The Auckland Deaf Badminton Club had a well-attended dinner on Friday 24 October 2003 to celebrate its 40th birthday! The ADS Badminton Club is well known for recognising its milestones, having celebrated its 25th Anniversary at Avondale in 1988, and its 30th Anniversary at the Lopdell Restaurant in Titirangi (1993), before celebrating its 40th with a dinner at the Auckland Deaf Society Clubrooms ($20 per head, from 5:15pm to 8:30pm).
Dennis Robinson, MC, and Pam Croskery sum up the busy times of the ADS Badminton Club over the last 40 years with a PowerPoint presentation showing various social and fun times – from gatherings at the Hunt’s place, going out for dinner, practicing at Auckland Deaf Society, visiting Hamilton Deaf Club, organising picnics, social events (such as sports themed fancy dress parties at the Deaf Club, and fundraising via BBQs).
The ADS Badminton Club was formed in 1963 and was founded by Laura Hunt. It has participated in the New Zealand Games for the Deaf since, competing with other regions for the Bob Scott Memorial Shield. The team also participated in the Tasman Games for the Deaf versus Australia, when the Aussies visited New Zealand in 1978.
At that time, New Zealand Deaf badminton players who were also Auckland Deaf Club Badminton club members had participated in the 1985 XV World Games for the Deaf in Los Angeles, the 1989 Christchurch World Deaf Games where silver and bronze badminton medals were won in the Women’s Doubles. A team was also sent to the 1993 Games in Sofia, Bulgaria.
