Eighteen years after being awarded the prestigious Medal of the Order of Australia, Patricia Sommerville is still serving the sport she loves.
Patricia received the medal in 1994 for her voluntary services to the community and junior tenpin bowling.
This week she’s convening the tenpin competition at the 2012 Pan Pacific Masters Games in her typically tireless fashion.
“It was a very great honour to be put in that (volunteer) category, “said Patricia.
“My mentor always said ‘wear your badge’. The person who nominated you will see it and they will be honoured to see you respect what you have achieved,” she said.
Sadly, forty eight years of competitive bowling has placed wear and tear on Patricia’s body, leaving her with a knee injury that only allows her to bowl socially.
But she says she is grateful to have made many friends through bowling.
One long-time friend is Debbie Biviano from New South Wales who she has known for almost four decades and who is competing in the Masters tournament this week.
Debbie has been bowling for thirty-eight years and has racked up numerous achievements on lanes all around the world.
She has represented Australia in Singapore, Germany and America and she won a gold medal representing New South Wales in 1987.
This week she is playing her first Pan Pac Masters Games with the Australian Tenpin Bowling Seniors Organisation (ATBSO) in the 45-54 years division.
Debbie says she appreciates the opportunities tenpin bowling has given her.
“I’ve found a sport that I’m good at and I’ve been all around the world with it,” she said.
Tenpin bowling will continue through to Saturday 11 November at Go Bowling Ashmorein Currumburra Road.
The new system was born here and filagra this is not something that we would like to see. Caverta although better in some elements but not important for us.
