WITH a thirst for life that almost equalled his thirst for beer, Greg “Pogo” Armstrong was a much-loved barfly at The Pub and The Family for more than two decades.
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So when he had a sudden and severe stroke early last month, bar staff and his drinking mates felt like they’d lost a member of the family.
Pogo remains in a serious condition in John Hunter Hospital and with medical bills mounting, The Pub has stepped in to help one of its own.
Tomorrow, The Pub’s annual hams raffle day, run in conjunction with its fishing club, will double as a fundraiser to help cover some of the costs of Pogo’s rehabilitation.
“Pogo is a real character and he’s been a regular here since The Pub opened in 1989,” Craig Power from The Pub Group said.
“He’s like a family friend. We’ve grown up drinking with him and knowing his kids.
“He’s the sort of bloke that had a nickname for everyone within hours of knowing them and he had a lot of classic sayings.
“He’s a bit of a battler and he’s facing a long road ahead so this is the least we can do.”
Fishing club president and close friend of Pogo, Tony Daly, has been to the hospital to see his mate a number of times since the stroke.
“The last time we saw him his eyes lit up and he’s even able to write things down,” Mr Daly said.
“He’s going to need years and years of assistance and any money we can raise is better than nothing.”
The day, which kicks off at 11am, will include a sports memorabilia auction and entertainment by Brian Howard and friends.
