October 2023 Newsletter
Chairman’s Corner
Roger Parks
Roseville Shield Day
It was wonderful to see 138 bowlers on our greens last Saturday afternoon. Congratulations to Phil Lewis for organizing the Roseville Shield with 92 visitors from other clubs in the zone attending. A big thanks to Brian and Liz for managing the bar and catering arrangements with many more patrons than usual.Hot Weather
The forecast is for a very hot summer ahead and members should familiarize themselves with Bowls NSW Extreme Weather Guidelines which appear below.New Members
I would like to extend a warm welcome to the new bowling members who have joined the club recently: Joan Francis, Ian Knevitt, Michael Lotzof and Neville Sender.Charles Barkley and Cameron Smith have joined the club as Social Members.Upcoming Events
The Club is planning two special Wednesday social bowls days with significant cash prizes from our sponsors, Ray White Upper North Shore and Mr Drains Plumbing. Keep an eye out for details.Annual General Meeting
This will be held on Saturday 28 October at 11:30am.Christmas Lunch
Sunday 10 December.Roger Parks
Chairman
From the Women’s President
Lorraine Forster
Three of our ladies played in the Warrawee Inaugural Rose Cup in August and had a very enjoyable day.Five of our ladies, Louise Amos, Ngoc Hau, Julie Dunn, Lap Chen and Lorraine Forster played in the 2023 Five-a-Side Versatility Day at Seaforth and had an enjoyable day, with a very successful overall win.On Tuesday 12th September, nineteen ladies attended a “Get-Together” lunch at Northbridge Golf Club. The ladies also farewelled Monika Fluckiger, who has been a member of the Roseville / Lindfield Bowling Clubs for over 20 years and has now moved to the South Coast to live.Susie Meares is our new Club Singles Champion for 2023 with Julie Dunn is our runner up.Louise Amos & Ngoc Hau were the winners in the Club Championship Pairs with Julie Dunn & Lorraine Forster runners up.Helen James and Claire Stammers who regularly attend the club for a roll-up, are great examples of the friendship that comes with joining our bowling club. They are both shown in the picture below having a lovely chat in between ends. 
Time for a friendly chat between ends.
Lorraine Forster
Women’s President
A Word from the Editor
It is now October and already we have experienced a taste of what may be a long, hot summer. Once the temperature gets up into the mid-thirties playing bowls can be challenging. We should all recognise this and err on the side of caution. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are serious conditions and can creep up on you unexpectedly. It behoves us to be aware of the danger and to look out for each other as we enjoy the game.As our Chairman suggests, please review the Bowls NSW Extreme Weather Guidelines, available at the club. Also, for a quick guide on what to look out for, please note the following information which comes courtesy of the South Australian government. More detail can be found at: https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/
The club’s finances continue to be in good shape, thanks to our efficient Treasurer, Ian Kimmorley. An update from Ian is set out below.VALE
We were sad to hear of the recent passing of our good friend Bernard Maybloom at the age of almost 97 years. Bernard was a member of the Roseville club for over 30 years and bowled for about a year at Lindfield Rollers after the two clubs amalgamated before his health precluded him from continuing with bowls.Also, we have been advised that John Wise passed away recently.Those of you who knew him will be saddened by the news that Mark Fisher died on 2 September 2023, after a long illness. Mark was Chairman of Gordon Bowling Club until it closed in early 2018.Garry Lowder
newsletter@lindfieldrollers.com.au
From the Club Treasurer
By now everyone will have had a chance to read our Annual Report for the year ended 30 June, 2023 wherein I reported on the Club’s Financial performance for the year. The year provided another solid overall performance for the Club returning a net profit of $31,832.In the blink of an eye, another quarter has now been completed and it’s time for me to let you know a little about our trading for the 3 months ended 30 September, 2023, as follows:Total Income for the quarter $95,212Total Expenses for the quarter $80,291Net Profit for the quarter $14,921
The first quarter result is in line with our expectations and this, together with last year’s net profit, is allowing the club to gradually build its cash reserves, which have increased by $30,573 to $322,051. This is excellent news and has enabled us to undertake some badly needed renovations to our flat (Brian’s residence), at a cost of approximately $8,000. We have also completed a project to renew all of our smoke detectors within the club house, costing $5,645. The smoke detectors, although not always apparent, are a vital part of the club’s work to ensure the safety of our members plus others who use our premises.One of the very pleasing aspects of our first quarter results has been the attendance of our members on bowling days.Bowling numbers for the first quarter were very good, at 1,270, reflecting some excellent weather with only one day of low attendance due to hot weather. This of course has resulted in collection of very good green fees for the quarter of $25,941.Thank you one and all for your wonderful support of our club, it certainly makes my job managing the club’s finances an enjoyable task.Ian Kimmorley
Treasurer
Our Major Sponsor
As most of you will be aware, our Club is fortunate to enjoy the support of a number of sponsors. Chief among those sponsors is the real estate firm, Ray White, as represented by Stephanie Hearne, who has provided the following information for the benefit of members who may be contemplating the engagement of real estate services.
With over two decades of experience, Stephanie Hearne is one of the North Shore’s most highly respected Sales Agents. As an industry leader, she has been recognised throughout her career for consistently achieving record results. She was #1 Agent for 5 years running nationally and #7 worldwide at her previous international agency and ranks in the top 50 women in real estate by Real Estate Business.
From the first meeting to settlement, Stephanie is an expert and readily available to guide clients through the sales process. Clients value her empathy, knowledge and transparent advice. Clear and consistent communication is at the heart of her personalised service and she is renowned for her outstanding negotiation skills and for her ability to regularly secure and exceed her sellers price expectations.
Stephanie brings high standards and an uncompromising attitude to every campaign. Innovative in her approach, with a strong understanding of how to harness the power of social media, she proactively partners with her clients to devise unique marketing strategies that achieve reach, impact and successful results.
Stephanie has an intimate knowledge of the North Shore, born and raised in the area and then growing and schooling her family there. Friendly, results driven and dedicated, she willingly shares her knowledge and prides herself as a ‘go-to’ person for all things real estate, continuing to raise the bar in an industry she is so passionate about.
Stephanie’s contact details are:
Stephanie Hearne
0412 56 5 682
stephanie.hearne@raywhite.com
What’s been happening?
The Club Fours competition was decided recently, with congratulations going to the team of Jeff Ware, Lorraine Forster, Neil Gosbell and Willie Mok, who were victors over Roger Crouch, Ash Ayre, Phil Lewis and Ian Kimmorley.
Winners are grinners! The Club 4s champions.Other competitions completed since the last newsletter include the Men’s Major Pairs, where Barrie Jones and Peter Duffy were the winners, the Minor Pairs, where Jeff Ware and Stuart Nevison were the victors, and the Women’s Major Singles, where Susie Meares was the winner.The Club Triples continues and is presently at the semi-final stage.Roseville Shield
On Saturday, 7th October the Roseville Shield Event was held at the club. It was a great success, thanks in large measure to the hard work and preparation put into it by our Bowls Secretary, Phil Lewis. In all, including social bowlers, we had 138 bowlers on the greens that day.
Here is a report on the event, prepared by Phil:
This year’s Roseville Shield was held at Lindfield Rollers Bowling Club on Saturday, 7 October. A total of 24 clubs competed in this year’s event in fine weather with just a bit of a chilly wind blowing across most of the day. The Shield is a unique event in that it is the only event of its type that brings together players from all clubs across the Zone at the one location on the one day where a result is also determined on the same day. In addition to the 96 bowlers participating in the Shield competition, a further 42 social bowlers played in the afternoon on the third green giving a total of 138 bowlers on the greens at the same time creating a great atmosphere.
The winners were Turramurra, who scored 37 points and a margin of 27 shots with their team comprising B. Hawtree, B. Southam, H. Brenner and G. Hamilton.
Winners of the Roseville Shield for 2023: Turramurra
The runners-up were Chatswood who scored 36 points and a margin of 28 shots just pipping out Balgowlah with 36 points and a margin of 19 Shots.
The Chatswood players were J. Jobson, R. Gallagher, W. Bridge and J. Chapman.
Roseville Shield Runners-up: Chatswood
The 3rd place Balgowlah team included Y. Semler, M. Lawrence, P. Barrett and S. Semler.
Elections Australia once again sponsored the event with all participants being issued with a keepsake.
The Teams playing and their respective scores were:
The Roseville Shield scorecard
Looking Ahead
Starting from Saturday 14 October, for the next 2 months, the Club will be running a trial Mentoring/Coaching Program. This may interest you if you are a newish bowler who wants to improve your game or an experienced bowler who wants to correct that little niggling bad habit.
There is no need to register. An on duty mentor/coach will be there at 11am every Saturday starting from 14 October. Just turn up.
Our thanks go to the mentors/coaches for volunteering their time.
AGM
Secretary Alan Plambeck advises that the Annual General Meeting of Lindfield Bowling Club Limited will take place on Saturday, 28 October 2023 at 11.30am. The AGM of the Men’s Club will follow immediately after the Club AGM.
You can see the Annual Report and Meeting Notices on the club's website, with the links to be found at the bottom of the NEWS page.
Christmas Function:
Nick Wiener advises that this year’s Christmas Lunch will take place on Sunday, 10 December at the Roseville RSL Club, Pacific Highway, Roseville, kicking off at 12 noon. A three course lunch will be provided at a cost of $75 per person. All are welcome and a sign-up sheet will appear on the noticeboard shortly.
Know Your Fellow Bowler
Julie Dunn
Ever since her arrival on earth as Julie-Anne Tasker at North Shore Hospital (some time ago), Julie Dunn has remained on or close to the North Shore. Her first few years were spent in Willoughby but then her family moved to North Ryde, where she attended primary school and then North Ryde High School. She has lived in Roseville for the past twenty four years.
Julie had a long and fulfilling working life, including over thirty years as a legal secretary/paralegal, while her last ten working years were spent at a youth service. Julie says, “although I enjoyed my working life, I would regard my most important life’s work as being mother to my three children, all now aged on their 30s.” As a young girl growing up, Julie was blessed with a close-knit family, all originally Willoughby-based, including her devoted parents, her only brother Col, and her cousins. That tradition continues today with her three adult children and three grandchildren all living in Sydney. Julie was married at 21 and divorced while her children were very young. She remains friends with her ex and was engaged to Richard, who unfortunately passed away eleven years ago.
In retirement, Julie maintains an active life, enjoying the companionship and activities of Roseville Probus Club as well as, of course, lawn bowls at Lindfield Rollers. She started bowling in 2016 at Killara Bowling Club, having approached members of that club at a marketing desk they had set up in Gordon Shopping Centre. Her interest in bowls was a product of her father playing our sport in his day and her brother having taken up bowls at Pittwater. In January 2022 Julie switched from Killara to Lindfield Rollers, where she quickly made her mark and has become a key player in our Ladies’ Club. In the past, Julie has dabbled in golf and tennis, but it is in the sport of bowls that her talents have their best expression.
As keen a bowler as Julie is, she does have a life outside of bowls. Apart from helping with the grandchildren, she spends her leisure time playing Wordle and Sudoku, as well as reading, which she loves, especially good fiction. She is a fan of French cuisine and when it comes to music, her first choice is to turn to the big rock ballads of the 60s and 70s. Her proudest achievement is raising three amazing children and creating a close knit family, who, together with friends and the kindness of others, are her inspiration in life.
As Others See Us
The following was written by the late Douglas Adams, renowned author of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy".
Australia is a very confusing place, taking up a large amount of the bottom half of the planet. It is recognisable from orbit because of many unusual features, including what at first looks like an enormous bite taken out of its southern edge; a wall of sheer cliffs which plunge into the girting sea.
Geologists assure us that this is simply an accident of geomorphology, but they still call it the "Great Australian Bight", proving that not only are they covering up a more frightening theory but they can't spell either.
The first of the confusing things about Australia is the status of the place. Where other landmasses and sovereign lands are classified as continent, island or country, Australia is considered all three.
Typically, it is unique in this.
The second confusing thing about Australia is the animals. They can be divided into three categories: Poisonous, Odd, and Sheep. It is true that of the 10 most poisonous arachnids on the planet, Australia has 9 of them. Actually, it would be more accurate to say that of the 9 most poisonous arachnids, Australia has all of them.
Any visitors should be careful to check inside boots (before putting them on), under toilet seats (before sitting down) and generally everywhere else.
A stick is very useful for this task.
The last confusing thing about Australia is the inhabitants.
A short history: Sometime around 40,000 years ago some people arrived in boats from the north. They ate all the available food, and a lot of them died.
The ones who survived learned respect for the balance of nature, man's proper place in the scheme of things, and spiders. They settled in and spent a lot of the intervening time making up strange stories. They also discovered a stick that kept coming back.
Then, around 200 years ago, Europeans arrived in boats from the north.
More accurately, European convicts were sent, with a few deranged people in charge. They tried to plant their crops in autumn (failing to take account of the reversal of the seasons), ate all their food, and a lot of them died.
About then the sheep arrived and have been treasured ever since. It is interesting to note here that the Europeans always consider themselves vastly superior to any other race they encounter, since they can lie, cheat, steal and litigate (marks of a civilised culture they say), whereas all the Aboriginals can do is happily survive being left in the middle of a vast red-hot desert - equipped with a stick.
Eventually, the new lot of people stopped being Europeans on 'extended holiday' and became Australians. The changes are subtle, but deep, caused by the mind-stretching expanses of nothingness and eerie quiet, where a person can sit perfectly still and look deep inside themselves to the core of their essence, their reasons for being, and the necessity of checking inside their boots every morning for fatal surprises. They also picked up the most finely tuned sense of irony in the world, and the Aboriginal gift for making up stories. Be warned.
There is also the matter of the beaches. Australian beaches are simply the nicest and best in the world, although anyone actually venturing into the sea will have to contend with sharks, stinging jellyfish, stonefish (a fish which sits on the bottom of the sea, pretends to be a rock and has venomous barbs sticking out of its back that will kill just from the pain) and surfboarders. However, watching a beach sunset is worth the risk.
As a result of all this hardship, dirt, thirst and wombats, you would expect Australians to be a sour lot. Instead, they are genial, jolly, cheerful and always willing to share a kind word with a stranger. Faced with insurmountable odds and impossible problems, they smile disarmingly and look for a stick. Major engineering feats have been performed with sheets of corrugated iron, string and mud.
Alone of all the races on earth, they seem to be free from the 'Grass is greener on the other side of the fence' syndrome, and roundly proclaim that Australia is, in fact, the other side of that fence. They call the land "Oz" or "Godzone" (a verbal contraction of "God's Own Country"). The irritating thing about this is... they may be right.
TIPS TO SURVIVING AUSTRALIA
Don't ever put your hand down a hole for any reason - WHATSOEVER.
The beer is stronger than you think, regardless of how strong you think it is.
Always carry a stick.
Air-conditioning is imperative.
Do not attempt to use Australian slang unless you are a trained linguist and extremely good in a fist fight.
Wear thick socks.
Take good maps. Stopping to ask directions only works when there are people nearby.
If you leave the urban areas, carry several litres of water with you at all times, or you will die. And don't forget a stick.
Even in the most embellished stories told by Australians, there is always a core of truth that it is unwise to ignore.
HOW TO IDENTIFY AUSTRALIANS
They pronounce Melbourne as "Mel-bin".
They think it makes perfect sense to decorate highways with large fibreglass bananas, prawns and sheep.
They think "Woolloomooloo" is a perfectly reasonable name for a place, that "Wagga Wagga" can be abbreviated to "Wagga", but "Woy Woy" can't be called "Woy".
Their hamburgers will contain beetroot. Apparently, it's a must-have.
How else do you get a stain on your shirt?
They don't think it's summer until the steering wheel is too hot to handle.
They believe that all train timetables are works of fiction.
And they all carry a stick.
A Smile on Your Dial
Yep, you guessed it! It’s Donald Trump.
Finally:
I felt a bit uncomfortable driving into the cemetery when the GPS blurted out:
"You have reached your final destination."
