President's Chat

Hello again members, I trust our first Newsletter of the new season finds you well as we power towards the start of activities in September for Lifesaving and October for Nippers.

Can I start this newsletter by congratulating our newest and most deserving Life Member, Cathy Hall and Honour Blazer recipient Carl Briscoe plus a big thank you to all incoming and quality Office-bearers for season 22/23, the response to vacant positions was just tremendous with only one or two positions still needing to be filled. 

The intention as we lead into the season will be to complete high level committee preparation meetings which over the next month or two which will flow through to sub committees, ensuring everyone is properly briefed in regards to roles and responsibilities and key dates to ensure our club is ready to ramp up activities as we transition into the new season.

Brief Update.

• Our club has been extremely busy in the off-season with major club remediation work which have hopefully addressed concrete cancer, external render issues and full external and internal club repaint with an entirely new but discreet colour scheme. 
  
  We also completed a full demolition and rebuild of the Bernie Kelly bar which was done in record time. A big thank you to everyone involved including our friends from Dolphins Winter Swimmers who assisted with the project and big thanks to the Board of Management for supporting these important but costly projects.
  
  On behalf of our Caretakers and a directive from Management, we ask that in the interest of safety, hygiene and respect for the club, members CLEAN and DRY OFF before walking through the club.
  
  
• Big Congrats: During the off-season our IRB competition team excelled in their rounds and at State and Aussies. Congratulations to all involved, we look forward to all of your skills being demonstrated during the surf season.
• 24hr row: A short note to thank Vice President Linda Perrin LM who is coordinating our Gotcha4Life 24hr fundraising row. I hope all those rowing can raise a few dollars towards the cause.
• We’re taking bookings: A reminder that our Heritage Room after a freshen up is now available for HIRE for all special events. Check out our website or give Michelle in the club office a call on 943140070. All funds raised through club hire go back into the club!
• Building works in Arthur Byrne Reserve: We expect in the next month or two works will start on the new amenities block adjacent to the club which will be an active construction site for the next 12 months. More info to come on that but given the proximity to the club our members will need to exercise caution.
• Letter of thanks: Some members may have noticed or read in our fantastic annual report that our clubhouse and senior members have been accommodating and looking after visitors from regional areas associated with the Clontarf Foundation, specifically young aboriginal men and their mentors from East Dubbo and Narromine. In the month of September, we will be accommodating another 2 groups on separate occasions from West Dubbo and Port Macquarie townships where we will once again extend the hand of friendship and support to these great young men.
• The club office received a lovely note of thanks from the Narromine group today:
  
  

“I just wanted to send a massive thank you to everyone at the Surf club. We were blown away with the hospitality you guys showed us over the couple of nights we stayed at your beautiful surf club.
A highlight of the trip for not only the kids but also us staff members was the tour of LaPerouse and the surrounding area that Stretch took us on. His knowledge of the area was second to none and something the boys will hold onto for a lifetime.
I really can't put into words how great your wonderful caretakers are. Barry and Leslie made us feel like we were a part of their own family, so much so that the boys were saying they hope Uncle Baz and Aunty Les would remember them the next time they are in the city.
Once again we can't thank you guys enough for everything the Surf club and Seals Club did for us. Being able to stay at Surf clubs like yours gives our foundation the opportunity to give our boys a once in a lifetime experience that they would normally not get.
I would love to continue to build the relationship with the Surf club and our academy so if there is anything we can do for you guys please let us know and we look forward to visiting again in the future.
Mitchell Smith  |  Operations Officer
Clontarf Foundation

• Membership fees are now being accepted for Senior Club and Nippers, check out our website www.southmaroubrasurfclub.com.au for all the latest membership information.
• Social Sundays will start for all friends and members from Sunday 4/9 from 1pm onwards. Come watch the NRL match of the day and meet some of our team. 

That’s enough from me, I look forward to catching up with you all soon at the nest club in Sydney, South Maroubra SLSC!
Paul ‘Stretch’ Fownes APM OAM
President.

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