Michael George (Life Member)

Michael George has contributed to the working of this club in many different ways for nearly forty years. He is always ready to lend a hand no matter what the need. The following are just some of the ways in which Mike has supported the WABC:

More years ago than we like to remember, Michael quietly helped his wife Helen in her duties as Secretary. He spent hours duplicating copies of the Minutes, Trumps Plus and

Other documents on a temperamental and messy Gestetner machine.

At the old clubrooms in Dalkeith, he was often seen in pyjamas or track suit, late on a Wednesday night, answering the call of a Tournament Director unable to lock up the temperamental front door.

For years he was on roster for duty partners on Wednesday evenings. He has willingly represented the club in Teams matches and was always prepared to travel to the outer suburbs in the evenings.

For over thirty years he represented WABC in the BAWA League Teams competition, often as part of the winning team, At Dalkeith he and Derek Pocock frequently managed the bar on Tuesday and Friday afternoons. He and Helen are legends at WABC for running the Sweep in our annual Melbourne Cup luncheon.

 Most of all though, WABC has benefited from Mike's knowledge of plants and involvement in our gardens. Some years ago, he owned the Garden Centre in Waratah Avenue and supplied plants for our garden and Christmas decorations. When this building was in the planning it naturally followed that we approached Mike for gardening advice. He gave much more than advice working closely with the Building Committee and the Friends of Allen Park to propagate plants and create a garden design. He travelled many miles selecting and collecting special plants for our new garden. When the garden was laid out, he did much of the early hard toil, preparing the soil, planting, and hand watering daily in that first summer. The garden is flourishing, and Mike continues his work for the Club as special advisor. He also contributes regularly to ‘Trumps Plus’ under the nom de plume, "The Rueful Rabbit', keeping us informed of the garden's continuing development.

 We need no further evidence of his work than the colourful display of flowering native shrubs and trees that welcome us at the front door of our clubhouse. They are a testament to his knowledge and effort on our behalf.

Alison Rigg

 Published in December 2009 Edition of Trumps Plus