Jeff Huddlestone
LIFE-LONG resident, Ian Von Stanke, is still very happy in Mount Gambier, describing it as “the best place in the world”.
Part of his wide community involvement for the last 24 years has been with the Mount Gambier Bowls Club.
He was president for eight years , relinquishing the position at the lawn bowls organisation last year.
But the pennant competition skipper is the still President of the Lower South East bowls association, which fields 40 teams in four divisions incorporating
region one.
The Mount Gambier bowls club, in its 117th year, has a proud local history.
Under Mr Von Stanke’s leadership, the club undertook major improvements on the Vansittart Park site, including the kitchen, hall and disability toilets.
“And the cover over one of the greens is our greatest achievement, which involved negotiations with the authorities for two and a half years.
“ I have had a lot of help over the years,” he said.
Competition lawn bowls keeps Ian fit.
“It is good exercise , because if you play pennant bowls, you walk an average of 12 kilometres on a Saturday afternoon and the doctors are impressed with
that,” the skipper said.
Although he started playing bowls at age 50, Ian thinks he should have begun much earlier.
“The younger you start the better it is,“ Mr Von Stanke said.
The Mount Gambier bowls club caters for everyone and offers competition pennant and social bowls, which he invites people to try.
“Anyone can come and practice, grab a bowl and have a try. We have come and try days and Friday night meals once a month” he said.
Ian described what happens in a game of pennant bowls.
“You have a little kitty on the green. Each of the four -member team throws the bowl down over 21 metres and it is the closest to the jack that matters.
“You have just got to get as close as possible
“In pennant bowls you score over 25 ends and that is it,” he said.
“I play division one – skipper., but I have a lot of help.
“No one ever wins by themselves, it’s a team game,” Ian said.
And there is a friendly rivalry with the other bowls club in town, RSL and district.
“One of our members went over there to be President the first time. We swap players all the time,” Ian said.
He , his wife Jennifer, their four children and families are all still in Mount Gambier.
And like many others, Mr Von Stanke is involved with a number of community organisations.
“I helped the mens shed move to the Commercial Street premises, support food bank , the sunset kitchen and was on a hospital committee. I’m just a community minded person,” he said.
Ian once organised a survey about the importance of volunteers in town.
“I got to about 250,000 hours in the first month. People just don’t realise how many volunteers work in Mount Gambier, Ian said.
What he likes about this city is the climate.
“Personally I like the weather. We don’t have any extreme weather,” he said.
Ian thinks the best thing about the Mount Gambier bowls club is the comradery.
“Since I have been a member here, I have got that many friends it is hard to keep up and that is with all the clubs in the association,“ Mr Von Stanke said.
The skipper renewed his call to aspiring lawn bowlers.
“Just come and try, anyone is welcome at any time. You’ll never know if you don’t have a go,” Mr Von Stanke said.
