A large group of current and past members, plus their partners and supporters attended the 10th Birthday and Book Launch celebrations at their Boyne Tannum Shed on Saturday, 16 October.
Greetings and conversations flowed over the complimentary barista coffees served by the on-site van before the welcome ceremony was commenced by Rick Bichsel.
Rick was the inaugural president and is affectionally known as “The Senator” and has always been part of the close relationship between the shed and the Boyne Island Lions Club.
More kind words about the shed were added by another long-time supporter, Mike Robins, from the RSL Boyne Tannum Sub-branch.
Current shed president, Mick Kidd, spoke of the shed history and the values it offers to both members and the community and introduced the State Member for Gladstone, Glenn Butcher, and the Mayor of the Gladstone Regional Council, Matt Burnett, to the gathering.
Both levels of government plus the Federal Government have made valuable contributions towards the growth of the shed over the ten years.
The Book Launch was introduced by Councillor Glenn Churchill as chairman of the Regional Arts and Development Fund who had provided a grant for the printing, after the idea of the book was first raised by shedder Bill Taylor and completed with the help of the editor, Claire Mitchell.
All attendees received a copy of this very professional publication.
It was a day for remembering milestones in the shed’s development from the early meetings in the neighbouring scouts building before securing a lease on land from the Council and then receiving one of the Vietnam huts from the Department of Defence.
Growth steadily accumulated over the years with Conoco Phillips donating a toilet block, Iwasaki Foundation helping with earthworks and building of workshops and of course the Boyne Tannum’s Shed reputation as being the sausage sizzle kings of Gladstone.
Those sausage sizzles have contributed over $100,000 profit to the shed. Regular Barbeques at Ron “Doc” Doherty’s place will be a feature in the future, helped by the cookbook he won in the raffle.
The mandatory birthday cake was cut by Bill Taylor and assisted by Bruce Williams, both founding members of the shed. Shed tours were conducted and morning tea was in the original building, all adding to the friendly and relaxed atmosphere of the day.
Mick Kidd said, “The Boyne Tannum Men’s Shed appreciated the opportunity to entertain the VIP guests and visitors from each the Gladstone and Capricorn Coast Men’s Sheds.”
