Celebrating a Legacy: The 45th Anniversary of the Jamestown Apex Club

In mid-July 2025, the Jamestown Apex Club marked a major milestone—its 45th anniversary—with a celebratory evening that brought together past and present members, including 14 of the 24 Charter Members or family representatives, in a spirited toast to the club’s enduring legacy.

On 12 July 2025, the Club hosted a wonderful celebration filled with camaraderie and reflection. The guests enjoyed a three-course dinner, offering the perfect setting for heartfelt reunions. Attendees included past and present club members, all eager to connect, reminisce, and celebrate the spirit that has sustained the club for 45 years. We were fortunate enough to have 10 of the 13 Life Members or representatives of those Life Members at the anniversary, showing that although they may have retired from the Club, it is still a part of who they are, and the friendships formed over those years continue.

Guest speakers added depth to the evening, sharing stories from the club’s journey, past achievements, and their favourite memories of their time with the club. Their reflections underscored the values of friendship, service, and leadership that define the Jamestown Apex Club. Both speakers agreeing that the skills and friendships gained from Apex have shaped and help define their paths and although they did volunteer a lot of hours, what they put in was far exceeded by what they got back. There were tears, laughter and lots of wonderful memories shared.

The celebrations also welcomed the club’s incoming board, with Craig Flannery being inducted as President by his Dad & Senior Active, Tim Flannery. He also inducted Tyson Sparks as Vice President, Mark Blake & Donna Kelly for the Executive Committee, and Paul Hagger, Brendan Turner, Ben Lehmann and Luke Crawford completing the board. Their commitment was met with optimism and excitement for the next chapter of community engagement.

The 45th-anniversary celebration was more than a milestone—it was a reaffirmation of the values and energy that have defined the Jamestown Apex Club:

• Rooted in Fellowship - As part of Apex Clubs of Australia, the Jamestown club reflects the broader mission of fostering service, citizenship, and fellowship among younger Australians.

• Anchor of the Community - Over the years, the club has been instrumental in a diverse array of community projects—from mental health initiatives and resilience events to support for local facilities. These efforts have kept the club central to Jamestown’s social fabric.

• A Foundation for the Future - By honoring its history while energizing its new leadership, the club shows no sign of slowing down. The next generation of Apexians is poised to keep the service and spirit alive for decades to come.

The Jamestown Apex Club’s 45th-anniversary celebration in July was a heartfelt tribute to decades of community service and friendship. With delicious food (thanks to Cavanagh Catering), inspiring reflections, and the induction of a dynamic new board, the evening highlighted both the club’s proud history and its bright future.

It is always great to celebrate the past, but we now look to what is happening in the Apex Calendar coming up. We are incredibly proud to be a part of some pretty significant events in our region! October is looking to be a busy month, with the Apex Club running the Jamestown Show Bar in conjunction with the Jamestown Lions Club on the 5^th & 6th, then there is the Ulysses Motorbike ride coming through town on the 17^th and 18^th, and the National Shearing & Wool Handling Championships on the 25^th & 26^th to round out the month. In November, we will be cooking up a storm at the Bundaleer 150^th Celebrations on the 9^th, so please come along, say hello and celebrate an incredible part of Jamestown’s history and all that is the wonderful Bundaleer Forest. If you would like to help with any of these events, please reach out – many hands make light work, and we always try to have some fun whilst serving the community.

Our Meetings are the 2^nd and 4^th Wednesday of the month, follow our Facebook page to keep up to date with where the next meeting will be. We recently jumped on a bus to Tarcowie, all dressed up for Book Week and enjoyed a wonderful meal and some fellowship with new and old faces. We always welcome people to come along and see what Apex is all about and why we are so passionate about helping the Jamestown community to continue to thrive.

Donna Kelly

Jamestown Apex Club