Winding up the year in a positive mood Update from President David Newman

Everyone is busy at this stage of the year in the time-honoured ritual of “getting the place tidied up for Christmas and ready for the New Year”. It’s the same for staff and committee members at your club.

Next year will be pivotal for the club’s future as the committee takes decisions that may lead to an Extraordinary General Meeting in the first quarter to come up with a strategy to make sure we provide welfare services for our veterans and all other members.

Hopefully, along the way we will cement in our role as a community hub for the district. Next week, the President’s Letter will come out on Tuesday and will contain the full text of a report I commissioned to set out the options for the club to stay viable from 2024, including input from your committee which meets on 27 November.

Please think about it over the break and into the New Year and get any comments or suggestions through to us ahead of any EGM that may be necessary. No one has a monopoly on good ideas.

No group better represents why we are here as an RSA than the King’s Empire Veterans’ Association formed by Lord Ranfurly in 1900 to recognise all Veterans who had served since 1842. The initial name was the Empire Veterans of New Zealand.

Although the National body was wound up in 2020, the Silverdale branch still remains with one other in the country and meets on the second Tuesday of the month at the Hibiscus Coast Community RSA. The pictures opposite show the group celebrating an early Christmas at the club yesterday – supporters are always welcome.

There’s plenty of events planned between now and the 22 December when we will close until January 9 in the New Year for the Christmas New Year break. If you have not planned your company event this week, check out what the club offers.

We even have a bus, van or car available to pick up or drop off from one to 17 members at a time.

We finally got sign off on the building warrant of fitness with the installation of a full ventilation system in the main club area -- ironically just in time to have our new WoF for next year signed off in mid December. That should make the summer a lot more comfortable in the club.

We are ready to get the roof and fascia painted once the weather breaks and are prepared for our health and safety inspections for the restaurant. Among the repairs during the year was the return of one walk-in chiller and one walk-in freezer which has improved kitchen operations and planning.

We still owe the best part of $50k on capital expenditures and repairs and maintenance plus final payments for the new Pokies. It has been an expensive if essential task to bring the club back to being compliant and safe.

The consequences if we did not do it and how we escaped notice for so long do not bear thinking about. I am delighted that this committee took the bull by the horns and got ourselves out of the scourge of Covid in good shape, compliant and safe. Now we need the same commitment and member support to shore up our future

The access road saga grinds on but we have advanced to a stage of open communications zeroing in at all levels on daily maintenance, when chip sealing will take place and what the shape of the final fix of the road may look like. The benevolent fund is nearing $13,000 and we would welcome your support in helping us get to the target of a $40k reserve. Ahead of that we are already offering basic support services to all members of the club, mainly around transport to and from health appointments. My best wishes to you and your family

David Newman President

Womens Section

Clubs contact details

Indoor Bowling

Bob Hill 027 339 9683 and Merlyn 09 424 8330

Meets Tuesday & Thursday 12.45pm

Golf Club

Art Clarke 027 687 7331

Fishing Club

Beth Kavanagh 09 426 6026 or 027 482 0610

Kay Chilman 021 176 0362

Meets first Tuesday every month 12 noon

Welfare

Do you have mobility issues or have a Gold Card and are needing a little assistance in getting to and from medical appointments on the Peninsula, Orewa, Hatfields, Silverdale or Millwater? We may be able to help you no matter what type of member you are. We offer a driving service to take our members to and from health appointments when members are unable to assist themselves, for any reason. No distance is too small.

Contact Sharon on 424 9026 or 022 069 5703 or email: welfare@hbcrsa.org.nz

Snooker Club

John Walding 09 426 3742

Meets Thursday 6.45pm

8 Ball Club

XMAS RAFFLE

Drawn 2 December 2023

1st Prize Pool Cue and Case valued at over $200

2nd Prize Slightly imperfect Pool Cue and Case

$5 per ticket available from the bar.

John Perris 021 287 3975

KEV

Mark Harris 027 644 9122

Meets 2nd Tuesday of the month

Bronni 021 134 7029

Meets Tuesday 6.45pm Saturday 1pm

60’s Up

Frank Townley 09 424 3026

Gloria Marsh 027 386 2339

Meets every 3rd Wednesday of the month

Naval Club

Vince Sturmey 09 428 5222

Meets 3rd Sunday of the month 3pm

60’s Up Group

Happenings

This was the last 60’s Up meeting for 2023. The group meet every 3rd Wednesday of the month at the HBCRSA starting at 10am.

The 60’s Up movement is a body of senior members of the community who are active and usually no longer in full-time employment.

Members have the opportunity to broaden their interests.

Some of the activities include bus and boat trips, trips to the theatre and lunches.

The monthly meetling activities include raffles and a guest speaker. You can also sign up for trips and the meeting finishes with a cuppa and biscuits.

One of the movement’s main objectives is to offer opportunities for members to maintain and expand their minds and bodies with social communication and educational and recreation activities and to make new friends..

Eyes down for a full house

Volunteer bingo caller wanted

Our lovely bingo caller Tiana has now moved on to other things, so we are looking for a new bingo caller for Wednesday afternoons. If you are interested in volunteering for the weekly job, (which is only for a couple of hours), we would love to hear from you. The bingo players are a lovely group.

Please contact our Manager to find out more Vini 021 0889 6795