Rotary Club of Shepparton digs deep to unearth 25-year time capsules

These time capsules — one created by Ron Caple for the original burial in 1973 and another made from black PVC in 2000 — contain 500 letters, photographs and memorabilia donated by families and businesses in Shepparton.

Rotary Club of Shepparton former president Geoff Long and member Angie Talarico, who were both present at the original burial, have been pivotal in organising the retrieval.

“Back in 2000, there were people everywhere waiting for us to pull stuff out of the capsule and hand them out,” Mr Long said.

“This time around, we’ll be more organised.”

Once the capsules are raised, they will be transported to Neatline Homes on Goulburn Valley Hwy, Kialla, where they will be degassed, and the contents sorted in alphabetical order.

The public is invited to collect their items starting at 2pm, and attendees must bring identification to present upon arrival.

Among the masses eagerly awaiting the retrieval are four generations of the Smith family from Shepparton: Gladys Smith (grandmother), Lynette Smith (daughter and oldest of four siblings), Laurinda Futter (oldest grandchild of five), and some of the 15 great-grandchildren.

In 2000, Gladys wrote letters to each of her children, and the contents will be a surprise for them — and for her as well.

“At the time, I thought God only knows, I probably won’t be here when it’s dug up,” she said.

“I’ve got no idea what I put in there, and now, my kids are all wondering, ‘Jeez, what did Nan put in the letter?’”

For those unable to collect their items on the day, retrieval will be available at GMR Engineering Services in Shepparton from 2pm to 4pm on Friday, February 28.

After that, Mr Talarico should be contacted directly at 0408 312 559 to arrange for pickups.

The anticipation isn’t confined to the retrieval event itself.

Mr Long and Mr Talarico confirmed that the current time capsules would be reburied in late May, with plans to open them again on January 26, 2050.

They encourage the public to participate by burying a piece of history or memorabilia intended to be read in 2050.

“Schools, businesses, institutions — we want all to be a part of this historical event,” Mr Long said.

“There’s been a bit of a buzz on Facebook about this ... I think people are interested in passing on information from either their families or things that have happened around the area to future generations.

“And because of the buzz we had in 2000 and the buzz around this one now, I can see why it will keep going into the future.”

Starting Friday, February 14, envelopes for the new time capsule will be available for purchase at various local businesses, including Everyday Supplies, Traffik Boutique and Lovell’s Newsagency, at prices of $10, $25, $50 and $100.

All proceeds will benefit local charities.

This time, Gladys won’t be the only member of the Smith family contributing letters to the time capsule.

“There’ll be four generations of letters going in the next one,” Lynette said.

Gladys has been writing letters to her great-grandchildren, while Lynette and Laurinda are also writing to their children, and even Laurinda’s children will put pen to paper.

“For my kids, everything is so tech-focused,” Laurinda said.

“They’re growing up where everything is digital, and no-one writes letters any more, so I think it’ll be a big deal for them later on in time.”

It will surely be even more meaningful when they receive letters from their great-grandmother.

Gladys acknowledged that she wouldn’t be around for the 2050 retrieval, but her presence will certainly be felt.

“It’s strange ... time goes so quick, and when you’re younger, you think, I can’t wait for next week or the holidays, but when you look back, you think, where are those years gone?” she said.