A Celebration of Team Spirit
by Ruth Parnell, Co-op News Editor

It was an opportunity for Club and Co-op staff, management and directors to mingle and let their hair down, so to speak. A local supporter, impressed by the energy and effort that went into the Club renovations, generously donated funds towards a staff party. Rather than wait too long, Co-op directors gave the go-ahead for the evening of Tuesday 25 July. It was certainly a night of co-operative partying, no doubt requiring a recuperative period for some attendees.

There were reminiscences about the renovations: tourists wandering around the construction site and using the facilities; people wondering what's going to happen with "the wall" bordering the alley; staff member Pascale Richy's meticulousness with the paint brush ("as if she were painting The Last Supper", said Alan Harrington); rain ruining the paint job on the outside balustrades and nothing drying; and not being able to get a decent cup of coffee.

It was also a night of reflection for long-time member and licensee Harry Whitehouse. The Club has always been "an important social meeting place", but he admitted "it's suffered from a misconceived social stigma". Harry commented that the Club is "in the commercial fulcrum of the town but it was not in a position to exploit that – but with the renovations, it now can."

"As one of the oldest members of the Club, I find it very gratifying and I am very pleased and proud to be associated with a dynamic social development," Harry said. "Without Alan Harrington's foresight and Kelly Robson's drive, the renovations wouldn't have happened. The whole thing has changed. Last night we had people come in who have never come in before: that's happening every day."

Harry said he's happy that people are expressing their "admiration for these changes". "The Club is now entering into its proper role as a focal, social meeting-point for the community," he declared.

Staff member Hannah Bruzova said she thinks the Club "has the potential for being an iconic venue on the Sunshine Coast", if it isn't already.

Former staffer Daniel Jones agreed that the renovations have "opened the Club up for a lot of tourists as well, while keeping the members happy with the feel of the Club; therefore it has just broadened its clientele".

Co-op director Marc Kalifa confided: "I think it's worked well. I've had a lot of good feedback."

Director Tony Woodhouse exclaimed: "The place looks fantastic! Tonight before the party started was the first time I was able to have a sticky-beak. I'm pretty happy with the detail."

Club entertainment coordinator Danny Rose expressed his delight with the new sound system, which he thinks is "a lot more accommodating and comfortable". He said that the "even distribution of sound" is marvellous and that the musicians are also appreciating the improved facilities.

The feedback that staff member Jonathon Greenwood has received is "all positive, really". He's observed that patrons feel the Club is "a lot less exclusive now; more friendly". As for being on the staff, Jonathon said: "For the first time ever, it really feels like working as part of a team."

After a while, certain Club staffers got the karaoke system up and running, and soon there were several people per microphone (your editor included, at times) singing their heart out to the nostalgic strains of everything from Queen's "We Are The Champions" to Madonna's "Like a Virgin". Everyone had great fun, but patrons should rest assured that the entertainment on offer at the Club is a definite improvement; the staff have other talents to offer.

But this didn't deter Danny Rose from thinking that the Club should hold the occasional karaoke night, with the song line-up designed for maximum input from the floor. So stay tuned for news on this one.

All I can say is that if your Club staff members enjoy having such a good time, they're going to want you to have a good time, too.

[From "Maple Street Co-op News", August/September 2006; published by
The Maple Street Co-operative Society Ltd, 37 Maple Street, Maleny, Qld 4552, Australia, tel (07) 5494 2088, email maplest.co-op@serv.net.au, website http://www.maplestreetco-op.com.au]