Auto Collectors Club of Murray Bridge hosts its 2022 presentation night

This article was contributed by John Courtney and Graham Edwards.

Forty-one Auto Collectors Club of Murray Bridge members have gathered for their annual trophy presentation night at Murray Bridge’s Park Lane Vietnamese restaurant.

It was great to see some new and relatively new members present on June 18.

In the absence of club president Claude Minge, vice president and life member John Courtney opened the evening by welcoming all present to the eagerly awaited evening.

With all members seated and enjoying each other’s company, the first couple of courses of the banquet were served, with the chatter almost diminishing to a whisper while members enjoyed their entrees.

Following entrées, Mr Courtney called members to order for the presentation of the 2020-21 “keepers” trophies.

These were for recipients who won the perpetual trophies for that year:

• Valvoline (most points scored for attending meetings and runs): Jan Hall
• Patron’s run competition winner: Jan Hall
• President’s: Brenda Cowie
• Sausage sizzle quiz winner: Maureen and Graham Edwards
• Ladies’ day quiz winner: Liz and Claude Minge
• Founder’s Trophy (most interesting run chosen by the late founder’s wife, Cecily Graetz): John Courtney and Graham Edwards
• Mal Fountain: Maureen and Graham Edwards

Next on the agenda were the seven courses of the delicious banquet, served by a group of friendly, efficient waitresses to the hungry group of club members.

Once most had finished their meal, Mr Courtney and life member and acting secretary Brenda Cowie again began the process of presenting, this time the 2021-22 perpetual awards.

Mr Courtney read a statement from Mr Minge in the lead-up to the president’s award presentation.

“The president’s trophy has been a tradition within our club for many years,” the speech read.

“It is in recognition of a club member who has shown outstanding service to the club either throughout the year or over many years.

“Our club is led and managed by volunteers who give their time, knowledge and expertise in all aspects of the operations of the ACCMB.

“I thank all of them for their support throughout the year.

“This year I have chosen one of our members from this very worthy group of volunteers who has not only carried out his allocated role throughout the year to an excellent standard, but has also helped with many jobs and varied aspects of our club.

“His willingness to help out has been and remains exemplary.

“It is with pleasure and gratitude that I award the President’s Trophy to Graham Edwards.”

Then it was onto the other perpetual recipients for 2021-22:

• Valvoline – Maureen and Graham Edwards
• President’s Trophy – Graham Edwards.
• Patron’s – Neil Burbidge
• Sausage sizzle: recipients not present
• Ladies’ day: Deb Schiller and Brian Rainey
• Founder’s Trophy: 50th anniversary committee

At the conclusion of the award presentations, members responded with gratitude to all the worthy winners.

With all of the club formalities complete, Mr Courtney then called for the chef and waitresses to come forward, offering them words of gratitude for an excellent evening meal, which resulted with a round of applause from the members.

Members continued to talk and enjoy each other’s stories of the life and times of the past 50 years of the club being celebrated this year before Mr Courtney thanked all for their attendance, closing the meeting.

The club’s next meeting will be its annual general meeting at 7.30pm on July 5, at the Johnstone Park combined clubrooms.

Please consider nominating for a position on the committee as current committee persons are always on the lookout for new blood to continue on with the running of this most successful club.

• More information: Claude Minge 0408 813 436.

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