Riverside neighbours Kerry Shepherd and Len Healey chalk up 60 years

Since moving into Riverside Drive, the two mates have watched their kids grow up together, helped organised major Launceston events, and spent 52 years each with the Riverside Lions Club.

But despite decades of shared experience, there's one issue on which they've never seen eye to eye.

"He's a Carlton mongrel," Len said.

"He is. When they kicked our bums [Collingwood] the other day, it wasn't real pretty.

"My phone, I wouldn't answer it - it was running hot."

Kerry and Len have lived two doors apart for the best part of 60 years.

But back then, Riverside was much smaller and their street had a completely different name.

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"We both built houses here and it was a gravel drive called Podhale Crescent," Len said.

"It's Hungarian for sunshine apparently," Kerry said.

"[Former The Examiner editor] Michael Courtney who lived there said 'we're not going to have this called Pothole Crescent' so he got it changed to Riverside Drive," Len said.

"It's been that ever since because of him."

The pair joined Riverside Lions Club 52 years ago - alongside names like Hugh Howe, Athol Martin and Neil Pitt - and have enjoyed many memorable moments since.

Len fondly recalls buying electric wheelchairs for residents who had been housebound for years.

Some responded with tears, another "took off out the carpark and we couldn't catch her".

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For 30 years Kerry spearheaded Carols by Candelight - which was then run by Lions - bringing stars like Chelsea Brown to packed-out crowds of 16,000 in City Park.

"We had some funny nights [at Carols]," Len said.

"We had one night when we'd just started and we got a downpour - I mean a downpour - and there was everybody in a dinner suit, 15,000 people, trying to get out the iron gates.

"Another night we were in the rotunda - it was a summer's night and the band was playing and there were millions of little midge flies attracted by the light and these blokes on trumpets and horns were sucking 'em in."

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Len and Kerry are far from the only long-time Lions members in Riverside.

The club's 30 members boast 911 years between them, including the long-serving Bill Morris (55 years) and 12 others with 40-plus years to their name.

Len said the club was always on the lookout for worthwhile causes to support, and encouraged those thinking of becoming a member that "it's not a big job".

"You still get a buzz out of helping people - especially kids," he said.

"And you don't lose that - Shep and I have been here for 50-odd years each and you still get a kick out of it."

Kerry agreed.

"It's been a pretty interesting journey," he said.

"Our families have grown up together and it's been a nice association.

"It's been a lot of years we've been involved, but those years have flown by because we've found it interesting. It's amazing - we've been kept busy."

The Riverside Lions Club has been catering at UTAS Stadium AFL games for about 15 years, and will be serving on-site at today's clash between Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs.

The club is raising funds for childhood cancer research and eye health.

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