Nick meets Denis and Katherine from Probus

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Coming to you from Rockingham IPL Radio. [00:00:06] Speaker B: You're listening to My Generation on IPL Radio. Coming to you from Rockingham in Western Australia. And My Generation is proudly sponsored by Little Hanoi Vietnamese restaurant. You'll find them on Rockingham Beach Road in Rockingham. Do yourself a favor, get down there and check it out for yourself. Right now I have in the studio Dennis and Catherine from Provis. Rockingham. Rockingham, Provis. Hey, welcome to IPL Radio. And I believe it's a special year for you guys this year. [00:00:40] Speaker A: Yes, this year Provis South Pacific, which covers Australia and New Zealand, is celebrating its 50th anniversary. And our club is also celebrating our 44th anniversary. So we're one of the early, early clubs. There's 1300 clubs throughout Australasia, 85 in WA at the moment. And there's more clubs being formed, so. [00:01:11] Speaker B: Okay. Well, I have to say that I didn't know what PROBUS was about. Could you give us a brief description of what PROBUS is about and, and what you do, why you, why you're there? [00:01:28] Speaker A: It's a social club for retirees and semi retirees. [00:01:32] Speaker B: Right. [00:01:32] Speaker A: Who. People who wanted to make connections. [00:01:37] Speaker B: Right. [00:01:38] Speaker A: And we stand for fun, friendship and fellowship. We are non political, non religious and non fundraising. So it's all about socialization and having fun. [00:01:49] Speaker B: Right. [00:01:50] Speaker A: We have a motto, retired from work, not from life. And so we've got these big celebrations on this year. [00:02:00] Speaker B: Yeah, so, so you have what, regular monthly meetings? [00:02:03] Speaker A: We have a regular monthly meeting. And this particular month we're having a guest speaker by the name of Dr. John Happs. He's a geoscientist who has a special interest in climate change. [00:02:17] Speaker B: Right. [00:02:18] Speaker A: And he's done a lot of work and lectured at a lot of universities on the subject. He's going to talk about climate change. Should we be alarmed? [00:02:29] Speaker B: Okay. [00:02:30] Speaker A: And he's going to cut through the political and the media sort of jargon that goes on about it. [00:02:37] Speaker B: So that gives me a bit of a clue as to which side of the fence he's on. [00:02:43] Speaker A: Well, he's on the side, on the fence of science. [00:02:47] Speaker B: Right. [00:02:48] Speaker A: He's about the science of it. And we don't get to hear about the science, we just hear about carbon dioxide. And we're, you know, we're destroying the planet with carbon dioxide. There's a lot more to it than that. [00:03:00] Speaker B: Yes, well, carbon dioxide is actually essential. [00:03:04] Speaker A: It is. [00:03:04] Speaker B: So, yes. Interesting. Might be. So whereabouts is that being held? [00:03:10] Speaker A: We meet at the Rockingham Marines Rescue on the fourth Monday of the Month. So this particular meeting will be on Monday the 25th at 2pm and we're inviting members of the public to come and listen. [00:03:27] Speaker B: Oh, okay. I was going to ask that. Can someone sort of pop along and, and listen without being a member? [00:03:33] Speaker A: Yeah, we, we would invite members of the public come along. This is a very important subject. So I think a lot of people might be interested in this. [00:03:42] Speaker B: Absolutely, absolutely. [00:03:43] Speaker A: If they want to come along. We do ask though if they can get in touch. Just so we know how many are coming for afternoon tea. [00:03:51] Speaker B: So during the day, not at night? [00:03:53] Speaker A: No, it's two o' clock in the afternoon. [00:03:55] Speaker B: Okay. So all the meetings are 2 o' clock in the afternoon. Okay. That makes it sort of a little bit more accessible for people of a certain vintage, [00:04:08] Speaker A: people with a lot of experience. [00:04:11] Speaker B: It's because a lot of sort of people in that age group don't like to sort of get out at night on the roads and so two o' clock in the afternoon. Very good. [00:04:21] Speaker A: Yeah. So if, if they want to come along, if they would get in touch with us, if they can contact a lady president called Edna and I've got the phone number here, it's 04206473888. [00:04:38] Speaker B: Could you repeat that again? [00:04:40] Speaker A: 04206473 double eight. [00:04:46] Speaker B: Excellent. And is the afternoon tea sort of free? [00:04:51] Speaker A: Yeah, we just have afternoon tea and we share that with our guest speaker and any guests that come along. We do a lot of other things as well. We, we have a, an outing on second Wednesdays. We go to a venue for lunch. [00:05:07] Speaker B: Right. [00:05:07] Speaker A: And we have sit around and have a great old chat. [00:05:10] Speaker C: So. [00:05:10] Speaker B: So when you say you go to a venue, like a restaurant or something. [00:05:13] Speaker A: Oh, restaurant, yeah. [00:05:15] Speaker B: I hope you've been to Little Hanoi's Vietnamese restaurant. [00:05:18] Speaker A: I think we have, haven't we, Catherine? [00:05:20] Speaker C: I haven't been, but you may have. [00:05:24] Speaker B: Highly recommended. Yes. Yeah, There you go. [00:05:26] Speaker A: Yes, we have one. Remember now, we have been there. [00:05:29] Speaker B: Yep. [00:05:30] Speaker A: But we also do a lot of other things. We have theater and music outings. You know, we do man pack down in Mandurah and local venues as well. [00:05:45] Speaker C: We recently supported the Rockingham Theatre by going to the Exotic Marigold Hotel. They put that on. [00:05:52] Speaker B: Okay. [00:05:52] Speaker C: Yeah, so that was really good. [00:05:54] Speaker B: I hadn't heard of that. [00:05:54] Speaker C: It was. Have you watched the movies? [00:05:56] Speaker B: I've watched. Oh, yeah, I've got the DVD at home. [00:05:59] Speaker C: So it's always good, I think, to watch the movie before you saw the theater. [00:06:03] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:06:04] Speaker C: And it was quite good put on by the local Rockingham theatre, so. [00:06:07] Speaker B: I never knew that. Yeah, very good. Now just talk us through a normal meeting because you wouldn't have guest speakers every time, would you? Yes, every meeting you've got a. [00:06:20] Speaker A: What we. What our format is. We have a very brief general meeting just to conduct the business and make sure the club's running okay. Then we break for afternoon tea usually. And then we have a guest speaker. We don't have a guest speaker every time. Sometimes when we mix it up, you know, we've had a quiz afternoon. We've had people sitting around tables with group discussions. I give them a topic to discuss and to report back to the group that gets people involved with each other. They get to meet each other, get to know each other and connect with each other. Then we have. Well, we've got one coming up, haven't we, Katherine? [00:07:07] Speaker C: We hope to. We hope to put on our own version of. Would I lie to you? [00:07:11] Speaker B: Okay, now question I must ask sort of pretty much up front, is it men's, women's or men's and women's. [00:07:21] Speaker A: Men's and women's. It's called the Combined Provost Club of Rockingham Incorporated. [00:07:27] Speaker B: Right. But. But some groups have separate men's and women's. [00:07:31] Speaker A: Yes, there is a. There is a separate ladies group nearby. I think the. The majority of Proverbs clubs these days are men and women. [00:07:44] Speaker B: Right. [00:07:46] Speaker A: A lot of them were started off as men only, but that's changed. You know, things do change in our society over time. [00:07:54] Speaker B: Yeah. And. And do you charge a membership fee or. [00:07:59] Speaker A: It's only a small membership fee. There's was it Catherine. [00:08:03] Speaker C: It's $40 a year annual membership and that covers insurance and part of the money we have to pay towards Probus association of wa. [00:08:14] Speaker B: Okay. [00:08:15] Speaker C: So they get a certain amount of those funds and it covers the insurance and it's $20 a one off as a joining fee just to get your name badge. And you'll get a certificate and a welcome to Probus pack. [00:08:29] Speaker B: Yep. [00:08:30] Speaker C: And then each week if you come along, if you decide to become a member each week it's a normal fee of $5 per week, which goes towards the afternoon tea. [00:08:39] Speaker B: Oh, okay. Yeah. I was going to ask you how that gets funded. [00:08:43] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:08:43] Speaker B: So do members sort of bring stuff or do you. Do you actually get it catered for? [00:08:49] Speaker C: No, we generally take it on a roster, volunteer roster. If you don't put your hand up, you will be asked. It's generally it works out to be once a year. Year. Because of the number of Members that we have, you do get a small reimbursement. So one member will make sandwiches, another member will make the cakes. Biscuits, there's tea and coffee available. Sometimes we have small pastries, you know, in the cooler weather, sausage rolls and, and so forth, whatever people like to bring. [00:09:20] Speaker B: So how many would be in the Rockingham Probus? [00:09:25] Speaker A: It goes up and down for various reasons, but it's currently just over 20. [00:09:30] Speaker B: Okay. [00:09:31] Speaker A: Yeah, it's a small club, so it's very compact, intimate. People, People know each other very well. And, you know, we go on our lunch outings or other outings, so we do visit other places. You know, people get to know each other and they tend to form their own little groups with of particular interest. Like a, A group might get together and, oh, let's have a game of Scrabble one afternoon. And that's. So they get to know each other. [00:09:57] Speaker B: Right. And you're in the marine rescue place. How many does that hold if you expanded rapidly? [00:10:05] Speaker C: Sorry, Dennis. [00:10:06] Speaker A: No, it's quite. The room we, we rent off them is quite large. [00:10:11] Speaker B: Right. [00:10:11] Speaker A: We could fit in there. 60 to 80 people, probably. [00:10:14] Speaker B: Right. [00:10:15] Speaker A: But. But we have our Christmas lunch in there now, that's legendary. It's a really good lunch. We have it catered and it's great value when you look at what we have. We have seafood as well as the usual Christmas fare, and we have all sorts of things, drinks and that. It's a really good Christmas lunch and it's excellent value. And we, again, we invite friends and relatives and people from the public to sign up, but we'll be talking about that later in the year. [00:10:58] Speaker B: Right, so what do you do to promote yourselves? Because I'm in the age bracket, but I've not sort of come across Provis before. [00:11:10] Speaker A: Yes, that's. That's been our, our problem. A lot of people don't know about Provis, but it's, it's a good way to connect with, with people and, and, you know, a lot of interest in our speakers and, and the activities we do. [00:11:27] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:11:28] Speaker A: So, yeah, it, it's. It's an organization that's not well known through the, through the community. And that's why with the 50th anniversary of Probus in Australasia, we're trying to make a big promotion of it and we hope. We're putting out letterbox flyers and things like that. [00:11:53] Speaker B: So with the speaker coming up talking about climate change, have you sort of been sort of getting that out to the general public? [00:12:05] Speaker A: Yes, well, we are. We're just Doing that now we're going to embark on a letterbox drop Right. In our immediate environments and that to get it out there. [00:12:18] Speaker B: Yes. [00:12:19] Speaker A: But anyone who hears about it from our talk today, just give us a call and I'll give Edna a call. [00:12:27] Speaker B: Yep. [00:12:27] Speaker A: And quite welcome to come along. [00:12:30] Speaker B: Now I see that it's Probus South Pacific. [00:12:36] Speaker A: Yes. [00:12:36] Speaker B: So Australian. Is it sort of Probus in other parts of the world? [00:12:41] Speaker A: Oh, yes. [00:12:42] Speaker B: Okay. [00:12:42] Speaker A: It's right around the world. It's, it started many years ago, I think in the UK as an offshoot of Rotary. [00:12:51] Speaker B: Right. [00:12:52] Speaker A: And the original idea was that Rotarians who got to retiring age would probably leave Rotaryan and they set up Probus for them. But over the decades the whole concept has changed and developed. We're not so much connected with Rotary anymore, although theoretically it is. But we're quite separate from Rote. We do our own thing, you know, it's all about connecting with, with each other, having fun and learning things, you know, getting educated about other stuff. [00:13:32] Speaker B: Right, right. [00:13:34] Speaker A: So it's all good fun and yeah, we, we go to other outings and yeah, people building friendships out of it and so people who might have lost a partner. Yeah, they might feel a bit lonely. Why don't, why don't you come along [00:13:51] Speaker B: and so you don't get people coming along looking for a, a date? [00:13:59] Speaker A: No, we're not a matchmaking organization but [00:14:03] Speaker C: we do get members that do strike up a good friendship. Yeah, we have a couple that travel. They're not together, but they, they travel. [00:14:12] Speaker A: Yes. [00:14:12] Speaker C: And they've just been to Japan and they've been to Egypt earlier. [00:14:15] Speaker B: Okay. [00:14:16] Speaker C: And they're in the 80s and they're doing really well. What was the other thing I was going to mention? Yes, just in regards to. PROBUS is a non threatening environment. So people are sitting at home thinking, I want to meet people, what can I do? Probus is a good way because you're not coming in to do any fundraising, we're not aligned with any political party and you get to meet other people. And we have carpooling. So if you need a lift, one of our members will bring you to the meeting. [00:14:50] Speaker B: So you're not going to be asked to get up and make a speech or anything like that at all. [00:14:54] Speaker C: Only if they're comfortable, they can do what we call like a mini sketch. They can stand up and just give a little tiny bit of background about themselves. Five minutes if they wish. There's no pressure. [00:15:03] Speaker B: Right? [00:15:04] Speaker A: Yeah, we like to hear what their background is, just to sort of get to know them. [00:15:09] Speaker B: So what's in the pipeline for the 50th anniversary? [00:15:12] Speaker A: Well we've got a special event on in July, July 29th. It'll be a musical afternoon and we've got a lady by the name of Kathy Carver. Now she's a singer and a guitarist and a recording artist and she's coming in to give us an afternoon of music, dancing and sing alongs. So it'll be a fun afternoon. We're inviting as many people as like to come. The members of the public be most welcome. Bring your own nibbles. There will be a bar available and a free tea and coffee as well. So that'll be on on Monday 29th July Wednesday. [00:15:58] Speaker C: Sorry Dennis, it's a Wednesday. [00:16:01] Speaker A: Oh that's my mistake, it's a Wednesday. [00:16:04] Speaker C: Wednesday, Wednesday the 29th. [00:16:06] Speaker A: Wednesday the 29th, yeah at 1:30 for a 2:00 clock start. So. [00:16:11] Speaker C: And tickets are $10. [00:16:13] Speaker B: Okay. So people need to sort of book [00:16:18] Speaker A: well yeah, there is a cost of $10 per person that's to cover the cost of the. Of the entertainer and a couple of other things. So again to secure their seat we ask them to contact Edna again on that number again which I'll Repeat, which is 04206473 double eight. [00:16:42] Speaker B: Right. And pay their $10 and they can come along. [00:16:47] Speaker A: Yeah and just come along and join in the fun and get to meet people. We're flexible as what we do depending on what is it of interest to the members. [00:17:05] Speaker B: And you sort of get together with other probus clubs from time to time [00:17:11] Speaker C: On Wednesday, tomorrow, myself president Edna, the secretary Pauline and our hospitality member June. We're all going down to Hall's Head, it's called a workshop and other clubs in the area all get together and we trade different ideas. What works for them, what works for others. [00:17:29] Speaker B: Okay. [00:17:31] Speaker C: Networking and also yeah like a think tank, what we can do. So the four of us are going down there tomorrow. Hall's Head is about six hours I think it is. Right, well that's including travel and there'll be morning tea and lunch so it's a good way that we get to meet other clubs as well. They do have an annual power meeting Probers association of wa, Pauline and myself, we went to that at the end of March and it was attended by about 40 other clubs representatives and there was probably about 15 that couldn't make it obviously from where they are because we have them up north Geraldton, down south Albany, places like that. [00:18:17] Speaker B: Very good. [00:18:18] Speaker A: And Catherine arranges liaison between Other clubs nearby. [00:18:24] Speaker C: So we invite them to come along and they invite us to go along to there. So it's a vice versa. [00:18:31] Speaker B: So. So if a member comes along, says, you know, I think this is a good idea, can we do it? Does the club sort of take it on board or do you have a committee within the club who. We have a committee that decides on all the outings and. [00:18:47] Speaker C: Well, we do put it to the members, don't we, Dennis? We do give them that choice. Most of our outings are pretty cost effective. Like on the 22nd of May, some of us are going to Corlini Legends Musical Afternoon. And it was $20 a ticket and that included the morning tea. [00:19:06] Speaker B: Right. [00:19:06] Speaker C: So. And you can take, you know, I'm taking my mother along basically to get her out of the house. So, you know, we're going to that. So, yeah, you can take friends along as well. Yeah. But we do put it towards the members and the members also come to us with some ideas of what they might like to do or see. [00:19:28] Speaker A: Now we have a management committee. Committee which sort of makes sure the club functions effectively and efficiently so that we don't bog the general meeting down with formal meeting procedures and too much. I mean, obviously we've got to do a little bit of that, but we keep that to a minimum. But the management committee meeting committee comes up with various things and as Catherine says, we bring them to the general meeting for people to express interest in this, that or the other. [00:20:00] Speaker B: Yep. And our members sort of expected to come to a certain number of meetings each year or so. [00:20:07] Speaker A: We do like to like them to attend as regularly as they can. I mean, obviously people in our cohort do a lot of travel. [00:20:16] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:20:17] Speaker A: And some of them have health issues as well, so they can't be the there all the time. But if they're going to join, we like them to. To participate and be there as much as they can. Helps to keep the club alive. [00:20:32] Speaker B: And you have someone sort of, you know, if a person hasn't been for a few weeks or a few months, I guess, because it's monthly meeting, does anyone sort of follow them up and say, look, we've missed you? [00:20:46] Speaker A: Yes, we do have a welfare officer. [00:20:48] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:20:49] Speaker A: And so if any of our members are experiencing some health issues, that person gets in touch. And we did have an occasion where there was one of our members. We hadn't seen her for a few months. We had been trying to contact her and then we found that no, she was not with us anymore. So, yeah, we do look out for each other and support each other. [00:21:22] Speaker B: And. [00:21:23] Speaker A: Yeah, we're there to. To help. [00:21:26] Speaker B: Right. [00:21:27] Speaker C: Because some of these people, they live on their own. [00:21:30] Speaker B: Yes. [00:21:30] Speaker C: And they don't have immediate family close by. [00:21:33] Speaker B: Y. [00:21:33] Speaker C: So we do try to keep the Telegraph open. Very good in that respect. [00:21:37] Speaker B: Very important. [00:21:38] Speaker C: Yes. And help them out and try and get some services like we did recently for another lady, which I won't go into, but yeah, yeah. [00:21:46] Speaker B: Well, when I went online and looked up Provis Clubs, I saw two or two clubs in this area. Is that correct? [00:21:58] Speaker C: So as the combined. [00:22:00] Speaker B: So you combined. [00:22:01] Speaker C: Combined. Provis Club of Rockingham. [00:22:03] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:22:03] Speaker C: There's a Shoalwater Ladies. [00:22:05] Speaker B: Okay, so ladies only. [00:22:08] Speaker C: Yes. [00:22:09] Speaker A: Yeah, We've been in that form for quite a long time. [00:22:13] Speaker B: Right. [00:22:15] Speaker A: Yeah. And then there's another one over at Baldivas as well. [00:22:18] Speaker B: Okay. [00:22:20] Speaker A: I think that one's a combined one. [00:22:22] Speaker C: That's a combined one. [00:22:23] Speaker B: In Baldivas, there's no competition between clubs. [00:22:26] Speaker C: No. But we are looking for new members. Always integrate new blood, fresh ideas and come along. [00:22:33] Speaker B: And so Edna is the point of contact every time, is she? For people wanting to inquire and join up. Edna is the. [00:22:42] Speaker A: Edna would be the point of contact, I suspect. [00:22:45] Speaker C: Yes. But then Edna would then pass on the details to me. So if they want to, they can almost contact myself. [00:22:50] Speaker B: Right, yeah. [00:22:52] Speaker A: So, yeah. And there's a number of clubs down at Mandurah as well. [00:22:55] Speaker C: I think there's four or five down that way. [00:22:58] Speaker A: Andrew alone. A lot of retirees down there, of course. [00:23:02] Speaker B: Yes. [00:23:04] Speaker A: Yeah. So, yeah, there's opportunity, but we're looking to, you know, to grow our club, Get. Get some more members. [00:23:15] Speaker B: So we were Talking about the 50th anniversary a little while ago, and you guys are doing something. Is. Is the Provost Club of Australia, New Zealand doing something as a universal. [00:23:31] Speaker A: Oh, yes, yes. That's Proba South Pacific Riding Body. And they've got a lot of things going on. Do you want to talk about that? What they're doing? But they do have a big program and they're putting in a lot of promotional material and. Which we're hooking on to. And. Yeah, so they're trying to get the clubs to get behind the. The celebration. The 50th celebration. [00:24:02] Speaker B: Because it's a great time to sort of get new members when. When something big is happening, people become aware of it, and that's a good opportunity for you to grow the club. [00:24:14] Speaker A: That's what we're working on. [00:24:15] Speaker B: And. [00:24:16] Speaker A: And that's why we appreciate talking to you over the radio today. I understand that Truce is going to [00:24:25] Speaker B: put an article in the paper. In the Inspire Paper. [00:24:29] Speaker A: Inspire Paper, yeah. That's a great read. [00:24:32] Speaker B: Yes. [00:24:33] Speaker A: That's been very successful for you guys. [00:24:35] Speaker B: It has indeed. We've put out 10,000 copies a month and it's sort of spread around the Rockingham, Woonburgh, Beldivis, Quinano areas and getting a good response. [00:24:52] Speaker A: Yeah, well, as I said, Tris is going to put an article in the paper which will cover the 50th celebration in July and it'll have the contact details there as well. So. Yeah, now we appreciate that offer to do that. So. Yeah. And as you say, it's all about growing the club and helping people to connect and find friendships. [00:25:19] Speaker C: If people don't know where the Marine [00:25:20] Speaker B: Rescue Centre is, which I've never been there. Yes. [00:25:23] Speaker C: It's just as you. You go down the Garden Island Road, Point Perrin Road. On your way to Point Perrin, you go past Garden island and it's the next turning on the right. If anybody knows where the Navy Club is. [00:25:37] Speaker B: Right. [00:25:38] Speaker C: We're next door to the Navy Club and there's. [00:25:41] Speaker B: I think. I think most people have got GPS these days anyway, so it's still easy [00:25:46] Speaker C: to offshoot it, go past it. [00:25:47] Speaker B: Yeah. Well, thank you very much for coming in and sharing the comings and goings of the Provis, and hopefully some of the listeners will have found it very interesting and give Edna a ring. [00:26:03] Speaker A: Well, I hope so, Alan, and thank you very much for giving us the time and. And your support. So we. We appreciate that very much. [00:26:11] Speaker B: Our pleasure. [00:26:12] Speaker A: Thank you. [00:26:13] Speaker C: Thank you.