Rascal celebrated its 50th birthday at the Southern Cross Yacht Club on 10 June 2021.
Thirty two current and past members attended.
Greg Fraser, a past president, spoke about the Club's early days and Peter Davis, an Air Attack Supervisor with the Rural Fire Service spoke about his experience fighting fires using aircraft.
Sharen Mack was the key organiser of the event and was assisted by Gale Funston.
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The Club raised funds wherever possible and in 1968 held the "Cedamus Amori Ball" at $10 per ticket. The ball was a great success, so much so that the translation "Love conquers all; let us all yield to love!" was taken a little too literally. Amorous activities at the Lodge meant noise reduction panelling became necessary to reduce embarrassment (or envy!).
Greg also spoke of the nefarious activities by Rascal members in the landscaping of the Lodge's front yard. The Committee had agreed to purchase 80 cubic metres of tanbark for a working bee to spread around the front yard. An enormous semitrailer couldn't manoeuvre well in the confines of the narrow road so dumped it across the front kerb and the road.
Rascal members assumed the role of traffic redirectors and they worked like trojans to move it all. Greg reflected on the first working bee where the tanbark was dumped closer to the bowling club, which lies some distance from the Lodge. Again Rascal members toiled relentlessly wheelbarrowing the material up the hill to spread over the front yard - but locals had a different idea and reported to the police that some rascals were trying to steal Council property!
Greg and Mollie Fraser
Peter Davis commenced his story by describing his love of the mountains and holding up his first pair of skis - he must have been about three years old to use skis that short!
Peter spoke about his fire fighting activities in both the Snowys but also further afield across NSW and Victoria. His role is to fly above the fire and direct fire trucks and fire fighting aircraft about where to best do the fighting. The Rural Fire Service (RFS) has a range of aircraft available, ranging from the smaller helicopters to large Boeing jets which can dump an enormous amount of water or foam or retardant on or near a fire front. The work is enhanced by the use of newer infra red technology which helps locate burning roots which reignite in a few days time, and I am sure also helps locate the actual fire front through all that smoke. He spoke respectfully of the huge amount of energy a large eucalypt in the snowys releases when engulfed and explodes. And more than one tree gets burnt!!
Peter spoke about some of the challenges he and his co-firefighters face, particularly when things go wrong or when challenging decisions about which of two areas are to be saved, knowing full well that there are people and physical assets and livelihoods that are about to be destroyed in both areas. He needs to act quickly and decisively with limited information and a rapidly changing fire, wind and asset mosaic.
Peter also spoke about the challenges of keeping himself and his co-volunteers on and even keel when there is loss of life from the fire itself or from the crash of a vehicle or fire fighting aircraft. These losses are deeply felt by the whole firefighting community. It could have been them. Firefighting is a dangerous activity.
Thank you for your insights Peter and the devotion you and your fellow firefighters have to protecting the community, life, property, livelihoods and the dreams and aspirations of those at fire risk.
It is much appreciated.
Sharen thanking Peter Davis for his presentation.
Cutting of the cake by Marg Sharp, Lynne Bentley and Mollie Fraser: all very long standing members of Rascal.
Lynne was a student nurse in 1969 at Canberra Hospital.
Marg joined as a recently graduated Occupational Therapist in 1975 and has been the Purchasing Officer for more than two decades!
And Mollie Fraser was a Rascal Committee member in 1978.
Congratulations also to all Rascal members, both past and present, who have contributed to the great communal and friendly nature of the Club and made it such a success.
