President’s report
April 2025
As I write my first President’s Report, I am most concerned that we have yet to find a Secretary/Public Officer to assist with your club’s workload. At our forthcoming General Meeting next Thursday, I shall be forced to prevail upon each one of you to search your willingness to come forward and offer your services. Without a Secretary, we simply cannot function efficiently and will have to “ limp along”. There are many of you who have been Probus members for a number of years, but have never served on your Executive Committee ? Now is your opportunity to put your hand up and help save our great Club.
Our fellow member, Richard Gordon passed away on Tuesday 1st April 2025. Richard joined our Club on 18 January 1996 and was a loyal and supportive member. Cindy and I, as well as many of his Probus friends attended his funeral service today 9th April at St David’s Church in Forestville. On behalf of our Club, we offered our sincere condolences to his wife Val and their three daughters and their respective families as well as his brother Alan Gordon, also one of our long-standing members.
Today I will have the very great pleasure of promoting Brian Skingsley for Life Membership of our Club. We will hold a Special Resolution to confirm Brian’s appointment later in this meeting. Brian has produced our monthly newsletter for some 9 successive years and been our Treasurer for the past two years. He has been a most valued member of our club and always willing to take on other tasks. Brian is a true Probus member and I congratulate him.
Both our “Christmas-in-July” and December “Christmas Luncheon” have been organised and bookings confirmed. Ken Fletcher will provide further details in his report. Ken also recently attended the Probus Clubs of the Northern Beaches Cluster Group as our representative. A number of common issues were discussed especially those related to club membership – both retention and new members.
After many years living in Cowra, Bill Batten and his wife Pam have returned to Killarney Heights. Welcome home and we look forward to your continued support.
New Membership :
This is now a matter of the utmost importance to our club. Unless we grow, we will shrink and eventually be forced to CLOSE DOWN. At our recent AGM, we were unable to find a single member to volunteer their services to the Executive Committee !!!! It is for this very reason that I have done a “Donald Trump” and come forward as your President for the second time. (I promised – No Executive Orders). How can you help ? Please I ask each member to bring at least one friend/neighbour to our next meeting to experience what we are about – “Friendship, Fun and Fellowship”. Based on my personal experience, personal contact will be the most successful way to find new members. Please give it a go.
Keith Penfold and Ken Fletcher have volunteered to man our “Membership Drive” promotions table in the Forestville Village. You will shortly see them there on Saturday mornings so please go over to them and give a “heads-up”.
Should you have any other ideas about encouraging new members, pleased do let me know. It’s now up to each one of you to grow our great club
0412-547-791
Email: cliffandcindyventris@gmail.com