Julia Banks (Chisholm, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week I was delighted to visit the Mount Waverley Bowling Club, a vibrant and active community sporting club for bowlers of all ages and walks of life in my electorate of Chisholm. The wonderful atmosphere on the day was abuzz with goodwill and a real sense of community. I popped in during the Steve Glasson tournament, a competition which draws bowlers from clubs across Melbourne and further afield. After addressing and welcoming members who were attending the tournament and on quite an impromptu basis, I was given a quick lesson—notwithstanding I was wearing high heels—under the superb direction of the team at Mount Waverley Bowling Club and had my first lawn bowls experience.

My visit to the Mount Waverley Bowling Club further reinforced to me the important community-building role of local sporting clubs. Clubs such as this club would not provide the vibrant warmth and friendship, goodwill and community were it not for the members and the people who run the club. The extremely hardworking president, Richard Sluggett, vice president, Bruce Morley, and secretary, Jill Anderson, all do a fabulous job, and that was evident on the day tournament. Whether you're a life member of the club with decades of bowling experience or a U3A member trying out a new hobby for a term, sport and team activities promote mental and physical health and wellbeing, companionship and a sense of community, and it is just good fun. The Mount Waverley Bowling Club does all this and more. With a healthy social program, the Mount Waverley Bowling Club is a Chisholm sporting club championing community wellbeing and connection for local residents—the young and the young at heart. (Time expired)