THE Probus Club of Pitt Town met at Pitt Town and District Sports Club last week to celebrate a year of successful operation, and a year of bringing retired and semi-retired members of the community together.
The social club has grown to around 100 members since its inception, and president Derek Black said the celebration went "extraordinarily well" with around 75 people in attendance on the day including Member for Hawkesbury Robyn Preston who cut the official anniversary cake and presented a certificate.
Mr Black said Probus Pitt Town was a small local organisation that fulfilled an important role in society by "keeping retirees both mentally and physically active with many different events and activities on an ongoing basis".
"Probus is one of the fastest-growing social organisations in Australia," Mr Black said.
"We're not a service club - people aren't expected to go and raise money, that's not in our charter. We're all about fellowship and friendship, and enjoying the companionship of like-minded people."
Mr Black and his wife moved to Pitt Town shortly before the club opened, and the duo joined as "a way to get to know parts of the community". Mr Black was elected president, and said the role was "very fulfilling" and he and his wife had made "a lot of good friends in quite a short period of time".
The club meets at Pitt Town on a monthly basis and also runs regular outings throughout the year including Opal Express a mystery tour.
"People get told which train to catch, which carriage to sit on, and we do that about once a month, about 30 to 40 people come to that," Mr Black said.
"We've got a lunch at Geranium Cottage this Thursdays, and we've also got a caravan club, a photography club, a group of people who are going cruising early in the new year, and we have regular dinners and lunches.
Probus is one of the fastest-growing social organisations in Australia.
- Derek Black
"Everybody can't do everything - if there's 10,20 or 30 people who want to do it then that's OK, it's just about enjoying their retirement."
To find out more about Probus Club of Pitt Town go to the website at pitttownprobus.org or call the club secretary on 0417 204 853, or simply turn up to the Pitt Town and District Sports Club on the second Tuesday of the month at 10am to see what it's all about and put your name on the membership waiting list.