As we come to the end of 2024, and look forward to what will hopefully be a good boating season in 2025, I feel that I should wish you all a happy Christmas and New year.
I can say with my hand on my heart that when you as club members entrusted me to take the honourable position of Commodore, it was one of the greatest honours of my life. I have to follow on in the giant steps of Jackie, Ivan, Des, Ray and John and will do my upmost to continue in their tradition and hopefully when I come to the end of my term "at the wheel" so to speak, that the club will be in as good a place as when I took up the position in September. It was a momentous day all round as when I got home that lunchtime, I learned that my stepdaughter and her husband are going to make Sharron and myself grandparents in mid April next year, on the double at that as they are due to have twins.
I can only say that I am grateful that my vice commodore Paul O'Brien and treasurer/secretary Kieran Burns, have got fully behind my ideas for the future of the club, such as the introduction of club gear and drawing up the revised constitution, which will bring certainty of things like the name of the club and even the length of my term in the top job. I am eternally grateful for their support and similar views of the way forward for the club. While returning to the traditional calendar timetable for the club cruises for 2025, we hope to introduce other events to include the increasing number of motor boats in the club. The hope is to have a passage cruise to Baginbun or somewhere of a similar distance for the yachts and for the motoring fraternity to follow with everyone gathering on the beach for refreshments and a members get together. This is still in the early stages of planning, but is a definite hope for 2025.
The one thing we have got off the ground is the ability for members to make payments for club gear, cruise entry fees etc by card. Using bank transfer payment the norm for the laying up supper in October was a huge success and is definitely the way forward, as we get time to enhance the operation of the website, we'll introduce payments through it for subscription renewal and other payments.
In my acceptance speech in September, I said that we would keep the core traditions of the club alive while moving forward with the use of technology and new things like the club gear, Back to the Future like in the film. I have also taken on board the views of club members both old and new that there's an across the board wish for the fun and enjoyment to return to the club. As you may have noticed, I am a jeans and hoodie person, and will continue that way unless at events that more formal attire is needed, I can do that too. To this end, I can reassure you all that fun and enjoyment within the club, and of course friendly rivalry at the cruises will be at the top of my agenda during my term as Commodore.
Finally, on behalf of Alice and Kieran, Betty and Paul and of course Sharron and myself, can we wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New year and we look forward to enjoying Kilmore Quay and its surrounding waters in 2025.
John
コメント