Hervey Bay looks back on 2024 and ahead to Croquet on the Bay 2025

It is the time of the year when members of Hervey Bay Croquet Club look back and look forward. The club reflected on the ups and downs, joys and sorrows of its year's activities, and looked forward to a new year of challenge and activity.

All members of the Hervey Bay Croquet Club trust that 2024 has been a rewarding one for your Club and has been kind to you and yours. The past couple of months for the Hervey Bay Club were a little quieter, with Club championships, Regional tournaments and other championships in the past.

An afternoon of fun, social interaction and croquet experience was once again enjoyed by just over twenty members of the social Club attached to a local business entitled CaCh Tours and Events. Club members joined the visitors on the lawns and enjoyed the game in a relaxed social atmosphere.

A social event enjoyed every year on the Monday preceding the Melbourne Cup is a lunch sumptuously catered for by Club members. The lunch followed the usual play morning, with attendees encouraged to don their fascinators. Lesley received a prize for her most original creation, with 'Win!, Win!, Win!' then celebrated with the winnings displayed.

Lesley receiving a prize for her most original creation.

Olive's fascinator was a little more conventional.

One Club member has for many years accepted responsibility for setting up the Sweep.

Again this year, Club members enthusiastically and generously embraced the Christmas Charity Collection. For the two families identified as being legitimately in need, Christmas 2024 will, the club hopes, be a little brighter. Added to these two hampers will be one assembled solely by a Club member who asked to prepare one for another family.

Christmas charity collection hampers.

The club drew attention to the Date Claimer for Croquet on the Bay - 2025, to be held 22-26 August. It will open with Association, Ricochet will follow and then Golf. Having had to cancel the 2024 tournament due to inclement weather, the club looks forward to a successful and enjoyable tournament in 2025.

Coming events were listed as 27 November: AGM and Election of Office Bearers; 06 December: Christmas Function & Presentation of Awards; 21 Dec. to 05 Jan. (inclusive): The Club will be officially closed; and 31 January: The Hervey Bay Club will host a social visit from Point Lookout.

On behalf of everyone in the Hervey Bay Croquet Club, Coral Deeth extended best wishes for a safe, relaxing and enjoyable Christmas and a Happy New Year.

By Croquet Newsletter. From the Croquet Newsletter, November/December 2024, pages 23, 24.