Contents Page Number Contents i & ii History of Early Planning for Retirement Association (E.P.R.A.) and Life Planning Foundation of Australia (L.P.F.A.) Notice of Meeting to consider forming a Retirement Planning Group in Croydon Talk by Jevan Dartnall - First 20 years of Croydon E.P.R.G. Programme of 20th Birthday Celebration (front) (inside) Meetings Page Number Page Number 25 1976 1 2000 1977 2 2001 26 2002 27 1978 3 1979 4 2003 28 1980 5 2004 29 1981 6 2005 30 1982 7 2006 31 1983 8 1984 9 1985 10 1986 11 1987 12 1988 13 1989 14 1990 15 1991 16 1992 17 1993 18 1994 19 1995 20 1996 21 1997 22 1998 Updated by Alan23 Matthews (2016) 1999 24 Contents Page Contents i History of the Life Planning Foundation of Australia (LPFA) ii Notice of Meeting to consider forming a Retirement Planning Group in Croydon iii The first 20 years of Croydon E.P.R.G. - Talk by Jevan Dartnell iv & v Programme of LACC 20th Birthday Celebration vi Meetings Page Page Page Page 1976 1 1986 11 1996 21 2006 31 1977 2 1987 12 1997 22 2007 32 1978 3 1988 13 1998 23 2008 33 1979 4 1989 14 1999 24 2009 34 1980 5 1990 15 2000 25 2010 35 1981 6 1991 16 2001 26 2011 36 1982 7 1992 17 2002 27 2012 37 1983 8 1993 18 2003 28 2013 38 1984 9 1994 19 1004 29 2014 39 1985 10 1995 20 1005 30 2015 40 Committee Page Presidents & Vice-Presidents 41 Secretaries & Treasurers 42 Newsletter Editors & Membership Secretaries 43 Publicity Officers and Welfare Officers 44 Minute Secretaries, Auditors, Reviewers & Public Officers 45 Activity Convenors Page Walking, Music Appreciation, Caravan Weekend, Travel & Trips, Organ & Mahjong 46 Swimming/Water Aerobics, Ladies Day Group, Social Outings, Cards, Dine Out & 47 Rummiking Armchair Travel, Golf, Out and About, Tai Chi, Golf Getaways, Karralyka Morning Music, 48 Snooker, Theatre, Sunday Outings, Bush Walking & Continental Variety Cycling, Scrabble, Book Exchange, Entertainment (LACE), Supper Dance, Games, Darts, 49 Let’s Get Physical, Cinema Group, Ten Pin Bowling, Craft Work, Darts and Petanque, Blokes’ B&B, Writing Group, Meet for Coffee Bird Watching, Morning Melodies, Movietime at Home, Manhattan Jazz, Dancing & Pool 50 Attendances at Club Monthly Meetings - Page 51 History of E.P.R.A. now Life Planning Foundation of Australia The Early Planning for Retirement In 1995, E.P.R.A. became the Life Planning Association was founded in 1972. Several Foundation of Australia (L.P.F.A.) and factors in our society at that time gave the Early Planning for Retirement Groups be- preconditions. Lump sum payouts from came Life Activity Clubs. post-war superannuation schemes were on the increase. There was little advice The Foundation continues to provide or instruction available to individuals education, motivational support and on how to invest these monies, nor how activities to help mature people plan and tax and age pension provisions could be manage change in their lives such as coordinated with investment options. retirement through Life Activities Clubs. Health was an issue, with community The purposes for which the Foundation is concern over early deaths from heart established are to: disease which peaked in Australia around this time. Generally standards of encourage and assist people to living were improving with wider options recognise, accept and plan for or adjust up to retirees. to significant life changing events; educate the community to, and create How did the organisation come into greater public awareness of, the impact being? In the mid 1960s, Stuart Morris, of those events; then Executive Officer of the SEC Provident Fund had seen the needs and print and publish or arrange to have instituted retirement planning for SEC printed and published newspapers, staff. Through his membership of the magazines, books, periodicals or Association of Superannuation Funds of leaflets; Australia other employers were establish or facilitate the establishment encouraged to do the same. In 1972, a of Life Activities Clubs in any State or meeting was called by the Victorian Territory of the Commonwealth of Council of the Ageing; and representatives Australia of bodies, such as the Life Offices Association, the Gas & Fuel Corporation, promote and facilitate such activities and the Inter-Church Trade and Industry and services as are not inconsistent Mission, joined with ASFA in setting up with the aforesaid purposes, and which E.P.R.A. as a non-profit organisation. create or enhance the opportunities for the Foundation to fulfil its purposes For the purpose of educating Victorians for generally. retirement, the twin programmes of company retirement courses and EPR Groups in the community were immediately promoted. The past Chairmen of E.P.R.A. have been the late Sir Willie Connelly, John de Veer, Frank Phillips, R.P. (Bob) Serle and P.J. (Ted) Lynch. Formation of the Croydon Early Planning for Retirement Group (now Life Activities Club Croydon) Extract from talk given by Jevan Dartnell at the 20th birthday celebration on Thursday 8th August, 1996 Back in 1976 Jean and I were young monthly. This was not what our striplings in our 40s and new to members wanted at that time. Thus Croydon, and as our children had left the monthly meetings have continued school we felt the need to contact other as we are all accustomed to. people in the area. An item in the local The Church Hall was not always paper suggested by ROTARY that people available, and some people did not nearing retirement age should give wish to attend meetings held in a careful consideration as to what they church hall for religious reasons. So may do when they retired. we moved to the RSL Hall, mainly ROTARY then organised an open because Bill Ironside, our first meeting held at the Croydon Theatre Secretary got us in for a low rental of to introduce people to the Early $3 per meeting. In the winter we Planning for Retirement Association, would bring our own firewood for the with Ruth Gilding telling how other fire, and sometimes only 10 members groups had been formed. Another would turn up and we would sit speaker was Dr. Alison Puzzey who around the fire with the speaker gave a talk on health in retirement talking to us. We started having a followed by Mr Stuart Morris on games evening which was very popular financial matters (not too detailed). playing board games, but this came to a rather unhappy close, as some of the The representative from ROTARY RSL Committee heard about our announced that they would donate games evening but put the wrong $100 to start our group off once the interpretation on it and accused us of Steering Committee under the making a profit by playing gambling guidance of Les Jones (who at that games. We met with the RSL time was the Mayor of Croydon) had Committee to correct their set things up. Arnold Cooper, a misunderstanding, but we left feeling ROTARY member, was our President that we had not convinced them that for the first year, and Bill Ironside they were purely social games. After was Secretary, Bill Blunden was this unpleasant episode we looked for Treasurer with 2 or 3 ordinary committee another venue to meet in, namely our members. present meeting place in the Senior Citizens Hall. Our first meetings were in St. John's Church Hall. We felt that a new small When E.P.R.A. (Early Planning for group as we were then would benefit Retirement Association) came out from from closer fellowship if we met the city to one of our meetings of monthly for social, as well as approx 35-38 members, they were informative meetings. Some other horrified at first, saying we could not groups in Melbourne only held keep going with such low numbers. meetings every three months and left They wanted us to advertise etc. We it to their activity groups to meet did try this by giving notices each month to the local paper, Croydon accommodation was in the workers' Council offices and library, doctors' huts and our members sat down to surgeries and many local businesses and eat with them in their canteen; and factories. all went to a dance organised by the A Hobbies night was organised men. Other weekends were at when some members brought along Wilsons Promontory in cabins, their hobby and displayed it and gave a Inverloch at the Hotel, and Philip Island in 10 to 15 minute talk about it. It was a cabins. surprise to find out how much talent The Caravan side of this activity started there was in our small group. Other when Jean and Jevan decided to go to special nights were a Fancy Dress and Queenscliffe with their caravan and Social: members provided the supper. A invited other van owners to Colonial Dress-and-Casserole accompany them. Two couples joined Evening, and a Fancy Dress Casserole them - Alice and Ivan Jeeves, and Evening were other nights when Edna and Jack Wulf. It was Anzac members brought along hot casseroles Day so they joined in the RSL in crockpots, frying pans etc., and parade in Queenscliffe and the desserts. Everyone joined in and had a service in the RSL Hall. These great deal of fun and laughter. activities continued on a monthly A lady living on her own had said how basis at a number of different difficult it was to get a plumber in just locations including Twin Rivers and to change a leaking tap washer.