There was a sizeable crowd at the Stawell Harness Racing Club on Monday, with a mixture of fresh and familiar faces watching the 1.57pm race.
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Sitting towards the front of the crowd, surrounded by a posse of family and friends, was nonagenarian Joyce Dowsett.
Mrs Dowsett was the club's guest of honour, having dedicated almost three decades of her life to ensuring members stayed fed.
"It was the club's way of thanking me for all of the years I have been making sandwiches and working behind the counter," she said.
To show its appreciation for Mrs Dowsett's decades of service, the club named the third race of the day in her honour.
The 2180m Thank you Mrs Dowsett preferential barrier draw was won by Lexton reinsman on $2.20 favourite Bacardi Wood.
Although the race result wasn't at the forefront of her mind.
"As far as I am concerned, a horse has a head, a tail and four legs," she laughed.
"I never followed the horses even though we had it on the telly all the time. I've only watched one race in my life."
Mrs Dowsett admitted she doubled the total on Monday by watching race three, and while she didn't put any money on the race, she did cheer on one participant.
"I was hoping Jackie Barker would win," Mrs Dowsett said.
"I knew her grandfather and father. She would come in as a pre-schooler and ask for a glass of milk. She's now a leading driver. It's so nice to see."
Mrs Dowsett is no stranger to volunteering, having given up a part of her life to several service groups, including Legacy and Rotary.
"In my day people were happy to make a cake, come along and put in a couple of hours of work to help out," she said.
This can-do attitude saw her pop into the racing club to help out a shorthanded volunteer group.
"I was asked to go see Beryl Cooper - Reg Cooper's wife - because she was snowed under with dishes and making sandwiches," Mrs Dowsett remembered.
"I did that a couple of times, and Reg asked me if I wanted to take over. I have always enjoyed meeting people, and this was another way of doing that.
"I'd cook a cake, cut six or so loaves of bread for sandwiches, chat to the ambulance people.
"It was lovely. The people I have met over the years and formed connections with was surprising - people I'd never otherwise met down the street."
After the race, the club presented Mrs Dowsett with two gifts: an article detailing her years of involvement and a picture of her father, Fred Mason, a well-known driver and trainer.
"I didn't expect the gifts. It was beautiful," she said.
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