Crowds of teenagers aged 12 to 18 years, up to 1450 of them at times, were bused in from across the region, including Dungog, Cessnock and Raymond Terrace.

This was the original Maitland Blue Light Disco - the most important event a teenager could be part of – and Rutherford resident and volunteer Neale Savertsen was there to witness it.

Mr Savertsen has been part of Maitland’s Blue Light scene for 30 years and has been recognised for his service with a NSW Volunteer of the Year award.

This certificate joins a wall full of awards including NSW and Maitland Blue Light life membership and one from the NSW police commissioner.

“I like the company at the Blue Light and working with the kids,” Mr Savertsen said.

“We don’t have kids of our own, so all those kids are ours.

“I don’t like being idle, my mind would stop, and I am too young to do nothing. Volunteering takes up my spare time.

“The funny thing is I can’t stand loud music, I have industrial deafness, so I turn off my two hearing aids while I’m at the Blue Light.”

Blue Light events are now held at Maitland City Bowls, Sports and Recreation Club on the second Friday of the month and attract between 250 and 270 children aged up to 13 years. 

Teenagers from the 1980s were raised differently, Mr Savertsen said when comparing them to today’s teens.

“Kids were brought up better, their ­parents taught them about respect and staying out of trouble.

“Today’s kids are savvy about the world and how things work.

“They know what they can get away with and how far they can go.

“Most kids out there are good but there is a small minority who are bad kids.”

Blue Light dances were created for police to interact with young people and this is one of the roles Mr Savertsen enjoys.

“These dances are well supervised, the kids are well behaved, there are no drugs or alcohol, it is a controlled atmosphere.

“The kids come along because they like the company, groups of school friends can socialise, they love the music and the entertainment we provide.

“I hate to think what some of them would be doing if they were not at the Blue Light – they would probably be out destroying property, without any parental control.

“But for those 3½ hours they don’t get into trouble, they enjoy themselves.”

Mr Savertsen, whose wife Margaret is also involved with the Blue Light, said trouble was rare at the discos.

“It is jumped on straight away. I will talk to kids if they are acting up and if we need to, we get the police involved,” he said.

“There has only been one serious incident in my 30 years with Blue Light.

“Two young girls were involved in an assault at the end of one of the discos.”

Being part of organised dance events goes back to Mr Savertsen’s teenage years at the original Maitland Police Boys Club.

“Back then, the 18 and 19 year olds ran the dances every Sunday night,” he said.

“We had live bands and 300 to 400 men and women would attend.”

Mr Savertsen also volunteers for Meals on Wheels, Maitland Community Transport and is a director of Telarah Bowling Club.

He was a Maitland Rugby League Football Club committee member for 20 years and treasurer for 12 years; he was a Maitland Leagues Club board member for 17 years and vice president for seven years and three years with Maitland junior rugby league.

All past members of the Maitland Blue Light Disco are invited to the 30th anniversary dinner at Maitland City Sports and Recreation Club on September 6. 

For details call Senior-Constable Michael Steele on 4934 0200.

Former Maitland police officer, now stationed at Kurri Kurri, Sergeant Bill Johns will attend.

Sergeant Johns ran the original Blue Light Disco at Maitland Town Hall.

All original committee members are invited to attend the dinner.

Meanwhile, a call has gone out for more volunteers to help run the events into the future.

The committee would like to hear from anyone who attended the original discos and now has children attending so a history can be compiled.