Clubs weather the tough times

District club presidents in the Great Southern and Wheatbelt are calling on the community to help keep a declining social culture alive. The Wagin District Club was established in 1927, and current president Lachlan Ballantyne said the club had been struggling for a long time. “I took over as president two years ago because I wanted to keep it going,” he said. “It’s a good facility in the town and it would be shocking to see it go.” Mr Ballantyne said a misleading Facebook message had led the community to think the club was closing down. “This was the wrong message. It was a spur of the moment and what was written wasn’t right,” he said. “The club committee has since had a meeting and we discussed what we can put in place to move forward and get people in the door. “It’s not a quick fix but we do have events planned for the future.” Mr Ballantyne said the venue was great for large functions. “I think we will focus on trying to get more people to have their big functions like engagement parties and birthdays at the club,” he said. “We had a few successful ones last year ... it’s just a good place to be.” Further north at the Narrogin Club, president Wayne Francis is hoping to draw a younger crowd through the doors. “We are not struggling in the same way as the Wagin District Club, but I do think there has been a change in social culture,” Mr Francis said. “I think the Narrogin Club does well in respect to having a good core membership that utilises the venue.” Mr Francis has been the club’s president for six years. He said the Narrogin Club, which was established in 1914, had 90 active members, mostly in their 50s and 60s. “We have at least four major functions a year. A lot of the local service clubs use it for meetings but it is always available for hire,” he said. Mr Francis said the social activities had been fairly stable for the past 20 years. “However, it has got smaller before drink-driving (crackdowns), I remember when there would be around 100 people in the main bar,” he said.