Seeds of Hope Community

“If we can help someone then that’s therapeutic, that just what we do.” – Mark (Two Beers Club)

Have you ever stood at the crossroads of life, wondering which way to go?

Earlier this year I had the privilege of meeting a couple of farmers from regional Victoria who were introduced to me as the boys from “Two Beers Club”. Curious, I wanted to hear their story.

It may not have been a crossroad of life they stood at, more like the corner posts of their properties that joined with their neighbours, but it’s here where local legends Mark and Ron, founders of Two Beers Club, would gather to have a yak with their neighbours over a beer or two.

Recognising they shared the same frustrations with their neighbours, like regional isolation and being time-poor, working a job and taking care of property and family, there was little time to debrief the same frustrations they were all going through. So they took it into their hands to do something different. 

Word soon spread, and people started asking what was happening at their properties.  Inspired by a Carton Draught commercial at the time, they realised the local shed held the answer to a place where the blokes could meet. And that’s where Two Beers Club was birthed.

The gatherings grew – lending a helping hand, working on projects together, sharing experiences, frustrations and equipment with others – which included the new comers to the region who often made the same mistakes everyone else did. This unlikely pair of farmers, Mark, a registered nurse, and Ron, a painter, are happy to give an hour and show men how to build a fence as a blend of totally different people providing support for other people.

After the tragic loss of one of their own who lost his way navigating life’s challenges, Mark and Ron were deeply impacted by the tragedy and also strengthened as they were able to support the family and community through this time. Two Beers Club took on a new meaning as it came to a cross road calling them to implement changes with greater support for men’s health and well-being.  

What started over a decade ago, a gathering of blokes at their property boundaries sharing a beer, frustrations and lending a helping hand over time, has evolved with Mark and Ron setting up networks and social support for men’s health, friendship and self-care, so there are enough people to share the load to protect themselves and each other from burnout.

By doing this it enables the blokes to self-succeed, giving them an outlet to speak their mind and be understood by what they are saying.

When asked what advice Mark would give to men, he replied, “Blokes bottle things up and unless we say the words, we can become tense and act inappropriately. We can snap and that’s not good for us or the family we love.”

“The Two Beers Club gives blokes an outlet to speak their mind and be understood. It’s not a one-way street, blokes want to give, not receive. By knowing people are experiencing the same things and feeling the same way we can help each other.

If we can help someone then that’s therapeutic, that just what we do.”

As the name suggests, Two Beers Club is simply that, a gathering with a purpose and discipline it’s not a place to drown their sorrows or deny the challenges but rather support men and their families, recognising the challenges along the way. It’s where they can learn together and from one another to help minimise the risk that regional life can present.

By feeling supported, it brings hope, and in turn, they support others, building healthy families and communities.

I get the sense these Aussie blokes understand a thing or two about relationships and life. They understand that as human beings we need each other, and more than ever when the storms of life toss us around. Next time you gather with a mate or two over a beer, it could just be the start of bringing hope to where you see a need.

Hope is not misplaced for the one who can see beyond the challenges, it may reveal your purpose – Anonymous