THE Riverland’s oldest basketball club is preparing to celebrate its 70th anniversary, with memorabilia and a new documentary to be showcased at an event this weekend.
The Loxton Amateur Basketball Association’s 70th anniversary celebration is scheduled to be held at The Precinct on Saturday, March 27, with official proceedings beginning at 7pm.
Club committee member Jill Lange said the documentary on the club’s history, created by local man John DeCaux from Six Foot Four Productions, would be shown in three parts and go back to the club’s foundation in 1949.
“The first part will be about the foundation and early history of the Loxton Basketball Club and runs for about 10 or so minutes,” she said.
“After that there will be a break where people will be able to mingle and look at all the memorabilia that will be on display, including old photos and information that Greg Coombs has been sifting through for the past 12 months.
“The second part of the documentary will show off the middle years and more history of the club. After another little break, the last part will be about the current years of Loxton basketball and where it is at the moment.”
The club was formed more than 70 years ago, after the late Esmond Sior saw a photo of people playing basketball in an American sports magazine, which led to the first basketball competition in the Riverland.
Ms Lange said Mr Sior would be made a posthumous life member at the ceremony.
“He was the founder of the club and he never received a life membership before he passed away, so we will be presenting the life membership to his family,” she said.
Ms Lange said food trucks would also be at the venue on the night from 5.30pm.
Those interested in attending the event can RSVP by calling Kathy Schliebs on 0429 388 938 or emailing laba70anniversary@gmail.com.
Note: Organisers also utilised records provided to them by The Murray Pioneer and the former Loxton News.