After many years of holding our Class Leaders’ and Key Volunteers’ end-of-year lunch in the magnificent Box Hill Town Hall ‘bringing it home’ to the Hub was a bit of an unknown quantity.
However, Studios 1 and 2 opened up, with their magnificent views from their floor to ceiling windows, was the perfect venue for this very special event. The twenty tables were dressed for Christmas and the festive atmosphere after such a challenging year was palpable.
Around 160 Class Leaders, Key Volunteers and members of the Committee of Management shared a delicious two-course meal delivered to each place setting in separate boxes, which was both novel and COVID-safe – and avoided having to queue at the buffet!
Following a warm welcome to everyone by President Liz Hooper, Cr Massoud made a surprise presentation to Vice President Valerie Donlon of a potted camellia named ‘Volunteer’ in honour of her 2021 Council of the Ageing Award on behalf of the Leaders.
Lunch was then enjoyed at a leisurely pace, before Course Administrator Elsie Mutton OAM made presentations to each of the Class Leaders who were not returning in 2022. Details of these Leaders are outlined by Elsie in her Course Administration article.
So the verdict at the end of the event was that having our special lunch ‘at home’ was a great success!