THIRTEENTH REUNION - 2013 - SHEPPARTON
8th till 11th APRIL
{Most of the photos in this post were provided by Tony (Drusilla 53) and Therese Alonco}
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| Front cover of Reunion Booklet - printed by Br Peter Howes (Drusilla 54) |
Accommodation
Big Valley Motor Inn
This was an ideal base for the Reunion. Rooms were comfortable, and Maureen and Ken Keating had placed a welcoming basket of local fruit in each room. What a lovely gesture.
Our motel hosts were Anthony and Vicki Picolo and their family. We had sole use of the dining room for our meals (which were very acceptable and appetising) and conference room. We also had open access to the dining room bar based on a honor system. This was a very generous gesture by Anthony. We were very grateful for their understanding and care of us during our stay. There were some last minute apologies and additions which they coped with very obligingly. A big thank you to them.
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| The Picolo Family - Anthony & Vicki in background |
First Excursion
On Tuesday 9th April we departed on our bus tour to Echuca. Ken Keating was our driver and guide. First port of call was the Barmah Information centre where we learnt about Barmah Lagoon and redwood forests, then onto Moama Sports Club for a very relaxed lunch. After lunch we headed to Echuca pier to board the paddlesteamer 'Pride of the Murray" for a very pleasant 60 minute cruise including afternoon tea. We returned to the Motel for pre-dinner drinks, then off to the Terminus Hotel for dinner and were entertained by a local story teller and poet Jack O'Connor. He was delightful
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| Joan & Peter Lawler, Br Gerry, Br Julian, Frank Loughland |
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| Maureen Philp,Meg & John Kelly, Maureen Keating |
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| Barry Hansen (backgroung), Lois Lane, Therese Alonco |
All aboard: Tony Alonco & Maureen Philp
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| Philip Auer, Les Jones, Maureen Keating, Br Doug, Ken Keating, Joan Lawler |
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Can you name all these? |
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Phil Auer, Lois Lane, Margaret Irvin |
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Mike & Pat Doherty, Maureen Philp, Therese Alonco |
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Disembarking |
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Barry Hansen, Lois Lane |
Second Excursion
Bus tour on Wednesday 10th included : wine tasting at the Michelton winery; an inspection of Limerick Lane horse stud owned by G A Ryan and home of Melbourne Cup winner Americain; lunch at the Nagambie Hotel; a visit to the Longwood Rockery and Gemstone facility. We had the opportunity to buy goods at the winery and the rockery. We also saw the site of Uniting Church at Nagambie which was demolished by a Keating truck in June 2003. And Father Frank Jones (brother of Les) joined us, helping the driver (Ken) with his local knowledge. John Quinlan (Drusilla 48) from Benalla also joined us today. Another very interesting day, with plenty of time to chat between stops on the bus. |
Br Doug, Phil Auer, John Quinlan |
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Other things in the winery: Meg Kelly, Joan Lawler, Pat Doherty, Lois Lane |
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Maureen Keating, John Kelly, Mike Doherty |
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Limerick Lane Stud |
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John Kelly, Terry O'Brien, Barry Hansen, Ken Keaing, Les Jones, Fr Frank Jones |
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At the Limerick Lane horse stud. |
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Louris & Frank Loughland, Lois Lane, Margaret Irvin, Les Jones, Tom Lawlor others obscured |
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| On the buses - all well behaved -how many of these can you identify? |
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John Kelly,Terry O'Brien, Pat Doherty, Barry Hansen, Hilda Lawlor, Therese Alonco, Tom Lawlor, Kevin Loughland, Mike Doherty, Louris Loughland |
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Demolition of the Uniting Church Nagambie - driver escaped serious injury - nearly ended up in the Lake! |
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At the Rockery: Hilda Lawlor, Mike Doherty, Lois Lane, Margaret Irvin, Pat Doherty,John Quinlan, Therese Alonco |
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Sample of Rockery wares |
Reunion Mass
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| St Brendan's Church, Shepparton |
We gathered at St Brendan's at 5.00 pm. The chief celebrant was was Father Frank Jones. We welcomed a number of confreres who had come from Bendigo and Melbourne just for the Mass and dinner. There were also some guests from St Brendan's parish. Barry Hansen and Des Tuck read out the list of deceased confreres and staff from 1948 till 1976 before the liturgy commenced. We also specially remembered those confreres who had died since our Templestowe reunion: Br Stephen Bugg (Drusilla 59), Br John Mullins (Mittagong 54), Fr Bill Grogan (Br Donald (Drusilla 65) ,Br Leo Kavanagh (Drusilla 69) and our deceased family members and loved ones.
Again the singing, as is the custom with our Reunion Masses, was great even though we missed Jenny O'Brien as our accompanist. We sang Kyrie (although it was pitched too high by the cantor - Terry O'Brien - and we struggled a bit but got through it!), Sanctus and Agnus Dei in Gregorian chant. "Take back O Lord and receive ... " a hymn commonly sung at first profession liturgies. And finished with a spirited rendition of the "Salve Regina".
Michael and Pat Doherty prepared the General Intercessions.
Following the mass we took the group photos
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| Back row: Br Basil Hoare, Mich Wade, Les Jones, Br John Meehan, Br Gerry Rush, Kevin Loughland, Br John Maybon, Tom Lawlor, Des Tuck Second row: Br Doug Walsh, Br Julian Quinlan, Ken Keating, Mike Doherty, John Kelly, John Quinlan,Tony Alonco Front row: Brian Greaves, Philip Auer, Peter Lawler, Terry O'Brien, Barry Hansen, Br Des Howard TOTAL: 22 |
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| Ladies only: Back Row: Maureen Philp, Margaret Irvin, Lois Lane, Hilda Lawlor Middle: Pat Doherty, Therese Alonco Front Row: Joan Lawler, Maureen Keating, Meg Kelly TOTAL: 9 |
Roll Call 2013
Drusilla
ALONCO, Tony and Therese 53AUER, Phillip (Mittagong) 49
DOHERTY, Mike and Pat 51
GREAVES, Brian 49
HANSEN, Barry 51
HOARE, Br Basil 48
HOWARD, Br Des 63
IRVIN, Margaret (Kevin RIP) 51
JONES, Les 52
KEATING, Ken and Maureen 51
KELLY, John and Meg 51
LAWLER, Peter and Joan 51
LAWLOR, Tom an Hilda 52
LANE, Lois (Kevin RIP) 51
LOUGHLAND, Frank and Louris 53
MAYBON, Br John 51
O'BRIEN, Terry 49
PHILP, Maureen (Brian RIP) 51
QUINLAN, Br Julian (Mittagong) 54
QUINLAN, John 48
RUSH, Br Gerry 52
TUCK, Des 53
WADE, Mich 53
WALSH, Br Doug 52
TOTAL: 31
Apologies 2013
Drusilla
BIANCO, Remo and Naomi 52
BURROWS, Ern and Anne 50
EMERY, John 51
GREAVES, Jan
HANSEN, Marj
HASSETT, John and Val 52
HICKEY, Br Noel (Jerome) 53
JOLLEY, Bill and Trish 54
JONES, Bev
KUNDE, John and Rita (Mittagong) 54
McCRYSTAL, Br Greg 50
McMAHON, Br John 64
MONRO, Brian and Yvonne 49
O'BRIEN, Jenny
O'BRIEN, Pete and Jan 52
ORRELL, Br Terry 52
PARNHAM. Greg and Eleanor 52
QUINLAN, Margaret
RYAN, Jim and Jan 63
SCOTT, Vin and Frances 49
SKEHAN, Br Jack 58
TUCK, Anna
TOTAL: 32
Reunion Meeting
On returning from St Brendan's we met in the conference room for drinks and our meeting. To commence the meeting Les Jones acknowledged all those who had apologised for not being able to attend the Reunion, but especially the following late withdrawals: Jan Greaves (not well); John and Val Hassett (family matters); Remo and Naomi Bianco (not well); John and Rita Kunde (not well). Some of the matters arising from the meeting included:
evaluation of this Reunion - unanimous affirmation for the Motel and the Excursions and special thanks to Ken and Maureen Keating for their sterling effort;
discussion on future reunions - strong support to continue them but perhaps in a different format where attendees arrange their own accommodation preferably at the same venue (or within close proximity) - no collection of deposits etc.
One motion was proposed: that John Kelly be accepted as the life member of the Reunions and continue to be Chair of the committee.
The current committee are happy to continue in their roles to support him.
Reunion Dinner
The dinner followed the meeting - a lovely three course meal. Br Des Howard (Drusilla 63) was our guest speaker who provided us with an informative and inspiring address about the establishment of the Marist Brothers in Australia, the division into two Provinces (Melbourne and Sydney in 1948), the amalgamation back into one Province (Australian Province in 2012), and the future directions of the Marist charism. He led us in sterling rendition of ' Viva la companie'. Then in true Marist tradition we concluded the evening with the 'Sub Tuum'.
The Reunion Committee
The Committee would like to thank sincerely all those who were able to attend this Reunion, as usual it was a great family show.
Again we would like to especially acknowledge Margaret Irvin, Maureen Philp, and Lois Lane for their attendance, it is very inspiring to all of us that you think it is important for the memory of your husbands.
Also a thank you to all those who offered their apologies, your support for our Reunions is very reassuring.
We are grateful to Tony and Therese Alonco who provided us with two DVDs of their iPad photos and videos of our Reunion. Unfortunately the videos are two large (MBs) to download onto this blog. They have also provided DVDs to others as well. Much appreciated Tony and Therese, our 'official' photographers.
Your Reunion 2013 Committee
Again we would like to especially acknowledge Margaret Irvin, Maureen Philp, and Lois Lane for their attendance, it is very inspiring to all of us that you think it is important for the memory of your husbands.
Also a thank you to all those who offered their apologies, your support for our Reunions is very reassuring.
We are grateful to Tony and Therese Alonco who provided us with two DVDs of their iPad photos and videos of our Reunion. Unfortunately the videos are two large (MBs) to download onto this blog. They have also provided DVDs to others as well. Much appreciated Tony and Therese, our 'official' photographers.
Your Reunion 2013 Committee
Mike Doherty (Drusilla 51)
Barry Hansen (Drusilla 51)
Les Jones (Drusilla 52)
John Kelly (Drusilla 51) - Chair and Treasurer
Terry O'Brien (Drusilla 49) - Secretary
Programme
MONDAY APRIL 8th
Arrivals pm
Pre-dinner drinks 5.00
Evening Meal 7.00
TUESDAY APRIL 9th
Breakfast 7.30
Depart for First Excursion 9.15
Morning Tea - Barmah 10.00
Lunch - Moana Sports Club 12.00
PaddleSteamer + A tea 2.30
Pre-dinner drinks 5.00
Dinner - Terminus Hotel 6.00
WEDNESDAY APRIL 10th
Breakfast 7.30
Depart for Second Excursion 9.15
Morning Tea - Winery 10.30
Lunch - Nagambie Hotel 12.00
Longwood Rockery 1.45
Reunion Mass at St Brendan's 5.00
Celebrant: Fr Frank Jones
Reunion Photos
Reunion Meeting 6.15
Pre-dinner drinks
Reunion Dinner 7.00
Guest Speaker: Br Des Howard Drusilla 63)
THURSDAY APRIL 11th
Breakfast 7.30
Departures am
Special thanks and appreciation.
To Ken and Maureen Keathing for their generosity and hospitality in helping to organise this Reunion.
2013 Reunion Committee: John, Les, Mike, Barry and Terry
{posted May 2013}
{posted May 2013}
