The Mount Isa branch of the Country Women’s Association (CWA) did it first in 1928 while the various church groups were doing it all along.
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And the R.S.S.A.I.L.A. was doing it following both World War One and the Second World War.
But it was not until the mid-1950s that the male population of Mount Isa joined forces and embraced – the organisational concept of service to the community – through formal service clubs.
The international service club, Rotary, started the ball rolling in town in the mid-1950s and during the next decade it was closely followed by Apex, Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) and Lions.
While Jaycees were not strictly a service club, service to the community was one of its aims.
During the period of 1955 to 1965 the four service clubs set high bench marks for their community involvement and most charities and organisations throughout the town can point with thanks to the contributions from these clubs.
Two of the most prominent community activities during those early years were the Rotary Rodeo and both the North West Queensland Trades and Industries Fair and its off shoot the Mount Isa Exhibition which was instigated and organised by Apex.
The former has far exceeded the vision of Rotarians Foots, Weigh, Burton, and McCoy when they first muted the idea of a large scale community fund-raising event as part of the Centenary Celebrations for Queensland in 1959.
The Rotary Centenary Celebrations Rodeo was envisaged as a once-off entertainment medium as well as an attraction for country people with a large share of its profits ploughed back into the community in various ways.
With the outstanding success of the Queensland Centenary Celebrations rodeo, Rotary in its wisdom elected to continue staging a rodeo for a further couple of years, not envisaging that it would soon be celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2018.
Unfortunately the Apex Mount Isa Exhibition, fell by the wayside due in no small part, to lack of voluntary manpower which was brought about by the Mine Shut Out of 1964-65.
The Junior Chamber of Commerce or as it was fondly called ‘Jaycees’ concentrated their community fund-raising efforts on youth involvement in particular, with the Gold Medal Talent Quest and ‘Youth Speaks for Australia’ an oration contest.
And once established in the town, the Lions Club, quickly made their mark by constructing an 80 feet (approximately 27 meters) long slippery dip at Kalkadoon Park for the enjoyment of people attending the exhibitions, rodeo and other events held at the park.
Each of the four service clubs was a part of a large organisation of people with the same community spirited ideals.
Rotary, Lions and Junior Chamber of Commerce were and continue to be world-wide associations, having their origin in America, while Apex originated in Geelong, Victoria in 1932 with the assistance of Rotary.
And while Rotary had the ‘Four Way Test’ as its motto, Apex had ‘The Ideals of Apex’, Lions had ‘The Lions Ethics’ and the Junior Chamber of Commerce expressed their ideals through action, fellowship, education and service.
Regrettably no longer established in Mount Isa, the Junior Chamber of Commerce - ’Jaycees’ – was an organisation with the aim of giving young men an opportunity in training for leadership in civic affairs and in the field of business.
World Vice President, Junior Chamber of Commerce, Geoff King, presided over the inaugural meeting of the Mount Isa Branch in 1960.
During his address he stressed the important part Jaycees played in preserving international harmony by spreading good will among young men of all races, colours and creeds.
“This is particularly important in a world which is becoming increasingly ‘small’ with modern methods of transportation and communication”, he said at the time.
The early initiatives of Jaycees included a musical contest called The Gold Medal Talent Quest, a Rodeo Queen Contest and Youth Speaks for Australia public orations.
The Gold Medal Talent Quest while an innovative and entertaining way of fund-raising, caused a minor fracas during the fourth heat when the contestants complained the system of voting did not necessarily acknowledge the best performer.
The contestants claimed that as votes cost one shilling each, and judging was based on the number of such votes received, a popular person with little talent could easily win.
Broadcast live over commercial radio station, 4LM, the six heats were only the drawcard for the much anticipated public finals concert and dance.
With the AWU Hall packed out on finals night, Irish singer Olive Devlin with 880 votes won the final with her dulcet Irish singing voice.
But it was left to local rock’n’roll singer Johnny Lui and his band The Midnighters who came second with 527 votes to get everyone’s feet jiving and rocking after the winners’ presentations.
Another band The Titanics came in third place, with 427 votes, and they too helped to rank the Gold Medal Talent Quest as one of the best organised entertainments for teenagers in the city of Mount Isa during the early 1960s.
Organised to support and promote the Rotary Rodeo, the Jaycees Rodeo Queen Contest was a fund-raising initiative of the then club president, Jim Burton Jnr.
Judy Brennan was crowned the first Rodeo Queen in 1961 and returned to Mount Isa in 1986 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her win and to crown that year’s Rodeo Queen, Miss Caroline Carter.
The impact of the mine dispute in 1964-65 was palpable in so many ways and while its effect was felt in the loss of members, the service clubs worked even harder to support, encourage, and raise funds for local projects.
Alas, with the demise of the Apex organised Mount Isa Exhibition, due to lowering membership numbers following the mine dispute, the Junior Chamber of Commerce found it difficult to continue and both Jaycees and its Rodeo Queen Quest eventually folded in 1966.
Researched and written by Kim-Maree Burton. www.kimmareeburton.com
Photographs courtesy of North Queensland History Collection. Information sourced from the Cloncurry Advocate, Mt Isa Mail, Mount Isa Mines Publications and archives of The North West Star.
The history column is a weekly feature in The North West Star by Mount Isa local history writer Kim-Maree Burton and can be found in the community section of The North West Star website. www.northweststar.com.au