However, two years on those tears were replaced with smiles, when a function room built in their honour was officially opened at Jamberoo Bowling Club.

Former club president, Heather Shepherd, who had been a member of Jamberoo for 39 years was honoured to be at the morning tea.

“It’s lovely to see what they have done,” Mrs Shepherd said.

"When we folded, we gave any excess money we had to the club and it was decided to put the money towards one particular project."

The Gala Room is dedicated to the Jamberoo lady bowlers who bequeathed $5000 to the club, which went towards making the function room a reality.

Morning tea was provided by the local Red Cross to officially thank the volunteers and those who worked on the function room.

The decision was made to fold after the women's club, which had been in gradual decline over the years, failed to attract any new members.

Eventually only 12 members remained on the books and of those only four were active members.

At the time, Mrs Shepherd put the dwindling membership down to time poor women, who were working well into their sixties rather than retiring and joining recreational clubs.

Function manager and Jamberoo Bowling Club director, Jo Woodward is hopeful the function room will bring more people to the club.

“By attracting more people, we can do more things with the money it makes for the club,” she said.

“We are only one of a few places in Jamberoo which have a function room, hopefully it will bring more people into the town.”

Mrs Woodward said the morning tea was a great opportunity to welcome the lady bowlers back to the club which they had dedicated so much time to over the years.

“I think they really enjoyed being back here,” she said.

“The lady bowlers did a lot for the club when it was first established, before there was a kitchen they cooked meals for the club.

“They kept the club alive and appreciated the room being dedicated to them.”