Life Membership for Ruth Hatty

AT the Yea Bowls Club AGM held on Wednesday, July 31, Ruth Hatty of Flowerdale, was awarded a Life Membership in honour of her commitment to the club.

Ruth along with her husband, Ken, became members of the Yea Bowls Club in 2001.

They had bowled at both Keilor, and on the Gold Coast in Queensland before coming back to Flowerdale, where Ken had spent his childhood.

Both Ruth and Ken represented Victoria in the State Bowls teams on several occasions. They were both very competitive players, winning many trophies over the years.

Ruth has been the Single’s Ladies Club Champion nine times since she joined the club and has won the Pairs Champion with other players.

Ruth was also part of the Central Bowls District Silver Anniversary Tray winners with Irene Artini, Joan Scott, and Muriel Perry in 2006; and with Joan Scott, Jeanie Higgins and Muriel Perry in 2007.

Ken was also a very distinctive bowler winning the Champion of Champions Trophy for the Central Highlands District in 2003 and was the Yea Bowls Club Champion four times from 2001 to 2006.

Ken also won the Central Bowls Division Pairs Champion with Cec Cook in 2004 and 2005 and again in 2015 with Peter West as his partner before retiring from bowls.

Ruth and Ken played Pennant for many years competing in the Central Bowls District.

Apart from competing on the rink, Ruth committed a large amount of her time to the club, helping with all the meals the club supplied for functions.

This was not only for the many tournaments that required catering, but also for Pennant games twice a week during the season from October to March.

The Yea Bowls Club ladies also catered for many funerals.

Monday social games usually had at least 40 players every week where the men played bowls and the women made the lunches. Ruth took on the main role of…

Image: Ruth receiving membership from Leif.

by Viv Cavanagh