TOBA It was another wonderful year in 2016 for the Trinity College & CBC Perth Old Boys’ Association (TOBA). Mr Peter Torre ('89) President Trinity College & CBC Perth Old Boys' Association
We continue to assess our annual calendar of events in an attempt to try and provide additional ways for our Old Boys to remain connected and to facilitate a conduit between them and their Alma Mater. The desire to achieve this is often met with difficulty in trying to find a vacant slot in the TOBA calendar! The full suite of milestone reunions throughout the year, along with ad-hoc gatherings for other year groups including an interstate reunion in Melbourne, were all well attended.
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The 50-year reunion held in September is always a special occasion as we welcomed a new batch of Old Boys into the Golden Heritage Club. We like to bring along some of the old-school memorabilia to remind the Old Boys of their school days. It only takes a quick glance to spark off a few stories of their days at school and within minutes the men interact as if they only left the school yard the day before. It’s truly wonderful to experience. At a Junior School assembly during the year, I presented some of the same memorabilia to the boys along with a rowing oar from the 1931 Head of the River (albeit in the original school colours of red and black). The boys were quick to advise me that these are Aquinas colours, and when prompted, could also state the reasons why the colours changed, the move out to Manning to establish Aquinas and the eventual move down to the current site. In displaying a large scale image of CBC Perth, I pointed out to the boys that the fence that surrounds Trinity, the ‘Heritage Fence’, is an exact replica of the fence that surrounded CBC Perth in The Terrace.
Andrew Young, Rosa West, Daniel Carter with James Biaggioni (front)
The importance for the Junior School boys, and indeed all TC boys, to know the history of this great College cannot be underemphasised. It aids in building the wonderful culture and sense of belonging to something very special, to be part of a heritage dating back to 1894. Similarly, the Old Boys from the Terrace are proud of the legacy they leave and to know that the spirit of the College endures in TC. I’m very pleased to report that TOBA’s marque event, the Sportsmen’s Lunch, was another sensational afternoon. All attendees (nearly 300 of them!) were in good spirits and certainly in fine form. Guests were thoroughly entertained by guest speaker, the 'Lambassador', Slammin’ Sam Kekovich. Needless to say, Sam lived up to his reputation for his off-field antics which have always been controversial. His politically incorrect statements and satirical rants were received by all in the humorous manner in which they were delivered. Sam delivered a warm-up act for sponsors of the event in a river room prior to lunch which essentially was just Sam being himself—a very funny man indeed. Funds raised on the day go towards providing TOBA bursaries and it was so very heart-warming to see the continued generosity shown by our Old Boys who were willing to contribute, even in tough economic times, to ensure others less fortunate are able to receive the benefit of a Trinity College education. During my address at the lunch I reminded all Old Boys that it’s up to us to carry on and live in accordance with the mantra under which all Trinity College students are educated, that is to be Men for Others. Being an Old Boy of CBC Terrace and Trinity
Rhys Grant ('04) and Peter Torre ('89) at the TC Rowathon
Winter Sports Day TC Spirit Award Gabriel Tana ('91) and Bryan Breheny ('04)
