All Quiet On The Bowling Club Front
Illawarra Mercury
Friday April 25, 2008
TWO-UP has been cancelled and the beers will be served at reduced strength for most of today at Oak Flats Bowling Club - all in an effort to keep a section of patrons sober enough to respect the true meaning of Anzac Day.
Club chief executive Matt O'Hara said in recent years the club had noticed an increase in the number of people who were using the day as an excuse to get drunk, rather than as a traditional day of remembrance for people who served their country."I will say it's not just the youth, its across a broad spectrum of people who are starting to think the day is about them," Mr O'Hara said.He said the club ran an annual Anzac Day service on behalf of the Oak Flats community and had a responsibility to ensure the six to eight Diggers who attended the club received the respect they deserved.But the growing level of lawlessness has resulted in tough measures being introduced this year to stem the trend, including cancellation of two-up and serving only half nips of alcohol and low to mid-strength beer until 4pm."We are trying everything we can to discourage people from turning the day into just another day off work and an excuse to get drunk," Mr O'Hara said."Our measures are about - come and enjoy the service and remember what's happened to those who have served our country."Mr O'Hara said the broader picture was that the club had a role to be responsible with the service of alcohol."We are trying to take a leadership role in the community by saying we're not going to tolerate drunkenness on any day, but on this day in particular," he said.Oak Flats returned serviceman Bruce Ryan, 70, who served with the Royal Australian Air Force for five years during World War II, said he was at first disappointed to learn the traditional game of two-up had been cancelled."But I am quietly appreciative of what the club is doing for us. The wild ones do tend to spoil it for others," he said.
© 2008 Illawarra Mercury