Judy Graham has been the glue of Dapto Citos Bowling Club for decades. Photos: Supplied.
From behind the bar at Dapto Citizens Bowling Club, Judy Graham has been a beacon for connection and conversation for more than four decades and now she’s called last drinks.
Ready to embrace retirement, the 62 year-old started some casual work behind the bar at the club when she turned 18.
“I just came in to do some bar training and the rest was history; I never left,” Judy said.
“Back in the day it was very family oriented, everyone knew everyone; it was a great job, I loved it.
“Everyone wanted to work in the bar back in those days.”
She started in 1981, and said those early days had an incredible atmosphere whether it was from bands performing and packing out the venue, or everyone getting involved in special events.
“Back in the day we did New Year’s Eve and things like that – we did fancy dress and all the bar staff would dress up,” Judy said.
“They were the days when you could smoke in the club and you’d have a drink around every corner.
“It was just the buzz and just seeing people.”
But she also played an important role in connecting with people, with the club a place many went to avoid isolation or loneliness.
“Some people that come in here have got no-one else; this is their life; they come down every day just to have company,” Judy said.
“They’ve got no-one at home, so they’d come in and go, ‘Jude will be on; I’ll come and have a chat’.
“I probably knew more about some people than their family would.
“I could write a few books of stories people have told me over the years, the things that I’ve heard because people confide in you.”
It wasn’t always the plan to stay at Citos at long as she did, with early aspirations like joining the police force never coming to fruition.
But her career was still filled with good memories and friendships.
“It became my life,” Judy said. “I worked with some great people over the years and they’re all lifelong friends.”
The years went by quickly, with generations of patrons passing through the doors.
“I’m serving people’s great grandchildren now; people that I served back then, their kids have grown up and got kids,” Judy said.
“The years just went; one minute you’re 18 and starting and then the next minute you’re 40 thinking, ‘This isn’t such a bad gig’.
“The next thing you know you’re 60 and thinking, ‘Well I’m not going anywhere now.'”
Judy always said she was going to retire at 60 but the birthday came and went.
“Everyone kept telling me, ‘You’ll know when you’re ready’ and hubby finished up 18 months ago,” she said.
“I kept talking, talking, talking about it and one day I just said, ‘Pick a date’.
“44 years is enough I think.”
Now she’s finally spending some time off her feet and settling in comfortably to the freedom of retirement and the adventures it can offer.
“Hubby and I have travelled a lot of Australia already and we will continue to do that, and travel overseas – we like to travel,” Judy said.
“We’ve just got plans to do what we want and enjoy ourselves.”
Despite Judy leaving the bar work behind, her connections to community will continue.
“If you want to duck down the shop and duck in and duck out, pick your times,” Judy said.
“I go down there and hubby will go, ‘Here goes another two-hour expedition’ because honestly you know so many people and you stop and everyone wants to have a chat about things.
“I can still come and see people and say g’day. I still see people around Dapto all the time. It’s not like a goodbye, I’m just on this side of the bar now.”
