Farewell to the voice of
IONA BINGO
MR DAMIAN COURTNEY
Our Oblate community was saddened to hear of the passing of Mr Bill Kelly in February this year. Bill, aged 96, was an Iona parent, a proud returned serviceman and a popular member of the Wynnum community. As the owner/operator of the Day and Night Driving School, Bill helped many Iona students secure their driver’s licence. Bill and his wife Margaret became Iona parents in the 1960s and their son, Wayne, graduated from Iona as a senior in 1973. In 1985, Bill returned to the Iona community as the caller of ‘Iona Bingo’ which was held in Oblate Hall on a Sunday afternoon. Father John Sherman OMI was the Rector of the College at the time and with the support of numerous Iona parents and friends, bingo became an important fundraising arm of the College. Sunday afternoon bingo became popular with local residents, and it was not uncommon for hundreds of people to be playing. A local bus supplied transport for some elderly from the Wynnum, Manly and Capalaba areas. Bingo ran for 17 years and funds raised over that time were used for the construction of the Iona Performing Arts Centre.
During this time hundreds of parents generously volunteered to either set up Oblate Hall, support the game activities or assist in pulling down tables and cleaning up to ensure the hall was ready for use by students and teachers on a Monday. The ‘bingo era’ is another chapter in Iona‘s history where parents bonded together to support the Oblate Fathers and the growth of College facilities for the students. Voluntary support from parents and friends commenced in 1957 when local families gathered for working bees and rallied behind Father Tim Long OMI and his fellow pioneer Oblates of Iona College and their legacy remains strong in our community today. For many years Bill Kelly generously gave of his time to support Iona College. Very sadly, Wayne Kelly was tragically killed in a car accident in 1987, but Wayne and other deceased Old Boys are prayed for at our College Masses, particularly the Deceased Ionians Mass of Remembrance which this year will be held on Saturday 5 November at 5pm in the College Chapel. The Iona community passes on its prayers and condolences to Bill and Margaret’s remaining son, Keith and to the wider family and friends. If you have any photographs or memorabilia related to Iona bingo, please consider donating items to College Archives. T: (07) 3906 8941 or E: mamminor@iona.qld.edu.au.
IN HOC SIGNO | VOLUME 20 | NO 2 | JUNE 2022
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