A special lunch to say cheers to the chaps

International Men’s Day might be in November, but that didn’t stop Living Gems Caboolture Riverfront from doing something special for the fellas in October.

The men’s lunch, organised by the Home Owners’ Committee (HOC) and the resort’s card-making group, was held in the Country Club.

“We had a lot of fun,” said Margaret Aland, head of the card-making group. “We kept the catering simple – roast chicken, gravy, chips and salad, and some really nice cheesecake for dessert. And we made sure there were plenty of raffle prizes too.”

But a slap-up lunch was just the beginning. Award-winning singer Laura Doolan provided the entertainment and was instrumental in a surprise performance by the ladies of the over-50s lifestyle resort.

“A group of us donned special aprons and lined up with our backs to the audience while Laura started a song,” said Margaret. “Then we turned around so everyone could see the bikini print on the aprons.

“Everyone cheered – they loved it! We pranced about a bit until the end of the song, then we hurried off so we could begin serving the meal.”

The idea for a men’s lunch came from the card-making group who approached the HOC for support.

“We had a lunch for the ladies in May which had us thinking about something special we could do for the men,” said Margaret. “They’re always doing things to spoil us so we thought it would be lovely to return the favour.”

Living Gems Caboolture Riverfront is known for its active and friendly community with plenty of groups covering a wide range of interests. While many of these groups have both men and women as members, there are a few with overwhelmingly male membership.

Among the most active is the ex-services group with 79 members who are veterans or who are closely connected to the armed services.

Another large group is the residents’ workshop with 84 members who enjoy working on their own projects as well as accepting commissions from other homeowners.

Chair of the HOC Carolyn Paul said there are 26 formal interest groups at Living Gems Caboolture Riverfront.

“There is never any shortage of things to do around our resort, which is one of the reasons why it is so active and friendly,” she said. “No matter what you enjoy doing – craft, dance, sport – the chances are good that there will be someone else at the resort who will enjoy it too.”