GROWING POPULARITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25084, 23 December 1944, Page 4

GROWING POPULARITY

GOVERNMENT HOUSE CLUB "The immense popularity of the Government House Services Club may be gauged from the fact that .since it first opened about 18 months ago, 26-1,089 meals have been served, quite apart from other activities," said Mr C. J. Lovegrove, chairman of the committee, when discussing the progress made during the year, i'he achievement of cooking and serving well over a quarter of a million meals is all the more remarkable when the fact is taken into account that all the service is voluntary. Every week .'MO girls, drawn from a large number of women's organisations according to a roster, give their services. The organisations which regularly supply helpers are the Lyceum Club, the Lady Gal way Guild, the Navy League, Catholic Women's League, Y.W.C.A., Overseas League, Victoria League, Royal Society of St. George, Women's War Service Auxiliary, Returned Army Sisters, Air Force Relations, Down Town Club. Labour Club. Travel Club, the V.A.'s. and the St. Cuthbert's, Auckland Grammar, Epsom Grammar, and Diocesan Old Girls' Associations. In addition 430 girls act as partners for dancing every week. One very popular innovation is the club's free dancing lessons, of which over 3000 men have availed themselves. Every Saturday night an invitation is extended to '2O service girls to come as the guests of the club for the evening's dancing. The girls put their names down for this privilege, which is accorded in rotation. "We anticipate a busy time during the festive season, when free Christmas dinners will be served to servicemen," said Mrs R. J. Hooper, who is in charge of the club. "The rooms will be decorated, even to Christmas trees to give an atmosphere of gaiety, and everything possible, will be done to give the men a happy, care-free time."