Happy Birthday, Lois Club

Lois Galbraith, Lois Slater, Lois Takarangi and Lois Straham celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Lois club. Photo/ Amy Diamond

"What do you get when you enter a room full of Loises?

"Trouble," Lois Slater joked at the 20th anniversary of the quirky Lois Club.

Twenty-eight Loises, Lois partners and even a Lois wannabe enjoyed a Christmas luncheon at the Greerton RSA on Saturday to celebrate 20 years since the group was formed in Tauranga.

The idea of the club was simple.

Women named Lois meet every three months to share lunch, laughter and friendship.

The Tauranga club was one of many around New Zealand and more than 400 Loises were part of clubs around the country.

Lois Galbraith was the president of the club for the first 10 years, Lois Takarangi for the next 10 and Slater has now taken on the role.

Slater has been a member for 15 years and said the average age of the Loises was above 60.

"Now that we are all old we don't have to remember each other's names," Slater laughed.

She was the youngest Lois at the luncheon at 67 and the oldest was 87.

Lois Takarangi said the name was popular after World War I but she did not know many younger Loises these days.

Lois Galbraith started the club in 1997 after hearing about the Lois Club movement from a relative in Canada.

"I'm quite proud...we've got a strong network of friends, we've built some solid friendships," she said.

The Lois Club
-It is an international movement that started in America in 1979
-The Tauranga club was formed in 1997
-There are currently 25 members of the Tauranga club
-More than 400 Loises were part of clubs around New Zealand
-The idea of the club is simple- Lunch and friendship with women named Lois