Our Last Meeting - Heather Christie, President of the Caloundra RSL Sub Branch

Breakfast was at STEPS

Our chair for the day, Stephen, introduced guests Bob,
and Heather, today’s speaker, who will be more formally introduced later

Next weeks meeting, will be at Grounded Emporium, in Bulcock Street

Deborah delivered the Presidents Report

Daryl introduced Heather

 

She is the elected President of Caloundra Park RSL Sub Branch since February 2021, and she is its first female President in their 75 year history.

 

She has been a member of the RSL for 22 years.

 

She grew up in Brisbane, joined the RAAF after leaving year 12, left the RAAF  with a rank of Sergeant in 1985

 

Heather explained the arrangement whereby the Sub Branch is the landlord for the Services Club

 

They look after the health and well-being of veterans and host events such as the Friday Night social, and outings – recently to a Kilcoy Winery, and also to a Mrs Brown’s Breakfast

 

She was formally the secretary of the Services Club plus the secretary of the Sub Branch.

She says it is an “Honour” to be their President”

 

The 1400 members “keep her busy”

 

In the RAAF she spent 8 1/2 years as an education assistant – she was working in classrooms, in resources, in the library and preparing training films. She had about three hats, apparently.

 

In her “other life“ she gets involved in Car Rallies for “Give It“. She has a 1966 HR Holden, and they do it tough with up to 10 days in the bush. They are doing Tasmania in 4/5 days and then off to Darwin, with $70,000 expected to be raised.

 

She talked about Cadets – more females are involved. They are well trained, and support the RSL. Cadets are no longer based at individual schools. They have a common base near the Air Museum

 

There was a bit of discussion with the audience and Heather was asked about how much Government help they received. - They receive Government grants for projects such as the 80th anniversary of the sinking of the Centaur, and a 300,000 donation for “4551 Caloundra at War“. The project will include bronze statues by Gary Phillips at the Kings Beach Amphitheatre, the original site of the parade ground. The statues will depict a soldier on guard, and a nurse tending a wounded soldier. They are modelled on actual people in history.

 

Mark noted Rotary’s involvement in the remembrance of the Centaur

 

Heather promoted their Ball, which includes a re-enactment of the end of World War II.

ANZAC Day – The service will be at Kings Beach Amphitheatre. 5am start, and the special guest will be the French Ambassador.

Breakfast will be at the RSL from 8:30am. There will be a parade afterwards, with a wreath laying ceremony.

 

There are approximately 1300 Sub Branch members, and 40,000 in the Services Club

 

They need younger members.

 

Heather started in the Women’s Royal Australian Air Force in 1977, at Laverton in Victoria, and progressed to the (now) RAAF School of Radio. L.A.W No 1 Stores Depot then Two Squadron at Amberley with the Canberra bombers.

she couldn’t believe it - one girl plus 130 guys.  She was promoted to Corporal, involved with F111 training, then promoted to Sergeant

 

Steven and Deborah thanked Heather

 

Mark presented the final report for the Bohol bakery project. He asks “How is this project promoted in the community“ “over there“. He suggested that we could buy T-shirts for them, to be presented in November.

 

Pam discussed the USCCF Combined Dinner. We still need one more prize for the raffle.

 

Click to enlarge

 

Stuart welcomed us to STEPS, and promoted the upcoming STEPS Grand Winter Ball at the RSL. Tickets are $50. There is a raffle for a ring valued at $30,000, with the proceeds going to the STEPS Pathway College.

 

Deborah told us about next weeks meeting, will which will be at Grounded Emporium, in Bulcock Street, next to the Bank of Queensland

 

Among his rantings, Sergeant Ian gave Gordon a hard time about his 85,000 km service

 

 

The scream of the sweet potatoes

Thank you very Munch