Sabby Gillow has a twinkle in her eye and a spring in her step when she catches up with her friends at National Seniors’ Beaudesert Branch.
She is one of about 15 or 20 members who regularly make it along to Beaudesert Golf Club at 9.30am on the third Wednesday of each month for National Seniors meetings.
They fill the meeting room with the buzz of chatting over a cuppa, cheering about winning raffle prizes and planning their next group trip (they do a day trip every two months and a bigger annual trip to places like Yeppoon or Roma).
President Howard Loweke said they have about 45 members on the books, but attendance has gradually declined over the last few years and they are keen to keep locals involved.
Secretary Rosemary Ryan, who is also the Tour Director, is on the same mission and said all local seniors are welcome.
“I’d encourage anyone to come along – you don’t have to join straight away, you can see if you like our group,” she said.
Sabby, who will be 89 on 8 December, said National Seniors kept her active.
“You want to try and get out; you do whatever you can. I’m in Probus as well. If I’m thinking of missing a trip because it involves too much walking, the others say, ‘Sabby, you’ll take your walker, we’ll look after you’,” she said.
“I am trying to get as many people as possible to get out and enjoy the time we have left, because there is going to be a time when we can’t do it anymore. Enjoy life for as long as you can and look at everything with a happy face and accept it. It’s no good sitting at home and feeling sorry for yourself.”
Shirley Schwarz, 86, is another regular at National Seniors.
“I love the trips we do and the interesting speakers we get each month. It’s a very social club – everyone’s talking, even when the meeting is on, sometimes,” she said.
For more information contact Howard on 0427 422 967 or Rosemary on 0409 265 472.
