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" The following Group History was
given in a speech by Mr. Harold Lepp, a founding
member and Group Leader for many years, at the
20th Birthday Celebrations of the Group in August,
1997.
We sincerely thank Harold for allowing us to reproduce
his speech on our Web Site.
Mignon Hogan
Group Leader "
In the second half of 1976 & early 1977,
a local resident with decades of scouting in his
blood, searched in vain for a scout group for
his children.
In typical traditional scout approach, Frank Harding
decided it was time for a scout group to be established
in this area & recruited Peter Terry who became
our inaugral Group President.
Obstacle 1:
Where would the group meet?
Peter & Frank negotiated with Council for
the use of the athletics pavillion
Obstacle 2:
Where would they get recruits & a committee
to run the group?
Frank knocked on doors, held public meetings &
canvassed people in the street
Peter lobbied as well
Obstacle 3:
Where would they get leaders?
Frank recruited through his friends & the
Scout Association
On the 1 July 1977, the 1st Doncaster East Scout
Group was officially established in the Rieschiecks
Reserve pavillion with Frank Harding as Group
President. At that stage there were no Scout,
Venturer or Rover sections.
Within 12 Months, the constant battle with footballers,
cricketers and hockey players - all users of the
pavillion - as well as storing camping gear and
items used in meetings in garages, under houses
and in car boots became all too much & the
committee decided enough was enough. We needed
a hall of our own !!
Stalwart committee members led by Don Noisette,
George Keyte, Geoff Sully, David Wilcox &
others started planning a hall & the fundraising
to pay for it
These people attended endless meetings in homes,
at Council Chambers & in the street to secure
a site & obtain approval to build a hall.
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Within 3 years, Council had granted us the use
of the current site, the scout section was established
& fundraising had reached $20,000 per year
from dinner parties, lamington drives, serving
hamburgers & hot dogs at functions & any
other way possible at that time - the round of
events seemed endless.
And still the committee planned, plotted, pleaded
& cajouled to get our hall plan approved.
Our first plan was a log cabin costing around
$50,000. Council then decided that the building
had to conform to thier public building standards,
be multipurpose & required other organisations
to share it. We merged our efforts with Doncaster
Athletics Club
Our second plan was costed at around $130,000.
We are now into 1981. Council then decided that
we needed disabled access & facilities. This
added $12,000 to the cost & our fundraising
target was getting away from us.
We nearly gave up but Don Noisette would not let
us ! Back to the Council to plead for financial
support. Response - $20,000 & no more ! It
is now 1985.
Still the planning & fundraising continued
& still Don Noisette weilded the whip !
Council decided the building was a Council project
& costs escalated to $232,000 with $95,000
to be contributed by the Scout Group & the
Athletics Club - our share being $52,000 as well
as commitment to serve on the Committee of Management
for the facility. We signed up at this point &
the green light was given.
In 1988, the building was finished & a memorable
official opening was held with Council members
& Scout notables present.
But that was not the end of it !
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In 1990, moisture expanded the floor & the
north wall was in danger of collapsing. The building
was condemned until repairs were carried out.
Council spent a further $32,000 to make repairs
& we finally set up our permanent home there
in 1991.
In 1993, we finally paid off the cost of the hall.
It is debt free.
So much for the hall !
From July 1977, the Group has gone from success
to success. The Scout, Venturer & Rover sections
were formed. Parents stepped forward to be trained
as leaders and at one stage we had 14 leaders
& each section having the highest number of
members of any group in the district.
Some of those leaders became legends - names
like Keith Wright, Rod Savage, Mignon Hogan, Don
Bayley, Jim Couzin-wood, Jack Jones, Jim Walsh,
John Stephens & Geoff Collier. Equally important
are the many un-named leaders who were always
on the job - reliable & always working in
the interest of our young members
Also among the unsung heros of the Group are the
wives & families - preparing & serving
refreshments, setting up dinner parties, propping
up our fundraising efforts& sharing the pressure
& concerns of their partners
We recall families like Gowans, Jacobbsen, Street,
Sheehan, Reid, Nichol, Flanagan, McHugh, Ballard,
Sherer, Bennett, Mahon, Green, Wilcock, Bell &
Stephens.
Those of us who have been a part of the Group
sicnce it's inception in 1977, recall with much
affection, the many families who have won a place
in the honour board of the Group's history
1st Doncaster East Scout Group has established
a tradition of family involvement that has been
the envy of surrounding groups & it all began
with the far reaching vision of Frank Harding,
the never-say-die resolve of people like Don Noisette
& successive committees, & the refusal
of a continuum of great leaders to be satisfied
with anything less than their best
Our efforts both now & in the future will
add to the history of the Group
May it continue to be a proud, fulfilling and
noteworthy history.
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