Mountain Mates’ Celebrate Third Birthday
Nothing like celebrating a birthday. Recently, the Lions Club of Tamborine Mountain was really pleased to mark the third anniversary of its innovative Mountain Mates group.
Just on four years ago, Lions Club of Tamborine Mountain then-President Tony Hall asked what the Club could do to make more of a difference in the community. Lions’ members responded, and in late 2018 Mountain Mates was created by the Club, aimed at young adults from late teens to late thirties (or so). The group now meets twice a month, sometimes more. The aim is to open up the generous, vibrant Tamborine Mountain community more fully to people who have ‘diffabilities’. Initially (and rather clunkily) dubbed ‘The Lions Inclusion Group’, it rebadged in 2020 as ‘Mountain Mates’.
Regular lawn bowls afternoons are held, run by volunteers Barry Chatel and Linda Simister and supported by Club Tamborine and the TM Bowls Club. Participant Keegan DJ’s at these events.
2021 saw a vibrant dance project ‘Loco-Motion’, again with Linda and Barry; and the exciting ‘Sing Out!’ with Linda and Dianne James. Generous support for these projects came from Energex and the Scenic Rim Regional Council.
A recent partnership with the TM Men’s Shed, facilitated by Rob Reed, creating percussion instruments and playing them, has really blossomed. The group made and played clapsticks and lagerphones. The final Loco-Motion workshop in October saw the TM Men’s Shed ukulele group The Offcuts join with others to play sea shanties and other song with an aquatic and pirate flavour, as participants danced and sang along.
The community has really got on board with Mountain Mates activities; much help is forthcoming from other clubs, and from local churches and businesses. Lions’ members are of course central to the continued running of the group, but other local individuals volunteer their time.
Look for the Mates’ forthcoming public explosions of fun: a new garden at the TM Bowls Club which will likely become an ongoing project; and a Christmassy-style Flash Mob at the Makers Markets (Centre for Regenerative Arts, 6-8 Knoll Rd, Tamborine Mountain) on Sun 5 Dec, organised by Margy Rose and Guy Ritani.
New projects are on the drawing-board for 2022. Off-mountain participants are very welcome. We have several from Beaudesert, the Village and the Gold Coast. If you want to be part of the joy, as a participant or volunteer, contact Janis Bailey on 0418 122 295; tamborinejanis@gmail.com.