Michael Ransom made an immediate assessment of the Rochester Probus Club when arriving at Mathoura’s Timbercutter cafe for the club’s 25th anniversary celebrations — “this is a very happy club’’.
Mr Ransom, from Probus South Pacific in Melbourne, was representing the board of directors at the celebration on March 30, which was attended by more than 70 Rochester Probus members.
He presented club president Joan Jenkins with a framed 25th anniversary certificate and had lunch with the group after life members John Hyden and Judith White cut the cake.
Mr Ransom is vice chair of the organisation and a foundation member of the Mitcham Nunawading Probus Club in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.
He has been a Probus member for more than 10 years and more recently has worked as a Probus ambassador with several clubs in the City of Whitehorse.
With almost 40 years of experience in government, working in a range of senior roles with the Environment Department and the Department of Primary Industries, he has been actively involved in community organisations for many years, including as captain of the Box Hill Golf Club for three years.
Several of the original Rochester club members, now in their 90s, made the trip to the riverside venue for the celebration.
The event was the first major gathering for the group since a large percentage of the membership was displaced by the October flood event.
Many members were collected by bus from different towns to attend the celebration.