Sadly we lost our most energetic and most likable member to cancer. Ray Peck was without doubt one of the most likable people I have ever met, Ray was a real Aussie character, he would do anything for a friend and nothing was to much trouble, he was the first one to offer a hand to anyone who needed it and always had what you needed somewhere in his vast collection of useful  junk. He was also without doubt the backbone of our successful displays at Caulfield and other events, he spent tireless hours making displays and organising the rest of the team to get things done and on time.  Ray didn’t like small aviaries and so all the aviaries he built (usually with no help) for his and Robyn’s birds were huge.  Recently I moved house and was going to have to sell off a lot of my birds but Ray housed every bird that I wanted to keep and in a matter of weeks had built new aviaries at His and Robyn’s  place so they had plenty of room, that’s the kind of person Ray was. Ray was always doing something weather that be building aviaries and pens, doing jobs for Robyn, cooking for the pony club, spending time with his Grandson Jacob, being Santa for the kids, building what ever needed building for either of the clubs and his friends, finding and reusing all sorts of things (Ray would collect almost anything as everything has a use, what ever you needed you could find at Ray’s). Ray was a good friend of ours and we are all going to miss him. On behalf of myself and the Victorian Branch, I would like to send our condolences to Robyn, Jeff, Shelee, Jacob and the rest of Ray’s family.

 

          Ray at the convention in Adelaide                         Ray and his son Jeff

 

We held our Christmas meeting at Melbourne Zoo as we do every year (it wasn’t quite the same with Ray and Robyn). Angelo (the Zoo’s bird specialist) took us over to meet the elephant keepers who took us behind the scenes to watch the big male get washed, then into the enclose with the four females who they lined up for us to each take a turn in feeding a piece of apple or sweet potato and then pat on the forehead or trunk. Every one enjoyed this experience greatly. Ange then took us into the night area of the cassowaries to see it they would take food from the hands of groups (through the wire of course). The male stayed nearby but the female would not come close, but as this was the first time, she may come around eventually.

Our next meeting will be at the Springvale Neighbourhood House.

Regards

Steve Whitmore.