That was Apex, an organisation that had a strong membership, a solid commitment to the community and a willingness to get involved.

The Apex Ball was a highlight on the social calendar.

Such organisations come and go for a variety of reasons and Lithgow Apex Club faded away years ago.

But the memories linger and now there are moves afoot for a reunion later this year for survivors of those days.

One time Apex president, Lithgow car salesman and later in life in the newsagency business, Ian Cowen, is the driving force behind the reunion idea but he needs to know if there’s enough interest to press ahead with the organising. Ian now lives in retirement in Queensland but has co-opted another former Apexian, Doug Burns, to liaise at local level.

The idea is to hold the reunion at a venue on the Central Coast some time in September. ‘Why the Central Coast?’ the column asked, ‘because an unusually high percentage of former Apexians have since retired to that part of the world,’ was the answer. The organisers hope to contact surviving Apexians and the families of Apexians who have now passed on.

You can contact Ian Cowen at igcowen@onthenet.com.au or 07 5668 1937 or Doug Burns here in Lithgow on 6352 1882.