Pahīatua Rebus club marks 30 years

Tom Fleming is a past president of the Pahīatua and Districts Probus club, now called Rebus, which will officially mark its 30th anniversary on December 15. Photo / Leanne Warr

Tom Fleming was dairy farming in Manawatū when he and his wife decided to move to the Tararua district.

They decided to join the local Probus club, thinking it would be a good way for them to get to know people.

The Pahīatua and Districts Probus club, under the umbrella of Rotary, was the sixth formed in Wairarapa after the first was founded by Harry Tolley.

Tom Fleming received a certificate for 30 years of service to Active Retirees at the Rebus December meeting.

A general meeting was held on November 11, 1993, and the Pahīatua club will officially celebrate its 30th anniversary on December 15.

Tom, who has served in the past as club president, says there were about 145 members in the beginning and it was the largest club in Pahīatua.

It still is, except membership has dwindled a bit, and he says it’s hard to attract new members.

The club name was changed from Probus to Rebus around 2014.

Tom says the reason for the change was that they wanted to keep all monies from levies within New Zealand, instead of them going overseas.

The philosophy of the club is to keep it simple. It meets every month and has a main guest speaker and a secondary one.

Tom says the speakers are as good as any of those presenting to other clubs, and some members have been able to share their life stories.

The club also has interest groups, which sometimes involve undertaking outings to places of interest and occasionally taking the opportunity to join other Probus or Rebus clubs for visits further afield.

President Liz Barnes says that, over the past year, the club has visited attractions in Greytown, Norsewood, Ballance and Ashhurst.

“[We] also have an annual winter soup lunch and a Christmas lunch.”

In the coming year, they are hoping to visit Tinui Food Forest and experience a summer high tea.

Liz says the members often make suggestions as to the outings and there is usually a high level of interest in the activities.