February’s meeting of the Tollgates Probus Club Batemans Bay opened with a record attendance of 83 members plus 14 visitors – a number high enough to suggest that a rationing system might have to be introduced for morning tea.
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Happily it turned out that this was not necessary and everyone was fed and watered to their complete satisfaction.
Club President Claudia Dixon presented Gold Stars (they’re better than Brownlows) for long and excellent service to Marg Goodwin and Phil Marley who are leaving the club after 12 years service including each having been President. Marg and Phil are leaving the area to settle in the North Coast.
Our busy President changed hats to preside over the induction of three new members - Jenny Halkett, sponsored by Marg Jonas, and Elizabeth and Geoff Mitchell sponsored by Jill and John Carpenter.
The three inductions mean that the club now has its full quota of the 120 members allowed by its constitution.
After morning tea the speaker was the club’s busy Secretary, Benita Johnson, who stepped in when the scheduled speaker cancelled at almost the last minute.
Benita was Senior Objects Conservator and Senior Lecturer at the University of Canberra and her very interesting talk was about the conservation work she was engaged in at the Tal Ting caves on the Mekong River in Laos from 1992 to 1997.
The caves hold thousands of statues of Buddha that date back to the 16th Century and their condition has deteriorated over time because of termite damage, vandalism and theft.
Benita showed us two small wooden statues that were carved for her by one of the last remaining members of the Lao Royal Family.
