News Briefs & Notices "Keeping in Touch"         2008-09 Season

[05/05/09] The 105th Annual General Meeting

You will all soon be receiving your copy of the annual report in preparation for the AGM - set down for Sunday 24 May. You will note that again there are some very important decisions to be taken at the meeting. Do try hard be be there; get involved and help with the decision making and pledge some support to the newly elected executive.This General Meeting will be the first to be held using our newly approved and adopted Club Constitution.

[09/04/09] The Taranaki Secondary Schools Tournament - held in Stratford - Sat 4 April

Congratulations to our student members Sophia Ockhuysen and Letitia Patten on winning the girls pairs section of this annual tournament. Well done, you two!!Sophia and Letitia will go on to represent Taranaki in the Regional finals - between Taranaki, Wanganui, Kapiti and Wellington - to be played on our own greens at Fitzroy on Wed 22 April, next. See if you can come on down to support our two girls and to see some young bowling talent on display. For full results of the Taranaki Youth Tournament - check HERE

[29/3/09] The Hartigan-O'Connor Trophy Match - Interclub Visit by Hawera Park

Unlike last year's scheduled event which had had to be cancelled due to poor weather, the annual Hartigan O’Connor trophy was contested at the Fitzroy Club this year under clear blue skies, but with a chilly south easterly breeze. Obviously the cooler temperatures suited our southern visitors - as they made no race of the event this year - winning 11 games to Fitzroy’s 5.
 
The best individual team with 2 wins plus 23 was Kieran Pollard's team from Hawera Park and the best Fitzroy effort came from Denise Cooper's four with one win plus 8 points.
 
The traditional “ Irish Bowls” format in the morning was a real hoot with the first game swapping leads and three’s for each team and once your team got to 10 points your next points came off your ten point total. Most were somewhat confused but none more than Laurie Pearson - who was still shaking his head at the end of the game,
 
Game two also proved a challenge of both mind and bowls skill as on ends 1 – 3 – 5 - 7 the jack was delivered as normal, however on ends 2,4,6,8 the jack was delivered once all bowls had been delivered by the entire team – the skips then tossed to have the right to deliver the jack. If nothing else this game proved skips were pretty hopeless at delivering the jack with many efforts going out of bounds or in the ditch.
 
All in all a great day was had by all. Special thanks to our ladies in the kitchen who provided a lovely lunch, greens staff who prepared the greens, bar staff for their work during the day and to those that helped organise the format, cards and results.

[27/3/09] Bowls Taranaki - Proposed New Constitution- Backgrounder!

BOWLS TARANAKI PROPOSED CONSTITUTION - Background Paper

The new Centre Constitution which is being proposed for adoption by the Clubs at a meeting planned for April 21 next, is the result of work completed by the Planning Committee, set up as a result of the Centre’s Strategic Planning exercise completed over the last 18 - 24 months.

In essence it is based on a Bowls NZ Model Constitution for Centres - similar to constitutions adopted by any number of other Centres around the country. Of necessity, it contains clauses and sections relevant to a range of regulatory requirements and to financial, disciplinary, reporting and other aspects relevant to Bowls Taranaki being an Incorporated body.
In addition, it also includes a number of sections which provide for the needs and requirements specifically relevant to our own Taranaki area.

The three principal aspects which are going to make this Constitution just that much different are:

1.     [i] The Centre Annual General Meeting will confirm the appointment of a 5 member Board of Management. The Board members will be recommended for appointment by an Appointments Committee from
nominations, which will generally be made by Clubs, but may be from individuals, themselves applying for appointment to the Board.
The Board will be responsible for all aspects of governance, policy making and regulatory matters.

        [ii] The elected President and Vice-President will also be members of the Board.

2.     [i] The Annual General Meeting of BT will elect the President and the Vice-President of the Centre from nominations made by Clubs.

      [ii] The Annual General Meeting of BT will elect  4 members for appointment to the Operations Committee from nominations made by Clubs. The President and the Vice-President of the Centre are also Board appointments to the Operations Committee.

3.      [i] The Board will establish and make appointments to various ‘standing committees’ viz: Finance & Administration [incl: Sponsorship & Funding]; Communications & Public Relations; Marketing & Promotion; Game Development and the Operations Committees.
         [ii] All administration and operational policies and practices will be incorporated in a comprehensive Operations/Regulations Manual. It will detail, among other things, the roles, responsibilities and involvement of a range of sub-committees set up to utilize and benefit from the wide range of experience, interest and skill available within the Taranaki Bowling community. These could well include aspects such as Event Management; Greens Development; Coaching; Umpiring; High Performance Programmes & Talent Identification; Youth Bowls Development and Team Management  - as examples.

Check this pdf  - diagramv4   -   for an example of the possible formation of the new board and it's committees.

Do come along to the Club meeting on 15 April - 7:15pm - to take part in the discussions. Our Club’s Centre delegates will welcome as wide a range of member opinion as possible, prior to their attending the Centre Special Meeting as our representatives.

[26/3/09] Bowls Taranaki - Proposed New Constitution
Last week, all Clubs, including our own, of course, were issued copies of the proposed new constitution for the Centre. This review and rewrite was as a result of the decision made by Clubs, last year  - as part of the Centre's Strategic Plan - to look to the constitution as a first means of achieving a large number, if not most, of the strategic objectives contained in the plan.

A Special General Meeting of Centre Club delegates is planned for Tuesday 21 April, next, to adopt the new constitution and, hopefully, begin to put it into action.

Our executive has set a date for a general meeting of members, to take a quick look at the main points of difference and the key aims and objectives of the new constitution - to get feedback from members and to provide our delegates with sufficient club member opinion to allow them to represent our views with confidence at the April 21 delegates meeting.

This meeting will be held in the Club Pavilion on Wed.15 April  at 7:15pm You are encouraged to attend.
Our Club Centre Delegates [President Miriam Koot, Denis Toon and Dave McColl] will lead a session, taking members through the principal elements and emphases and highlight for you the expected advantages for Taranaki Clubs and our Centre.

Because the constitution is a substantial document, it is not realistic to expect that we would provide a copy for all members. 6 or 8 copies are available in the pavilion for members to read and peruse, prior to the meeting. Keep an eye out for them. The new document is basically a Bowls New Zealand model constitution - commonly adopted by all other NZ Centres - with several additional sections and clauses which are specific to Taranaki, it’s Clubs, it’s members and it’s special demographics. A brief paper summarizing these aspects will be prepared within a few days and will be available both here on the website, and also, in the pavilion, for your information.

[24/3/09] "Coming Up Soon" We need your involvement here!!

Firstly:

The annual Hartigan O’Connor Trophy visit from Hawera Park is to be held on Sunday 29th March. We can now confirm that Hawera Park will be bringing 32 players in their party. Currently we have similar numbers, however to fill two greens we would love to have some more entries – entries close Friday 27th - so please check the notice boards and decide to take part  in order to help make it another great interclub event.

Secondly:
Both the Men’s and Women’s invitation pairs require more entries – can you help?  Ideally we need 28 of our members to issue an invitation and confirm an entry. That's surely not a massive ask - is it? The men’s tournament is Sunday 19th April and the women’s on Tuesday 21st April. The format is a Fitzroy member invites a player from another club and attractive total prize money has been allocated to each tournament. Please get active in trying to ensure a full field for each event.

And:
The last major tournament for the season - other than the 2 day Sporty’s invitation mixed fours tournament on the first Mon/Tues of April- is the Men’s Open Triples tournament on Sunday 26 April. Entry charts are now up on the notice board and out to other clubs, so we require entries as early as possible. Please make an effort to fill this tournament and keep up our club's reputation for well run, well sponsored and enjoyable tournaments.

The last night of Mates In Bowls was held on Monday 23rd in fine but chilly condition -this night was used as our reserve night due to rain on an earlier scheduled night.
 
After 12 rounds of 30 minute games over 6 nights we found outright winners on both greens with Sullivan Electrical on 20 pts plus 32 points winning Green I and The 3 Novices on 20 points plus 21 winning on Green 2. The winning teams were presented with a handsome challenge “ shield” to hang on the wall of their business premises but the shield is to be competed for on an annual basis.
With 32 triples teams entered plus a waiting list of 8 teams Mates In Bowls in it’s first year at Fitzroy has been an outstanding success and most teams have indicated they wish to enter again next year. Player survey forms completed had some great comments, such as: this is great fun, we’ll be back next year, your volunteers are awesome, loved the sausage sizzlers, what a hoot! 

The Fitzroy Executive and organising committee would like to say a huge thank you to all our members(volunteers) who turned up on the night to prepare the greens, put out and bring in the bowls, the likely lads on the BBQ’s, Derek on the bar, Ethne in the kitchen, volunteers on the greens to assist players and to Sharon our Secretary who put in countless voluntary hours to make Mates In Bowls a huge success.

[30/1/09] Centre Open Fours.

Mixed success for our teams in both the Men's and the Women's Open Fours events.

3 of our men's teams qualified with 6 wins and started post section play last Friday 23 Jan. Garry Kerr, Albie Waitere and Barry Agnew's teams played well throughout the week to take their places in the post section rounds. Garry's team drew Gary Lilley's eventual tournament winning team in the first round and although competing well went down 25-15 to the West End four. Albie's team drew the well performed Stu Settle from Hinuera and after a long battle with a number of killed ends eventually went down 28-14. Barry's four successfully eliminated 2 Paritutu teams [Ian Andrews & Roger Hassall] in the first 2 rounds and then lost 20 - 19 in a very closely fought match with Mark Noble of Johnsonville - the eventual beaten finalist. Congratulations and well done to all involved.

Teams: Jason Hazard; Merv Whittle; Dave McColl; Garry Kerr.

           Wig Morris; Neville Goldsworthy; Ken Day; Albie Waitere.

           Ron Gadsby; Murray Gibson; Brian Johnston; Barry Agnew

Three of the women's teams have also qualified for Post Section play - beginning today Fri 30 Jan - in the Centre Open Fours. Well done and all the best for todays sudden death rounds.

Teams: Margaret Drummond; Vicki Kelly; Muriel Rielly; Maree Gadsby.

           Denise Cottam; Faye Meuli; Janice Ropitini; Denise Cooper.

           Lorraine Inch; Gloria Palmer; Miriam Koot; Marlene Hayes.

Post Section Progress results later.....

[26/1/09] "Mates in Bowls" - kicks off with 1st of 6 rounds.

Great start to this 'promotional' event. The MIB Committee was thrilled with the turnout of such a great group of new bowlers and especially with the many club member volunteers who gave their time in helping to ensure a very successful start to the programme. Many thanks!

M.I.B. Organizers Report:

The first evening of Mates In Bowls was held at Bowls Fitzroy on Monday the 26th January, and, can be described as a huge success.
Thirty two teams of triples registered and they played 2 half hour games spread over 8 rinks on both of the Club's greens. Only one team didn’t turn up, however, but a substitute team was put together from spectators and supporters who had came to watch their company teams compete.
 
A huge thanks to the 26 club volunteers who assisted on the night in various areas such as, bar, catering, 2 BBQ”s, time keepers and “buddies” on various rinks assisting the non-bowlers to "have a go" at our sport.
A highlight was a couple on their honeymoon who played and won bottle wine and a bacon egg pack. [Breakfast in bed !! - perhaps?]
 
Feedback from participants – "....your volunteers were so helpful and we had so much fun"
Any club member wishing to attend our Monday evening Mates In Bowls will be more than welcome -  we need more "buddies" to help out on the green.

"A picture is worth a thousand words" - as they say. Looks like a fun night for all involved.The recruitment of new members will be an "essential" for the future of your club and our sport!

[3/1/09] Bowls NZ Nationals
Encouraging Taranaki results from Day 1 of the 2009 Nationals in Auckland. 5 women from Taranaki Clubs successfully qualified for the Post Section Rounds of the Singles- with 3 wins yesterday - incl: Denise Cooper [Fitzroy]; Kristen Stampa and Faye Hopkins [Hawera]; Pauline Kennedy [Hawera Park]; and Nellie Hewson [Lepperton]. Craig John and Grant Hassall [West End] also won their 3 games to qualify for the men's pairs Post Section Rounds later in the week. Great effort!! Keep the pressure on!!

[17/12/08] NZ Secondary Schools Finals

Very good results for Sophia and Letitia in the National Secondary Schools Champs. The girls qualified for the Championship[A] Section event with 3 wins out of 5 in the qualifying rounds and although up against some more experienced pairs hung on to win the play-off for 5th and 6th in the event. A commendable effort! Very well done!

Willie & Michael also played well in their event and on the final day - although losing the match for 7th & 8th position - finished a very creditable overall performance with a tight 8pts to 7pts game.

[11/12/08] NZ Secondary Schools Finals

This event is being played in Hamilton today and tomorrow. Members will be keen to follow the progress of fellow members Sophia Ockhuysen and Letitia Patten - representing Taranaki in the girls Pairs. I will publish results as soon as they come to hand. Best of luck, girls! Also taking part - in the Boys Pairs - are Willie Rowlands and Michael O'Donnell of Francis Douglas College.

[9/12/08] Special General Meeting

Following last evening's Special General Meeting, the Club has now adopted the reviewed constitution. A few minor alterations to the draft - mainly regarding the appointment of delegates and selectors and some details of general meeting voting procedures - were effected. The Club is grateful to the review committee, under the leadership of convenor Barry Cashmore, for the work done, so quickly, on the development of this now approved, new constitution. Well done Barry and team! Final edited copies of the new document will soon be available in the pavilion for members reference.

[15/11/08] Representative Selection

Congratulations to Jeff Bishop - selected for the Taranaki Development Team - for their match in this weekend's 3-way Intercentre fixture against Manawatu and Wanganui. Well done, Jeff and all the best for Sat & Sunday's matches.

Check the Taranaki results - [here] - on Monday.

[8/11/08] FBC Special General Meeting

Fitzroy Bowling Club                                           Notice of                            SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING                  Monday, 8th December, 2008.  -    5.30pm                          Fitzroy Bowling Club Pavilion                      1a Baring Terrace, New Plymouth Resolution:  To adopt a new Constitution Quorum:    To be one more than a quarter of the number                       of financial Members entitled to vote. Sharon Fowles Secretary Members can view the revised Constitution - [copies are available in the Pavilion] OR are welcome to request a hard copy or an emailed copy by contacting the Club Secretary.

[7/11/08] Centre Open Singles - Women

Denise Cooper [playing through titleholder] and Faye Meuli successfully made it through to today's Post-Section rounds of this event. Well done! - and all the best for a maintenance of your good form in today's matches.

[1/11/08] Thelma Kidd Trophy Match - Taranaki Vs Waikato- 2nd Day

Waikato completed a comprehensive 37 to 27 matches win over Taranaki on the 2nd and final day of this annual event, due in the main to a significant result in their favour in the Senior women's event -where Taranaki could win only 4 and draw 1 match out of 16. Final results:

                                      Taranaki                         Waikato 

Senior Men:                        19pts                              13pts

Dev. Men:                           13pts                              19pts

Senior Women:                    9pts                              23pts

Dev. Women:                     13pts                              19pts

TOTAL:                              54pts                              74pts

[1/11/08] Thelma Kidd Trophy Match - Taranaki Vs Waikato

Congratulations again to Denise Cooper & Janice Ropitini [Senior Squad] and to Denise Cottam [Development Squad] on their selection for the Representative match against Waikato this weekend. The match is to be played in Hamilton, this afternoon and tomorrow morning. The Taranaki Men's and Women's teams travelled this morning for this annual fixture. After the first round this afternoon results are as follows: 

Pairs:   Taranaki  8pts  -27      Waikato  8pts  +27     •    Triples:   Taranaki  6pts  -18        Waikato  10pts  +18

Singles:  Taranaki  4pts  -53    Waikato  12pts  +53    •  Fours:    Taranaki  9pts  -13        Waikato  7pts  +13 

TOTALS: [After first day]             Taranaki   27pts  -111    •      Waikato  37pts  +111

64 Points up for grabs again, tomorrow!!!

[26/10/08] Men's Interclub - First Day

Severe southerly weather conditions and the unfortunate scheduling of this round of interclub matches on a holiday weekend conspired to have a significant effect on player availability and playing conditions. Each of our teams has made a steady, if not, slow start in the points race but are looking forward to more friendly conditions on the next scheduled day early in Dec. Special "well-done's" to our Premier Fours team [Albie; J.T.; Goldie and Denis T ] who went through the day unbeaten. Three good wins! Great effort!!

[20/10/08] Club Championship events -  Progress

[19/10/08] Closing Dates for Centre Open Events

[2/10/08] Women's Rep.Match Vs Kapiti Coast Centre - Results

Overall:  Kapiti Coast 9 matches - Taranaki 7 matches.  The Senior team were well beaten - 6 games to 2; while the Development team retrieved some of the leeway with a 5 games to 3 victory. 

[1/10/08] Men's Interclub Competitions begin

This Sunday - 5 October - sees the first 3 rounds of the major interclub competitions get underway. Our Smee team plays at Vogeltown [Singles & Pairs] and at Fitzroy [Fours]. The Premier 7 play at Paritutu; the Nth Division Satellite side are at West End and the Moss Junior Pairs teams travel to Stratford. All the best to all players - for a successful start to the competitions.

[1/10/08] Men's Midweek competitions

The Avery[Tues] and Gilmour[Thurs] competitions 'kick-off' next week - 7th and 9th October.  Please check the team lists in the pavilion in plenty of time and if you haven't yet indicated your interest in playing in these events please ring the selector to keep him informed of your intentions.

  [25/09/08] Women's Rep.Match Vs Kapiti Coast Centre - next week

Congratulations to Denise Cooper & Janice Ropitini [Senior Squad] and to Denise Cottam [Development Squad] on their selection in this, the first Representative team of the new season. All the best for a successful event. The match is to be played in Paraparaumu on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.

[24/09/08] Some recent items of interest from Bowls New Zealand

[A] Clubs Must Accept New Trends  [Summary of Keynote Address at the 2008 NZ Clubs Conference held earlier this month]

With the stereotype of bowls rapidly changing, Bowls New Zealand is adopting exciting new innovations to embrace modern-day trends in life and on the sporting front, to ensure bowls will continue to be a major sport in this country, according to Bowls New Zealand CEO, Kerry Clark.

Along with keynote speaker at last weekend’s annual club bowls conference, Rob Ecclestone, who addressed the conference on the changing trends in modern life, Clark called for bowlers throughout the country to accept that modern methods are needed to attract the growing number of players into the “social” side of the sport and halt the loss of traditional membership felt by many clubs throughout New Zealand.

Membership figures have shown that, while casual “pay for play” numbers are steadily increasing, traditional full club membership is on the decline, he said. Bowls New Zealand has installed new initiatives such as “Mates in Bowls” (MIB) designed to continue the growth in social bowling but traditional bowlers must accept their clubs have to change to accept modern living trends if their memberships are to attract new and younger players and begin growing again, Clark said.

Bowls NZ Marketing Manager, Rajal Middleton, said the response to Mates In Bowls in its first season (last summer) was extremely positive. Where-as traditional club membership stands at 50,384 nationwide, non-membership participants in bowls has shot up to an additional 43,972, according to Bowls NZ’s figures.

“In the last year, traditional membership dropped by 2.5 percent, while non member participation grew by 10.53 percent,” she said.

Ecclestone told the conference that new innovations, such as game formats of shorter duration (sets),   the fact that sport is healthy to an increasingly health-conscious public, and even the installation of cyber-cafes in clubs, are typical of the changes bowls must make to attract new members. On-green clothing is now totally relaxed to the extent where jandals are the trend in footwear for Mates In Bowls.

Ecclestone said that today’s people are wanting the premier version of a product (in this case bowls) and that status and fashion dictate this to be so. He spoke of the need to accept that the modern person is calling out “I am unique” and that stereo-type uniformity such as bowling whites were no longer acceptable.

Mates In Bowls is played over a period of four/six weeks before Christmas and is aimed as a fun activity for 20 – 45 year-olds who are new to the sport.

“MIB is definitely gaining momentum – we started with 14 clubs signed up last year, another 32 are definite starters this year and indications show another 40 clubs could be added to that number,” Middleton said. “Eighty percent of these players are new to bowls and, of those surveyed, 98 percent have told us they will return to the game and recommend it to friends and family.”

Clark called for all clubs to accept modern trends which have changed society and to be more welcoming and accommodating to potential new members who expect these trends to be put into practice.

  Bowls Fitzroy has adopted the "Mates in Bowls" Programme for this Year. Contact Denis Toon for further info!

[B] Members will be interested to know about this new clause in the REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE NATIONAL OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS - MEN AND WOMEN - This Year

Clause 21. SMOKING POLICY 21.1 Smoking Policy. To avoid misunderstanding there is a “No Smoking” ban anywhere in the club houses and on the greens. Clubs have designated ‘Smoking Areas’ which must be used by all Players and Officials.

[14/09/08] Season Opening Day 08-09

Pleasant spring weather helped to get the new season underway with a successful "Kiwi Butcher" sponsored Progressive fours event. Eighty members took part in the official opening and watched Life Member Joan Watts get the season underway with the first bowl.

Generous packs of the 'Sponsors product' were awarded to the winners and runners-up. 

Members are reminded that the Club selectors are still seeking information from you regarding your availability for the various interclub events. Please check the "Intentions" List on the pavilion N/Boards and let them know of your interest and availability for these events.

[25/08/08] Mates in Bowls 2008-09

MIB is a Bowls NZ initiative to “brand “a social summer league, similar to Business House Bowls, with the object to have this format played nationally. The target market is still corporate or business houses, with a definite tilt towards the 45 and under age group, male and female – non bowlers.
The sub committee group formed to promote and run MIB will be looking for members to assist on the actual evening, based on a “buddy system”, to look after visiting teams, but, not play in them.
This year’s format will be 2 bowl triples, preferably all non bowlers, with two 30 minute games per evening. We will run a “weekly winner” series based on wins, ends and points, with the winning team to wear the MIB Tee shirts the next night.
Bowls NZ will provide us, with a substantial resource kit to promote MIB including large corflute signs, postcards, business card teasers, fliers, cooler bags plus the Mates In Bowls Website www.matesinbowls.co.nz     .
With declining full membership in Bowling Clubs nationally, this is an opportunity to have new non-bowlers participate in a vibrant “social summer league” sport with their mates and enhance the possibility of them joining our club as a social or full playing member.
If you are keen to help with this event contact the Secretary or convenor (Denis Toon)!!

[30/07/08] Parafed-Methanex Taranaki Disabled Bowls Tournament
This event, completed last weekend, attracted a good field of disabled bowlers from throughout NZ. Congratulations to Quin Mahoney from Christchurch on his "A" Division win and also to Fitzroy's Les Kelly on his second placing in the "B" Division. Well done, Les!

[23/06/08] 95th Annual General Meeting - Bowls Taranaki Inc
A number of important decisions including some affecting our bowling programme for next season, were taken at the Centre AGM last Saturday. Some of the more important ones included:

    •• Life Membership was awarded to Vic Blance [ Congratulations, Vic. A well deserved honour]

    •• Jan Waitere was re-elected to the position of Centre President. [ Eric Foreman was the unsuccessful Presidential candidate.   After 6 years as a member of the Centre Executive, including 4 years as Vice-President, Eric's services were no longer required. Thanks, Eric! for all the work you have done, for and on behalf of Clubs, over that period of time.]

    •• A resolution was adopted to involve a specially appointed sub-committee in further work on a review of the Centre      Constitution and the possible restructuring of the Centre administrative model. [ Clubs involved in the development of the Centre's Strategic Plan will be pleased that this new step has been taken but perhaps disappointed, as well, that various other aspects of the plan are seemingly still 'on hold' ]

    •• The Men's Interclub competitions will return to an organization based on - 3 games a day, centre wide, scrambled draw and  played on 3 scheduled Sundays before 7 Dec. next. [For the Club bowler this is our 'blue ribbon' event; one which could be packaged and marketed as such and made very attractive for the right sort of sponsor. Difficult to understand why it is 'crammed' in so early in the season and is all over and done with in only 3 playing days ]

    •• Centre C of C events will be played without time limits. [Will mean that extra days will need to be reserved for the Fours - at least! ]

    •• A new Women's Open Fours event [New Year Fours] will be added to the programme for next season. 

    •• The Men's Open Triples and New Year Fours is to return to 2 days qualifying - 6 rounds - 4 out of six to qualify. [Again, difficult to understand how all the very good reasons put up some years ago to change to one-day qualifying are no longer relevant when aspects such as travel costs, catering costs and support from bowlers are probably more of an issue than they were at that time. ] 

    •• The executive will be conducting a review of the level of prize money distributed; entry fees taken and sponsorship  negotiated in all Open events. 

    •• Clubs will be reimbursed at the rate of $2.00 per tea, pp, during Centre Open Events. [No wonder the Centre is struggling to make a profit from Open events. Entry Fees are already reimbursing a little over 25% for catering. This percentage will increase now - or Entry fees will need to be raised. Surely this is a "user-pays" deal? You want morning & afternoon tea? You pay!! ]

At our AGM, long-serving and hard working club member Joan Watts was installed as a Life Member of our Club. Congratulations Joan! - and on behalf of all members over a number of years, many thanks for your invaluable contributions to the Club in such a range of ways. Previous Club President; Centre Delegate and Executive Member; Welfare Officer; Umpire and executive Member to mention just a few. Well done, Joan! Well deserved! Hearty congratulations!

[27/05/08] 104th Annual General Meeting
The AGM was held last Sunday - 25 May. A more detailed report will be prepared and published in our Newsletter section - as soon as possible after the Taranaki Centre Meeting later in June.

Of note - at our own meeting - were the following: [i] the election of our new President - Miriam Koot; [ii] the election of a new Treasurer- Denis Toon; [iii] the election of a new executive - Marg.Pearson(VP), Neville Goldsworthy (VP), Sherylle Watkins, Lyn Neale, Ethne French; [iv] the approval by members for the trial administrative structure set up last year to continue and culminate in a Special Meeting to consider possible changes to our constitution. The SGM is planned for sometime prior to February next year and [v] the election of our Deleates to the Taranaki Centre - Stan Marshall; Dave McColl and the Club President.

We had approx. a 40% attendance!! Not that good really! Perhaps the written annual report you received was too detailed - or - everyone is happy about how the administration is going - or - you forgot!!

As mentioned above - keep your eye on the newsletter postings later in June to see a summary in more detail of the planning and programming soon to be in place for Club and Centre activity for the 08-09 season.