|
|
|
|
March/April 2011
|
|
FEBRUARY 5, 2011 GENERAL MEETING
|
|
This first half of the year has been busy and productive with a number of successful events held at the Wing. Our regular activities – our Darts Program and our
TGIF Dinners are very popular and are widely attended. Our Bingos, the Goods Bingo in November and the Ham and Turkey Bingo in December gave us record returns, and
as well, our Flipper and Roast Beef Dinner was the best yet, and we’ve received many accolades from the members and the public.
|
|
Our Armistice Dinner and Dance was a great success this year, offering a great in-house prepared meal and featured an intriguing speech from Ross Reid on Canada's role in
Afghanistan. Our Afternoon Tea and Bake Sale was the best yet and has obviously, considering the turn out, become a favourite with members and guests. This project took
many hands to orchestrate and we had many members willingly offering their time and effort. And finally, our New Year's Eve Gala was the best in years and drew a lot
of positive comments.
|
|
New to the scene was a Garden Party in September and a Cadet Reunion party offering the Wing as a venue for this event and promoting new membership from
these ranks. The newly formed Building Refurbishment Committee launched both these events, bringing in new money to our Wing. Also new to the scene was our Bridge and
Auction Luncheons that appear to have become a big hit with the members and public. Our first 2011 event was held on January 31st and turned in a good profit,
with much interest expressed for more in the coming months.
|
|
All these events don't just happen. They are the result of the hard work and dedication of members who continue to give there time and effort. The team work among
these members is exceptional. In December alone, eight rental dinners were catered to in house by teams of members, minimizing over head expenses and maximizing
our return. Other teams have rallied together organizing fund raising events and activities. While others worked on the housekeeping needs of the Wing, decorating the
Wing for Christmas, cleaning the new windows and cleaning and reinstalling the blinds. Other members have contributed other ways, like making donations of cash
and or goods to boost our various events.
|
|
Of course, I must mention also the dedicated team of Jeanne and Clayton Collins who many times go far beyond the call of duty to lead the way on these
projects. I am so very grateful to everyone. It is this kind of dedication that will sustain our Wing.
|
|
Meantime, our building improvement project has begun, with nine new windows (basically all our windows) installed. Our fund raising done earlier in the fall gave
us the start up funds to get this underway. This project must continue as we move towards the spring, with much needed repairs and replacements done to our doors
and front steps and hopefully a new paint job for the building. Our fund raising efforts must continue also to ensure the Wing can afford these expenses. Our
financial report ending 30 November is disappointing but not unexpected, given the effects of the usual slow summer months. However, the hard work
of the Ways & Means and Building Refurbishment Committees got us through, and I am expecting a much more positive result over the next few months as the
revenue earned in December is reflected in our financial report. Needless to say we will be watching our spending very closely as we try to absorb our operating
costs and building improvement expenses.
|
|
As the year rolls out, our program will continue with our ever popular Darts and TGIF Dinners followed by our usual Bingos and Flipper and Roast Beef Dinner and our newly
organized Bridge and Auction Lunches will also continue. Our Valentines Dinner and Dance is set for February 12th and Paddy’s Night on March 19 with
a Hawaiian Night set for May 7th followed by a Jiggs Dinner on May 14th.
|
|
Again, I must offer my sincere thanks to our members whose continued support makes all this possible. Already, the new windows have brightened our building and
give us the incentive to get on with our plan to upgrade the building. We will need to bring in more revenue to make this happen. Please encourage your
friends and families to attend our functions. We really need your help in this regard as we get on with the plan to make our Wing look like the up to date great
facility that we know it is.
|
PER ARDUA AD ASTRA
Liz
|
| |
|
