Introduction:
The isolation protocols allowed nature to grow without restraint. To groom the club’s surrounds, short back and sides, a Working Bee was planned for Thursday 22 October. In fact, it was done over 4 days. In addition, there was the frequent bagging of the courts by Jack and George setting the surface ready for tennis. A summary of the 4 days follows.
Day One:
Last week, George and Phillip top-dressed the courts with 8 bags of brick-dust. The coverage is perfect and maintained with frequent bagging and watering.
Day Two:
Leo in not receiving a call from Geelong coach, Chris Scott, and Captain, Joel Selwood, for the night Grand Final at the Gabba, decided to unleash his energy with the lawn mower. The grass had grown high in all areas: front gate, inside the gate, children’s playground and easements north and east Water Pipe. As grass was high a one-cut was done. Indeed, hard work with a motor mower over a large uneven area.
Day Three (S)
Sandy easily retained some energy after singles practice with Jeff . Sandy’s powerful whipper-snipper trimmed the fence lines in the children’s playground, the hidden side of clubhouse and the Water Pipe easement.
Day Three (N):
Nick arrived with an arsenal of gardening tools and an intent to work for 4 plus hours. Nick started with clearing the immediate carpark of pine-needles (best look ever) and tree pruning at the gate entrance. Then whipper snipped the path to clubhouse, the fence line of court 1 and north easement. Followed up on Leo’s mowing of all areas. Next with blower in hand cleared the clubhouse roof of pine-needles. An inspection of the roof found rust in some panels. Overall a massive workload.
Day Four
Peter armed with whipper-snipper, blower and hand tools did further fence line trimming and clearing bags of debris from the court’s perimeter.
Graeme and the master gardener Jim had the project of weeding the 3 garden beds. Their work was exemplary and gave the impression that they were on ABC’s television show, Gardening Australia.
With Graeme on site the bush telegraph spread the news quickly. Women appeared. Maureen pretended to talk to Peter. Shelagh Gleeson pretended to be delivering parish news-letters.
George and I pruned trees in the north easement and whipper-snipped the fence line and the down-slope of the bank. You could get lost among the trees and shrubs.
The surrounds give the presentation the members care for the club. The work was a pleasant way to lose Covid-19 kilos.
New Members:
The club is pleased to welcome the Rogers family. The family can play tennis and looking to improve. Sarah has athletic bloodline being the daughter of Moira who is known favourably in WDTA tennis as a formidable player.
Best wishes
Alan