Apex Clubs of Australia

The Association of Apex Clubs of Australia is the collective name given to the 330 individual Apex Clubs (service clubs) throughout Australia. An Apex club is a community service club, neither sectarian nor party political, that provides young civic minded people the opportunity to volunteer within the community as well as develop personally [ [http://www.apex.org.au/ideals.php APEX AUSTRALIA : Ideals, Logo and Mission ] ] through club run schemes such as public speaking competitions. Club members are volunteers between the ages of 18 and 45.

History

The first Apex Club started in Geelong in 1931 [ [http://www.apex.org.au/history.php APEX AUSTRALIA : Highlights of Apex's History ] ] when three architects attempted to join the Rotary Club of Geelong. As Rotary has a rule restricting one profession to each club the three architects - Ewan Laird, Langham Proud and John Buchan went on to form the Apex Club of Geelong.

Up until the early 1990s Apex only allowed male members. From this point until the 2006 National Convention, each Club had the choice of whether their Club was gender specific or mixed. After the National Convention of 2006 all Clubs must now accept members of both genders.

Membership

Membership is open to all males and females between the ages of 18 and 45. Apex Youth Clubs are also being introduced that are school based which sees members between the ages of 14 to 18.

Activities

Apex undertakes a range of activities aimed at youth with its major programs including running a Public Speaking competition in all states and holding a national debating final which both happen at the annual National Convention in July. Apex also runs the Teenage Fashion Awards in each state with the top 3 in each section heading to the national final, that is held in October of each year.

Apex Foundation

Apex over the years has raised large amounts of money to put into trust funds which then distribute grants each year, this is the responsibility of the Apex Foundation.

Clubs

There are clubs in every state and territory of Australia and within each state there are several districts which clubs belong to. There are approximately 400 active clubs.

Notable members

*Donald Mackay disappeared Australian anti-drugs campaigner (1933-1977) [ [http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A150274b.htm?hilite=apex Australian Dictionary of Biography entry for Mackay] ]
*William Phelan, Queensland businessman and politician (1915-1973) [ [http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A150702b.htm?hilite=apex Australian Dictionary of Biography entry for Phelan] ]

Notes

External

* [http://www.apex.org.au/ Apex Australia official website]
* [http://www.apexfoundation.org.au/ The Apex Foundation]