Community

Four-way tie for charity golf Pro-Am

The Lane Cove Golf Club staged its 27th annual Charity Golf Pro-Am under glorious blue skies and with the course in tiptop condition thanks to the Lane Cove Council and its ground staff. The new footbridge linking the tees to the 4th green was in operation for the first time.

Sydney Community Services (formerly LC&NSCS) is the beneficiary of the ProAm’s proceeds. The Golf Club and its sponsors are very proud of the support they have provided to the Lane Cove community with around $200,000 raised since the event started.

Gill Batt, General Manager of Sydney Community Services, attended the prize presentation and spoke of the organisation’s work in the community and thanked the Club for its support over many years.

The Pro Am gave amateur golfers, both members and guests, a chance to play a round of golf alongside 34 professional golfers.

The professional winners in the 4-way tie were Matthew Millar, Troy Moses, Andrew Evans and James Nitties with scores of 2 under par 62. Matthew Millar won the Porter’s Shootout.

Team event winners were Matthew Millar, Janet Lean, Michael Meade and James Meade.

LANE COVE GOLF CLUB IS VERY GRATEFUL TO THE SPONSORS OF THIS YEAR’S EVENT. THEY INCLUDE:

• Alto Land Rover & Jaguar • Willard Public Affairs • Jocelyn & Greg Gregory • Porters Northwood • Able Liquid Waste • Caltex Star Shop, Longueville • Hillross Financial Services • L J Hooker Lane Cove • The Mountain Garage • NiBu Café, Lane Cove • Coca-Cola Amatil • Business Professionals

LCFC ends season on a high!

Another season comes to an end for Lane Cove Football Club, with close to 900 players aged from 5 to 70+ turning out in the blue and gold.

Ian Butters (MC), Alan Moss (President) and Gill Batt (General Manager, Sydney Community Services).

Team winners Matthew Millar, Janet Lean and Michael Meade with Golf President Brian Doherty.

Over 1,000 games were coordinated across the various competitions with many thousands of spectators braving the cold in support of their children, friends, partners etc.

There were mixed results (as is normal) throughout the Club, but an overwhelming feeling that at the end of the day everyone had fun!

A note should be made of our division winners in the Northern Suburbs Competition, with the Under 18 Mens team taking out the Division 2 title, and the Under 14 Girls taking out the Division 4 title (and being undefeated all season).

The investment in coaching throughout the Club, and in particular the Development Squads (Under 8 – Under 13), is now paying off with Lane Cove teams now regularly appearing at the top of the rankings in these age groups. A great sign for the future strength of the Club in what is becoming an increasingly competitive environment!

A debt of gratitude is owed for all the volunteers across Lane Cove who pull this together year after year.

Marriage: Before you take the big step

Preparations to get married or begin a new defacto relationship can be a wonderful and exciting time, with much to plan and prepare.

But there are important things to consider. There are bound to be new financial responsibilities and obligations, particularly if you are bringing substantial assets into the relationship or have responsibilities for children of prior relationships. If you don’t think about these issues, they may come back to haunt you.

Firstly, you should make a Will (or have your existing Will updated) to specify who is to benefit from your estate should you die. This is because if you have a Will and marry, then the existing Will is immediately revoked and you need to do a new one.

If you don’t make a new Will and you die, then your estate is distributed according to the rules of Intestacy. Your spouse receives your assets, or if you have children, your spouse shares the estate with them.

The same applies for a defacto spouse where the relationship has been going for two years or more (or less if there are children involved). If you don’t have a spouse or children, your estate is distributed to your closest relatives; first parents, then siblings, grandparents and finally aunts and uncles.

If you don’t provide properly for your spouse or children in your Will, then following death, they are eligible to make a ‘Family Provisions Application’ in the Supreme Court. This can cause your relatives or those people you do wish to benefit considerable anguish.

What if the relationship fails? Following a marriage, your spouse can immediately make a Family Law claim for a share of your property or for maintenance. A defacto spouse qualifies to have the same rights after two years of cohabitation (or earlier if there are children) or if they have made a substantial contribution. Their entitlements may be small at first, but they quickly grow, particularly after children come along.

To prevent some of these problems, you can enter into a Financial Agreement prior to the marriage. This sets out what is to happen to your assets and income in the event of separation or death. Negotiating such agreements can be a cause of friction and conflict for new couples. However, they are extremely effective in avoiding claims and court actions and protecting your assets.

Entering a new relationship is also a good opportunity to draw up a Power of Attorney and Enduring Guardianship. If you are unable to make decisions yourself because of illness or injury, you must have made arrangements for persons you most trust to make decisions about your finances and personal care.

A visit or contact with an experienced Family Lawyer, before the big event, can do wonders for your peace of mind and the future security of you and your family.

FAMILY LAW SPECIALIST Andrew Corish. Corish & Co Specialist Family Lawyers, North Sydney.

Can you spare some time to help someone locally? VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

You can make a big difference in someone’s life.

With a team of over 400 volunteers, Sydney Community Services, (formerly Lane Cove & North Side Community Services), and Hunters Hill Ryde Community Services provide a range of services to support over 500 older residents and people living with a disability living in our local community. We are currently seeking bus drivers and drivers with their own car, as well as early morning meal packers. If you are interested in finding out more about our openings, please email reception@sydneycs.org or call 9427 6425.

FREE JP SERVICE

Come and visit our office at 1 Pottery Lane, Lane Cove, for our new JP service: Monday October 2nd and Monday October 9th, from 2-4pm. Please call in advance to ensure the JP is in that week: 9427 6425.