October 23, 2023
Nanango Netball Club celebrated its 40th birthday on Saturday with a fun day at the courts in the morning, followed at night by a glitzy gala dinner at the Nanango Cultural Centre.
The special guest at both events was Nanango netball veteran Norma Harch.
Norma was made a life member of the club in 1997 after serving as president for an amazing 15 years.
All up, Norma has been involved with the club since 1985 … and she’s also been involved more recently, providing advice to the new executive team at the helm.
Norma was stunned during the fun day when club secretary Rebecca Ramage took the microphone to announce a special tribute.
Members carried out a large wooden sign bearing the words, “Norma Harch Courts”, which was hung from the roof of the clubhouse.
An emotional Norma recalled that netball used to be played at the school.
The area where the courts are now was a car parking area of a camp for men working on the construction of Tarong Power Station and Meandu Mine.
“We just swept the car park off and marked the courts on the hard, old bitumen,” Norma said.
“That’s what we played on for quite a number of years.”
She thanked all the people who had helped with the club over the past 40 years, making special mention of fellow life members Steve and Lee Korn.
Steve served as treasurer of the club for about 15 years and was made a lifer member in 2007.
The fun day included netball and other games, a barbecue and jumping castle for the kids.
Even the QFES turned up to lend a hand.
The evening was a more formal affair, with many of the adult participants at the fun day glamming up for an evening of more sophisticated fun.
The spotlight again was on Norma, who read out lists of names of the many club members who had made Wide Bay and State netball teams over the years.
Included among the names was Taliqua Clancy who, of course, went on to Olympic and Commonwealth Games glory in another sport, beach volleyball.
Although Taliqua couldn’t make it, many former Nanango players from across the years were present at the dinner, with some travelling from as far away as NSW.
