Newsletter - March 2008

NEXT COMPETITION ROUND SUNDAY - 6TH APRIL 2008

Fellow Flatrockers,

Following the cancellation of the February Club Round due to dismal conditions Huey tested us again this month with large 3 metre surf and howling onshore winds on the scheduled day, then again with tiny waves and onshore winds on our second attempt. Needless to say members decided to save themselves for another day and agreed to cancel the March competition round. Our next round will be Sunday 6th April. If you have an old unwanted surfboard lying around then this month would be a good time for a sacrifice to Huey!

Some 25 members took the opportunity to gather round for a social catch up with the main topic being the depressing lack of surf and poor conditions since Xmas. Most agreed they couldn’t recall a worse period of surf in this area ever!

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

With time running out to conduct our AGM the tent was quickly erected and an impromptu BBQ set in motion. The new committee was elected during an informal nomination process. Your new committee members are:

Apologies were received from the outgoing President Brian Delaney who could not attend today due to family commitments. Thanks go to all the outgoing committee members for their contribution to another year of great camaraderie and fun surfing.

TREASURERS REPORT

Marg reported the club was in good financial shape with $1794 in the bank as at 31/12/07. Since then there have been some additional bills for the registration and insurance of the new club trailer, however, we still have around $450 in the bank. This current bank balance includes the membership fees paid early by 18 members late last year to help fund the purchase of the new club trailer.

Members please note 2008 membership fees are now due. The fee has increased to $50/annum. Please see Marg Bryant for payment.

NEW CLUB TRAILER

Our flash new trailer was at the comp round today. All the club's goods and shattles fitted inside nicely with plenty of room to spare. Special thanks go Brian Delaney for managing the design, arranging quotes, and delivery of the new trailer, and to Bill Webster for the professional spray job. Thanks fellas!

SOCIAL CALENDAR

Warren has proposed a calendar of social gatherings for this year. See the calendar page for details. For members convenience the social calendar is on a separate page on the printed version of the newsletter so you can stick it to your fridge.

Our Friday arvo’ gatherings are generally scheduled for a Friday evening two weeks after each comp round. Some members have suggested monthly gatherings are too frequent; perhaps a night out after every second comp might be better? It’s your club so lets hear you feedback and help the committee to plan more effectively.

Last year the plan to have a surfing weekend away at Wooli was aborted due to lack of interest. The committee are interested to know if members want a weekend away this year. Proposals are invited from members for a suitable date and location.

The first Friday night social for 2008 is on this Friday 14th March 6:30PM at the Federal Hotel Alstonville. Hope to see you there!

UPCOMING COMPETITON EVENTS

Our next club round is on Sunday 6th April. The Regional Long-board Titles are to be held at Evans Head on March 29th and the 28th Annual Byron Bay Malibu Classic is on 1st - 3rd May 2008. See the calendar page for an entry forms.

NEWSLETTER & NEW WEB SITE

Club Secretary, Chris Bull, has taken over publication of the Newsletter. Chris has also established a new web site for the club – www.ballinamalibuclub.org . Mick Wilson of Westlawn Ballina has generously agreed to sponsor the ongoing annual costs for the domain name and web hosting. Many thanks Mick!

The Club Newsletter can now be accessed on the web site and either viewed online or downloaded in a format suitable for printing. Members who have provided their email addresses to Chris will now receive an email each month containing a link to the newsletter. The Committee urges all members to take advantage of the new web site and register their email address with Chris. Members without an email address will still receive a printed copy via surface mail.

Members will find many benefits with the new web site including:

• Timely access to a revamped Newsletter (online) with more colour pictures
• Club round results and six-monthly point score progress report.
• Events calendar with dates of social events, club competition rounds, regional competitions. Entry forms are also available online.
• Photo gallery of surfing, club rounds, and social events,
• Committee details and the presidents message to members
• Useful links to other web sites of interest including other clubs, surfing associations, and surf forecast web sites.

Members interested in submitting interesting stories and pictures of days gone by, for inclusion in our monthly newsletter should Email submissions to Chris at secretary@ballinamalibuclub.org

INCOMING PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

Following in the footsteps of our former great leaders is a daunting task so feeling I needed some inspiration for my first Presidential Report I am writing this from poolside at the Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast.(someone has to do it so why not me).

So far 2008 could not have got off to a worse start with the cancellation of our February & March rounds. The poor surf & weather conditions continue to play havoc with our beloved pastime & with a forecast of above average rainfall for the east coast until June things may not improve. Hopefully Mother Ocean will be kind & we will see the return of offshore winds & the banks of previous winters at our beloved Flatrock.

I'ts nice to see a few new faces joining us for a surf so a big welcome to you all. The survival of our club depends on attracting new members so it's up to all of us to encourage fellow surfers to come along & have a surf. We all need to be recruitment officers.

I have completed the social calendar for the year which hopefully will appeal to all. However these are only suggestions & I encourage all members to offer their opinions not only in regard to social events but to all matters to do with the running of the club.

On behalf of our members I would like to thank Bill Webster for painting the new trailer. I have not seen it yet but am assured it is a big improvement.

It would seem that 2008 is a year for travel amongst our members. I hope I am right in saying that Marg & Peter are off to NZ & later Bali, Eric & Chris off to the Kiwi land also, Brian & Robyn to Italy, Pete & Kerry to the UK & Europe & Pete Farrell off to Bali for his daughters wedding. There may be others so make it known & lets get some travel stories for the newsletter.

I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the members, to thank Brian for the great job that he has done over the past two years as President. Brian has been doing what all good sons do, taking care of his sick mother. We wish her a quick recovery.

Our first social outing is on Friday 14th at the Federal Hotel Alstonville from 6.30pm. Lets get a big roll up &kickstart the year.

See you in the surf (I wish).
Wazza.