Ken Shields becomes Bowls Victoria Life Member
Bowls Victoria has awarded Life Membership to Event Support Committee Chairman Ken Shields for more than 35 years’ distinguished service to the sport of bowls at all levels.
Mr Shields has served at all administrative levels of the sport in a distinguished career at both Keysborough and Cobram clubs, and at Region, Division and State level.
He is currently Chairman of the Bowls Victoria Event Support Committee, which helps organise and smoothly run our events around the State.
Mr Shields was presented the award by Bowls Victoria President John Fisher OAM and Chief Executive Graeme Bridge during the 2016 Men’s Region Sides Championship in Corowa.
Now at Cobram BC, Mr Shields began his association with bowls back in 1980 at Keysborough Bowling Club in South East Melbourne.
· He was Club Secretary of the Keysborough Club from 1981-1984
· Vice President in 1987 and 1998
· President from 1988-1990 and again from 1999-2001
· Member of the Committee, President of the RVBA Section, Secretary of the RVBA Section.
· Member of the Match Committee from 1990-2004
· Selector from 1994 -2000.
· Awarded Life Membership of the Keysborough BC in 1996.
Mr Shields was also a RVBA Group Councillor of Group 14 – Metro South East from 1994 – 2007 and a Group 5 Councillor from the Murray Bowls Association from 2005-2007.
· Served as a Group Delegate for 20 years
· Group 14 Secretary/Treasurer for over 12 years.
· Chairman of the Group 14 Match Committee for 13 years.
· Member of the RVBA Match Committee, Promotions Committee, Club Advisory Committee & General Services Committee.
· Awarded an RVBA Service Medal in 1990
· A national Umpire from 1996 – 2015, some 20 years of service.
Since the formation of Bowls Victoria, Mr Shields has also been able to put his talents to use in the areas of the Event Support Committee which he has chaired over a number of years since coming on to that committee in 2011 and taking that role over from the late Max Deason.
As a member of Cobram Bowls Club since 2006, he has become President of the Club, a position he currently holds, along with terms as Treasurer from 2007-2014 and Delegate to the Murray Bowls Division since 2007.
At Murray Bowls Division level Mr Shields has been President from 2011-2014 and is the current Murray Bowls Division Secretary, a role he has been active in since 2014.
He has also served as a Director of the Central Goulburn Murray Bowls Region and was a Bowls Victoria Regional Representative from 2009-2014.
Mr Shields’ journey through volunteering has also seen him take an active role in a number of organisations where he has been deservedly recognised for his contributions.
· Life membership of the Aspendale Life Saving Club in 1971
· A Life Appointment as Vice-President of the Royal Life Saving Society of Victoria in 1973.
· National Secretary of the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia between 1970 & 1975
· Life Membership of Life Saving Victoria in 2005
· Distinguished service in roles with St.John Ambulance Victoria and a long serving position until his retirement as Administration Manager for Melbourne Legacy from 1990-2005
He now lives in Barooga, where he continues to build on his 36 years of involvement in the sport of Bowls.