In My Opinion: John Zimnoch shares his memories of the Beach, marathons and charity fundraisers

By JOHN ZIMNOCH

In the late 1970s Queen Street resident Ray Winner ran two shows called Once a Beacher and Always a Beacher. There is a lot of truth in that.

Those were the days when you rounded the bottom of Woodbine Avenue to go downtown and passed massive piles of horse muck from the Woodbine Race Track as gigantic earth moving trucks wheeled down to create the Leslie Street Spit with enormous boulders on board.

The Spit, rabbits and all, making the great extension to the Boardwalk for runners and walkers that is so much enjoyed today.
In running yet another charity marathon and in writing to thank Beach resident sponsors Dayle Snider, from St Aidan’s who can always be relied upon to step up to the plate; and Melanie Wright for donating; along with Dick Oleksiak who also helps me with my writing skills, or lack of them, many memories came flooding back.

Those memories include organizing and running a Boardwalk 5K run with a young son Hans who ran one kilometre to having fellow Family Trust agents raise money — probably for Bob Murdoch at Centre 55.

Later getting Re/Max Hallmark agents to do the same. Also, a turkey drive at Christmas coming to mind. Never any shame in bullying many to contribute to good causes.

I remember that a fundraiser for the Balmy Beach Rugby Club had as first prize a Ford Thunderbird.

Larry Theed, son of fortune telling Neva – who always led the Easter Parade in a grand costume, told me not to bother with the winners draw as his Mum told him that he would win. I laughed – he won! Unbelievable.

Always negotiating, I offered Larry cash and less than the cost of the car and made an extra thousand for the rugby club. Happiness all around.

Author Peter Robinson, much missed by Isleworth neighbours and friends, helped with another Re/Max fundraiser for Sick Kids making $14,000 in one day from real estate colleagues and the winner getting their real name in his next book.

The winner? Melanie Wright, woohoo, a friend and number one at helping all my many past clients. Thanks again, Mel.

To celebrate my 80th birthday, Hans and I are running a 4th of July marathon in the heat of Australia’s Gold Coast for the Children’s Hospital Foundation.

We are close to our ambitious fundraising target and we want to reach it by the end of May. For if we do, we have a sponsor who will match our total.

Please go to https://goldcoastmarathon25.grassrootz.com/childrens-hospital-foundation/zimnoch-warriors to help us with the fundraising.

Also, many thanks to Beach Metro Community News for publicizing our efforts. It is still the Ward Nine News to this old fogey.

I remember coming first in my age group running in the 114 degree Mojave desert, a run that starts at midday to ensure everybody keeps warm. So the Aussie sun holds no fears for me when it comes to our upcoming run.

In case you were impressed by me getting a first place award in the Mojave, I should point out that I was the only silly soul over 60 to enter in my age group – He Who Dares Wins!

My only other first was at Loch Ness for a Children’s Hospice 10k where the race was COVID-cancelled but I went and ran anyway to the delight of the organizers who sent me a special medal for being first of all the runners – just me! Great publicity for the run with a big feature in the local newspaper.

Life is good, enjoy it.

• Local realtor John Zimnoch with Family Trust, Re/Max, and The Wright Sisters; and Always a Beacher!