Pictured-the Life Members in attendance: (From Left to Right) BACK-Daryl Butler, Carolyn Brodie-Hall, Ross Collard; FRONT-Max Fewster, Marilyn Christensen, Jenny Donaldson, Debra Whitely.

At the Opening Night of Social Tennis for season 2021/22 President Ian Griffiths, on behalf of the Gingin Tennis Club Committee, awarded two long term servants of the Club with Life Membership. Marilyn Christensen and Jenny Donaldson were the proud recipients, seen in the image front and centre, recognised for their long standing commitment to the Club and the running of events. 

Marilyn filled a number of positions for the Club including Treasurer for 6 seasons and Secretary for 2 seasons between 1972 and 1982. Marilyn in her acceptance recalled her days involved with the club with great fondness and reiterated the enjoyment everyone had. Particularly memorable were the occassions when the Club would travel to other Tennis Clubs either in the metro (Kalamunda etc) or the local area and the antics they would get up to. Safe to say putting the Tennis Club Members in the back of a truck to transport everyone down to Lower Chittering to play would make for a story or two!

Jenny is known to anyone who ever played tennis at Gingin. She was the Chief Caterer for the Tennis Club for decades. Social Tennis to tournaments, she had it all covered, and I know that the juniors looked forward to what she had cooked for the players as much as the adults! It's incredible to believe she managed all this in the tiny kitchen of the old clubhouse.

Both Jenny and Marilyn affirmed to those in attendance how the Tennis Club for them was one big family. 

The other Life Members in attendance shared some wonderful and funny memories of the newest additions to their exclusive club. Afterwards four  Life Members (Daryl Butler, Carolyn Brodie-Hall, Ross Collard, Debra Whitely) had the first hit of the night on the courts to get the Social Season under way.

Juniors also got under way earlier in the evening, and by all reports from Club Captain Megan McCallum it was a success for the first night with strong junior numbers in attendance backing up from last year.

The Tennis Club is thankful to have had such great servants as Marilyn and Jenny, and along with our other Life Members they have no doubt set a great example for other members over the years to follow their lead.

Report By James Whitely (Club Secretary)