The 50th Anniversary attracted a full house. Three hundred and fifty patrons celebrated the anniversary luncheon at the Laguna Veneto Bocce Club in Dianella, Perth on the 27 March 2011. The President walked the guests through the pages of history, a valuable and entertaining history, recorded in a well presented anniversary book. This engaging publication highlights with pride the achievements, shared recollections, anecdotes and memorable milestone events, tinged with the occasional disappointment experienced by the members, past and present, over the 50 years. It chronicles the many activities of the Club and the contribution of the members, many of which are supported by hundreds of photos documenting these events. Joy, laughter and tears come to the eyes when you read the personal vignettes of some members as they recall their involvement and that of their friends at the Laguna Club. The Laguna Veneto Bocce Club of Perth was the pioneer bocce club in Perth and remains today Perth’s premier bocce club, a first class venue servicing the community of Dianella and home to state, national and international bocce competition, as well as providing support to the disabled bocce sector. As the President of the Bocce Federation of Australia commented…”The history of the Laguna Veneto Bocce Club closely mirrors the growth and aspirations of bocce across Australia. Starting out as a recreation for European migrants, it is now acknowledged as a fully fledged sport, recognized by State and Federal Governments and the Australian Olympic Committee. Whilst our focus is local, Bocce Australia has played an important role in the development of the sport in the Asian region and, is one of the few sports that has regular competition and ongoing strong links with China, Japan and Singapore.” And, so too for today’s custodians of the Club, that while they foster the traditions and culture of their ancestors that enriches their Club, their strong leadership and energetic volunteers contribute on a daily basis and in a meaningful way to the wider community – thus cementing its place firmly in the Australian landscape. Congratulations and well done Laguna Veneto Bocce Club, your members have bequeathed a priceless resource to future generations of Italo/Australians and bocce players, alike! Angelo Baldassar recounts…”In 1971, when W.A.’s four clubs affiliated with the Australian Federation, in that same year in June, four players qualified to participate in the national championship along with the five other States at the Fogolar Furlan Club in Melbourne. The teams were made up of four players per State and an official – representing us was the President of the W.A. Federation, Mr. Rolando Tonus, players Angelo Resera, me (Angelo Baldassar) from the Laguna Club and brothers Pietro and Giovanni Merlo from the Fremantle Club. The W.A. team arrived on the Friday after lunch, in the evening we go to dinner at the Club and then we attended the Opening Ceremony with players lining up behind their State official. At the end of the ceremony, all’s well, and then the chief referee announces “and now you may go on court and practice for a couple of hours”. We enter the courts, pull out our bocce balls, and there, two players from Melbourne, Pase and Favrin were laughing like mad, seeing only us from W.A. with wooden bocce and all the other States with brass bocce balls. How could we compete? Rolando Tonus was furious, but it was too late. We had to compete in the championships as we were – an experience that will never be forgotten. Despite this we went on to win the Champion State Cup for having won the most games in the Championship, and coming second in the Singles!”