Without our wonderful volunteers U3A noosa wouldn’t be the hive of activity we all know and love. Almost everyone volunteers their time and talents including the management committee, receptionists, admin staff and tutors. Occasionally we introduce you to one of these hard-working people who contribute so selflessly to the smooth running of U3A noosa and this month we feature our new treasurer, John Edwards.
It’s taken just four years for John Edwards to progress from being a U3A noosa “newbie”, to tutor of two classes and, more recently, voted in as treasurer.
He joined U3A noosa when an old friend, who had previously tutored here, indicated it was a great place to meet like-minded people who were “declaring war on ageing”.
John was born in Brisbane in 1946 and moved to Buderim a few years later. He attended primary school there, secondary school in Nambour and started his working career with the Commonwealth Bank in 1964. He married Denise in 1968 and the family soon included two sons and – much later – five grandchildren.
John was manager of the Noosa Heads branch for seven years and, once retired, he and Denise moved to Cooroy in 2016. His banking background made him an ideal person to take on the role of treasurer at U3A noosa, following the resignation of the previous treasurer.
He explains that his job here is made easy thanks to “excellent support staff on the Management Committee, and a good bookkeeper, which is a blessing. This allows me to have a management ‘over-seeing’ role – with little physical input – and minimal interference!”
And should the world of high finance ever get too weighty, John’s secondary role as tutor of the cribbage and bridge classes helps keep things light-hearted. “The classes are nothing too serious, the emphasis is on having a good time with these card games.”
John has a long history of volunteering and being involved with his local community as a member of various service clubs; he has notched up more than 35 years as a Lions Club member.
While he was a club president and district president of lawn bowls (with five years on the State Council of Royal Queensland Bowling Association) John’s primary, and continuing, participating sport is golf.
“It was rumoured that I was born with a golf club in one hand, and a pack of cards in the other; I can’t remember that far back!” John laughs.
As to the value of U3A noosa, John says it offers those who have done the “hard yards” an opportunity to congregate with others with mutual interests at the numerous classes conducted.
“The best part is that while we ARE learning, there are no exams! Everything is done at a pace that accommodates all levels, with a cross-section of people who have had such a variety of life experiences. Just talking to my classmates – that is an education in itself.”