A Retrospective Update – 2008 to 2014

During these years, we lost a number of steady advertisers in the Yarn due to a variety of reasons. Both Molly’s Meat Pies and Billabong Restaurant changed hands, and the new owners chose not to continue. CBO Images (Shannon Mann), Send Out Cards (Lori Blande), and Partners in Planning (Lynley Davidson) also decided not to continue advertising, and the Province of Manitoba and Manitoba Hydro cut back on their ads.

We made the decision to revamp the status of advertisers to ‘partner’, ‘sponsor’ and ‘supporter’ levels, and provide them the opportunity to promote their businesses on our website. Our current advertisers are Downunder Travel (Jason Webb) and Kiwi Installations (Terry Roberts) – both of whom are our longest advertisers – as well as relative newcomers Lawyer Bill Pooley and MYPD Chartered Accountants (Club Treasurer Peter Debenham).

Club events such as Australia Day and Waitangi Day celebrations, five-pin bowling, ANZAC Day, golf tournament, the formal dinner, AGM, and the kids’ Christmas party continue on an annual basis. Other occasional events are added, such as Paddlewheel cruises, Zoo visits, Prairie Dog Railroad trips, and pool parties at Lynley and Jason Davidson’s home.

In June 2012, Jenny Gates resigned as editor of The Southern Yarn after what seemed like eons at the helm; Charlie Powell took over and is doing an excellent job!

Murray Burt continues his column “Commonwealth Place”, and in 2013, Brian Hydesmith developed a new Club website. Our Facebook page continues to attract attention and currently has more than 100 “likes”.

During the past six years, the Club has raised a lot of money for downunder disaster relief. In 2009, it was more than $3,000 for bushfires in the state of Victoria. Two years later, there were floods in Queensland and more than $5,500 was donated. That same year, Christchurch, New Zealand, was hit by devastating earthquakes, and thanks to Lynley Davidson’s efforts, an astounding $13,300 was raised.

Other notable items of interest included Lynley (again!) and Thibaut Lauwers being Olympic Torch Bearers in Manitoba.

In November 2013, Peter Munn replaced Terry Roberts as Club President. Terry had served in that capacity for many years.

Since 2006, a column in the Yarn titled “getting to know …” has covered close to 150 members, but having reached my ‘retirement’ age of 90, I have decided to hang up my pen!

Membership in the Club has declined to around 150 (excluding children), but is holding steady. The future of the DUCW looks promising.

Gordon Keatch

Next: A Retrospective Update 2015 to 2021