Over one hundred people turned up to what was the most well-attended event of the Club Silver Jubilee
year, and probably the largest event the Club has ever done - the Club’s first-ever Bush Ball, held at
the Stedfast Park Boys Brigade camp at Piha.
The weather was perfect for the event - fine and
warm with little wind - which kicked off at 6pm with the customary pre-dinner mix-and-mingle. Carole,
decked out in black and silver, greeted us and swapped our green or blue folding stuff for name tags.
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The theme for the evening was silver, being the Silver Jubilee of the Club. Many people came along
in all sorts of silver garb.
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We enjoyed a yumptious barbeque dinner outside the main camp hall, followed by dessert..
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At 7:15pm Tim D led the children, age range from about 5yo to 75yo, in some outdoor games which included
a three-legged race and frisbee throwing.
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Half an hour later guest DJ Alan Keane got us on our dancing feet inside the hall for our Fun Bracket
which included the Bird Dance, Hokey Tokey and Macarena, followed by a line dance to Achy Breaky
Heart, and the Gay Gordon Two-step.
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As it got dark Alan took a break while we went outside to the campfire to toast marshmallows
and remember Guy Fawkes with sparklers, the only fireworks permitted at the event due to a serious fire
risk to the surrounding bush.
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When we returned to the hall Alan dished up a selection of ballroom dances, including the waltz and
foxtrot, including of course the well-known Monte Carlo game and the supper waltz. Supper was served
at 10:30pm in the adjoining lounge.
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At 11pm we went back into the hall to join hands for Auld Lang Syne, running inward and outward
repeatedly, to bring the evening to a close. Many of those present went off home straight afterwards;
those of us who decided to sleep over at the venue stripped the hall of its decorations, including the
large red Silver Jubilee banner, before retiring to the dorm block for the night.
Sunday morning
dawned fine and still, interrupted only by the Blue Bush Shirt Cups Of Tea In Bed Service. We enjoyed
a breakfast of scrambled eggs, onions and toast before getting behind scrubbing-brush, broom and hoover
to get the camp spick and span.
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Even the birds did not miss out on breakfast.
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We were away homeward bound by 10am, taking a break at a latte clinic in Titirangi Village.
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Everyone had a wonderful time, much so that in cars on the way home to Auckland there was a
lot of talk about making this sort of thing an annual end-of-year event.
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