Croquet and fundraising will combine for a fun day at the Macquarie City Croquet Club at Pelican on May 15th. The club is hosting a gala day to raise money for the John Hunter Children's Hospital kids Club and everyone is invited to join in.

At the gala day there will be games for experienced players as well as fun games and special events for people who have never held a mallet before. Sydney to Hobart yachtsman Tony Mowbray -who is heavily involved in fundraising for the Kids Club- will be a guest speaker and celebrity player along with Federal Member of Parliament, Jill Hall.

Tony to recount Yacht Race

The story of the horror 1998 Sydney to Hobart yacht race will come to life at the Royal Motor Yacht Club at Toronto on 15th April. As a fundraiser for the John Hunter Children's Hospital Kids Club, Belmont sailor Tony Mowbray and his crew mates Glen Picasso, Keir Enderby and Keith Molloy will recount their terrifying ordeal aboard "Solo Globe Challenger".

Mowbray, who spent more than 24 hours in the eye of the deadly storm has already proven himself an amazing after dinner speaker. In a no nonsense manner that keeps the audience captivated he tells of giant waves, the fear of his crew, their injuries, their ability to keep going in the face of death and - most of all - their undying pride.

"Solo Globe Challenger" was the last of the missing fleet to reach land after several boats bore the brunt of a ferocious storm half way into the historic annual race. The storm claimed the lives of 6 sailors.

Lake Sail Marathon

Three local yachtsmen will embark on a 24 hour a day, seven day, non-stop sail around Lake Macquarie early next month all in the name of raising money to assist teenagers with cancer. The week long journey to be staged from February 3 to 10 will be known as Sail for Canteen '96 and aims to raise awareness and much needed funding for The Hunter Branch of Canteen, The Australian teenage Cancer Patients Society.

Money will be raised through various fundraising ventures to be conducted before the sailing event, as well as through donations and sponsorship. The organiser is well known Lake yachtsman Tony Mowbray. Who teamed with morrie Morgan in 1994 on a non-stop sail around Australia which raised more than $30,000 for Hunter Life Education.

Mr Mowbray will be joined in the around the lake sail by Vince Bezzina, the owner of the 42 foot "Struth" which will used for the week long sail, and Keir Enderby. Mr Mowbray said the response to the campaign to date had been very positive and he estimated the venture could realistically raise between $25-30,000 for teenage cancer patients.

Tony said he and his two fellow yachtsmen had three main objectives when they got together and decided to organise the sailing marathon: they wanted to help someone locally, and they wanted to assist young people with a serious problem such as cancer.
"I saw a documentary on Canteen a couple of years ago. At the time I was putting together the around Australia sail and was committed to that but the organisation stuck in my mind," he said.

During the 7 days of the sail, members of Canteen will be allowed on the boat on a roster basis. Canteen members have also been taking part in Friday night twilight sails from the Lake Macquarie Yacht Club and have been helping to sell raffle tickets afterwards to raise money for the project. "We're raising around $270 each Friday night for Canteen and that will continue up until the sail," Tony said. Already the initiative has attracted a major sponsor in the Endeavour Credit Union and four minor sponsors. A Mannering Park butcher has also organised an informal black tie dinner for February 10 and is hoping to raise between $3-5,000 for the project.

Tony estimates that the three sailors will 4-6 laps of the lake each day during the 7 days of the sail . The entire journey will be conducted under sail and all provisions for the week will be carried on board. The three sailors are paying for all of their costs and are taking a week off work at their own expense.

Hunter Life Ausail '94

If you thought yesterday's tempest was a shock to the system, spare a thought for Lake Macquarie sailors Tony Mowbray and Morrie Morgan aboard the "Hunter Endeavour". The pair, sailing around Australia to raise funds for The Hunter Life Education Centre, are now in the Southern Ocean and wearing five layers of clothing to keep out the Antarctic cold. Hunter Life Education CEO Paul Bruce said the only fresh food left on board was onions so they were breaking out the pasta and long-life supplies and dreaming of meat pies.

Morrie and the Catch of the Day!

Hunter Life Ausail '94

Nobby Young, the record-breaking Sydney postman who walked around the country recently, will fire the starting gun this month to send two adventurous sailors off on their circumnavigation of Australia. Nobby raised for the Life Education movement. The Hunter branch of the movement will benefit from the nautical adventure of yachtsmen Tony Mowbray and Morrie Morgan.

The two will depart in the 43 foot "Hunter Endeavour" from Newcastle at 1.00pm on March 20 when Nobby fires the starting gun and a flotilla of craft from Lake Macquarie Yacht Club sees the yacht off. The project, Hunter Life Ausail '94 hopes to raise a significant amount of money for Hunter Life Education and earn the sailors a place in the "Guinness Book of Records"

Hunter Life Ausail '94

Although the "Hunter Endeavour" was "basically bullet proof", the sailors did encounter some tough times including searing tropical humidity across the top of Australia, a Cyclone near Darwin, 1000 miles of headwinds down the Western Australian coast, and 15 metre seas and sub-zero temperatures in the Southern Ocean.

Although keeping cool, getting warm or sleep deprivation were big hurdles,Tony said one of the most frustrating periods of the trip was one of smooth sailing on the home straight. "I spent a fair bit of time playing patience" he said . "I played for a whole week and just couldn't get it out . I played over and over again, but I still couldn't get it out." Then I found the Five of Diamonds in the bilge!!

 Morrie on Guard - (note the stunning attire)