Channel Junior Football Club (CJFC) celebrated the official opening of the Lynn Cross Canteen on Sunday, June 1.
The canteen received a refresh thanks to a Tasmanian Government grant and has been named in honour of the late Lynn Cross, who gave so much to the club.
Lynn volunteered at the Channel Football Club for approximately 40 years.
According to Channel Football Club Senior Life Member Steve Avery, the club never had to worry about the canteen with Lynn in charge.
She ably took care of everything from the ordering, cooking to rostering of staff.
In addition to running the canteen Lynn was also very active on the social committee.
In the mid 1990s the club participated in a Miss Huon Quest, which was the qualifier to the Miss Tasmania Quest, a pageant to raise funds for children with cerebral palsy.
Lynn organised the young ladies on their fundraising mission which resulted in building the canteen where it sits today.
Lynn also played a critical role in the clubroom extensions, running a bingo for a few years to raise $60,000 towards the extensions.
There were four speakers at the official opening: CJFC President Heath Gilmour, Liberal member for Franklin Nic Street, Senior Club Life Member Steve Avery and Lynn’s son, Shane Cross.
Shane said his mother genuinely loved working at the canteen and “would be so happy” to have known the canteen was named after her.
A sign announcing the space as the Lynn Cross Canteen was installed pride of place in the canteen.
During his speech CJFC President Heath Gilmour said it was “more than just a plaque, it’s a heartfelt legacy to Lynn.”
He also thanked the other individuals who spent a lot of time applying for the government grant for funds as well as those who worked on the refreshment of the canteen to build a lasting contribution to be enjoyed by patrons for years to come.
Channel Football Club Senior Life Member Steve Avery shared some of the contributions Lynn has made to the club over the years and finished by saying that by naming the canteen after Lynn it is also a nod to all the women who helped Lynn over the years and that the community should be proud of what they have achieved together.
