OASIS, a group of former Apex Club members who have been meeting for dinner monthly, celebrated 40 years of their organisation on Friday night. More than 30 attended a dinner to mark the occasion at the Temora Ex-Services Memorial Club. Those present included OASIS members and wives, as well as widows and friends of former members. The name OASIS means Old Apexians Still In Service and it was formed in 1986 by Temora Apexians who had reached the Apex retiring age of 40. Largely comprised of former members of Temora Apex Club, retired Apexians from other Apex Clubs have become part of the group over the years. However, unlike the halcyon days of Apex when it thrived as a young men’s service club in Temora, OASIS is largely a social group whose members continued their service to the community in a variety of other organisations. Some went on to be active as individuals in local government as Shire councillors, maintain a leadership role in the Dr. Parry and subsequent Mother Shipton Homes projects, various agricultural organisations, service clubs such as Rotary and Lions, and various other groups benefitting the aged. Friday night’s dinner was only the second major milestone celebrated by the group – their first being a 25th anniversary function in the Aero Club, organised by Jeff Cornford. Among those attending then were the late Les Smith, from Wagga, who founded Temora OASIS and the late Ted Macauley, who as a 90-year-old had the longest association with Temora Apex. They shared the honour of cutting the celebration cake made by Joy Cornford. A cake marking the 40th anniversary was cut on Friday night by Gloria Maslin who was stepping down as the unofficial secretary of the group. Pictured with her husband Robert, Mrs Maslin has provided occasional newsletters and drawn up the rosters for members to organise the regular dinners for many years Kate Macauley has now taken on the role. Among the items of memorabilia on display were the handwritten minutes of the meeting held on 22 August 1986 to form the group, as well as scrapbooks, photographs and former Apex bulletins.
