty content to stand back, make sure things are ticking along nicely and watch the crowds coming through the door.
“It’s been a lot of work but the benefits to both the brigade and the community are there to see,” he says.
“The social club has definitely contributed to the brigade picking up a few members. When new people come in to the town, or relatives come to visit, they always come along.
“People also pick up work. Someone might want a rouseabout for a day in the shearing shed and they’ll find someone here – that’s just the way it goes.
“And anyone who gets into strife – we make sure they’re looked after – just quietly without making a fuss.”
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