Hi all, from sunny but chilly outback South Australia. Helen and I are presently camped at Coober Pedy and enjoying the relative warmth here compared to the cold days and nights of the Flinders Ranges. I can recommend the Flinders Ranges as an outstanding site to explore and experience. You can ride, hike or drive to many of the key sites that are rugged and colourful. The drive north along the Oodnadatta Track is also colourful, rugged and bumpy! 

 

I hope all in the club remain fit and healthy and I am pleased that the news on COVID is good from Victoria (was). I will take this opportunity to reiterate my plans for the club this year, to follow on from Sue's excellent year whilst dealing with all the constraints forced upon us by COVID. In some ways I am planning to return to many of the things that we couldn't do last year. I believe we need a strong return to fellowship activities and to that end PP Jim has agreed to take charge of driving this and I am sure we will have many exciting and fun times ahead. At meetings, the sergeant's role will be shared and the sergeant's committee will be responsible for all the club's assets and club material. I am also expecting Directors to take a stronger role in fundraising and supplying speakers. PP Carolyn and Judy have carried out their respective roles in an exemplary and enthusiastic manner and I think it is now time to spread the load. We have between 30 - 40 guest speakers each year and I hope Youth, Vocational, International, Community and Environmental can each identify/supply 4 speakers (20 in total).  I also see that including Directors of each Avenue of Service playing a role in securing their own funding for projects is important to take some of the load off the fundraising committee. Leanne and PP Carolyn will still oversee and have final say over the planning of fundraising but the responsibility of finding fundraisers will be shared more. 

 

 I plan to increase our membership in both the satellite club and the original club by broadening our representation from the various professions, trades, businesses and other organisations in our community. It is imperative that we all put on our thinking caps and strive to find new sources of members.  Lastly but crucially, we need to support and encourage the satellite club to flourish. We are already seeing the benefits from having the satellite members in our club and I thank them for their support at the BBQs and other events they have attended. It can only benefit us all as the satellite club grows and prospers.

 

I would like to thank everyone who is helping the club carry on with both Sue and me away during July. (Another reminder that Changeover is on August 3rd at Peninsula Grammar.)

 

Until next time, thanks to Secretary Pauline, PP Ross , PPJim and PE John for steering the ship, cheers, Neil