Portarlington garden club seeks to harvest new officials

Bloomin’ beautiful: Glenn Hopkinson and Graham McColl inspect a colourful Portarlington inhabitant. 	Bloomin’ beautiful: Glenn Hopkinson and Graham McColl inspect a colourful Portarlington inhabitant.

MICHELLE HERBISON
PORTARLINGTON’S garden club could fold if it fails to find a new president this month, according to a man acting in the role.
Graham McColl said Portarlington and District Garden Club’s future was uncertain as he and secretary Maggie Campbell prepared to step down this month.
“The biggest problem is that our average age is about 70,” Mr McColl said.
“We’ve got some younger ones but they’re all a bit dubious about picking up the executive roles.
“We’re not the big, strong organisation we used to be.”
Mr McColl said the 60-member club had operated for about 30 years.
He expected it to become part of Portarlington Neighbourhood House and operate with a new format.
Nominations were open for president or secretary until the club’s annual general meeting on February 27.
Portarlington Neighbourhood House coordinator Julie Hyslop said the club would be welcome.
“If they do want to become a part of the neighbourhood house I can’t really see any negatives. We’ve already got the beginnings of an association anyway.”
Ms Hyslop said a merger would be “a matter of joining forces and not always reinventing the wheel”.