VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR RETIRES
By Ann Putland
Beverley Rush, after 27 years of coaching and directing multi disability bowlers, retired on Friday December 10, 2021.
A small thank you was held at Souths Suburban Bowls club, where bowlers thanked Beverley for her many years of patience and dedication. Bowlers presented her with some gifts in appreciation, one being a personalised calendar with photos from 2013 to 2021 of bowlers she has coached and their support workers.
Beverley was a coach and director with the Blind Bowlers Association. She formed the Mackay Multi Disabled Bowls at North Mackay Bowls Club and in 2008 moved to Souths Suburban Bowls Club. Beverley not only coached new bowlers but helped past bowlers get back into the game with the help of wheelchairs, bowling arms and other aids.
In the past few years she has helped South Suburban Bowls Club host the State and National titles here in Mackay, with some bowlers she has coached being successful; a couple being Russell Jackson in the Hard of Hearing section and Cooper Whitestyles in the Sporting Wheelies section. Recently, Beverley received a Bowls Australia award for Aero Bowls Volunteer of the Year (pictured below).
When Bowls Queensland caught up with Beverley and asked her what had been the highlight of her volunteer role, she said it had been attending State and national tours. She has been heavily involved with coaching bowlers with a disability, in particular the Queensland Blind Bowlers Association over the years and is happy that she was able to guide vision impaired bowlers, such as Christine Henry in Brisbane, to gain recognition within their club. Now that she has retired from her coaching role, Beverley plans to “have a bit of time for me”, which is well deserved.
