Presidents report

Presidents Report 2021 -2022.
As we reach the end of an extremely difficult year I wish to congratulate our Bowlers on an exciting year in which we finished runners up on Wednesday, finished fourth in Division 5 on Saturdays beaten mostly by lack of depth which if on Wednesday more Saturdays players were available for Wednesday may have brought about a different outcome.
Over the past year I have continued to try and diversify our income , a program which began over 10 years ago as it was obvious then and still is that for the long term survival the club needs to generate funds away from bowling. I have attached Auditors notes as a matter of interest.
Darts has fulfilled some of the gap and now that we are home to South Australian Darts Ass , The SA Deaf Association and Ladies Darts Association of SA we are heading in the right direction and recent change to the way dart nights are administered (which will remove all costs to club) and change in bar prices should generate between five to six thousand dollars extra a year and now with ANFE joining us on Tuesdays an additional five thousand four hundred a year should be generated these changes should see the club trade profitably for the foreseeable future and we were looking good this year until mid December thru to march which we had almost zero income due to holidays, covid-19 issues saw that hope ended.
We are in negotiations with Tectra – Link and The Council about them using our grounds for training, Tectra provide services to the mining industry such as mine rescue working at heights and emergency services they are a Queensland based company and could provide strong income to the club (mostly Mon– Fri)
We were lucky in having two double door display refrigerators donated by the Excelsior and an under shelf one by Ryan and whilst each required some expenditure they will greatly assist in how much stock we can hold so as to only refill bar area once a week not daily as we were saving large amounts of time and effort the latter Fridge also will allow ANFE to have separate facilities to our usage.
After having been on the committee nearly 14 years I look forward to serving the club one more year as President about doubt I will continue in that role after this year though should future committee’s feels I could help I would especially in ensuring our new groups get the support to continue using our venue. I would however like to see the next committee embrace Neville Platten , John Kessel both who will bring great experience to the committee and hope the new committee will appoint a club administrator/co-ordinator as the demands in that area now are quite strong and some functions need to be managed away from committee level, also I would like to see a suitable qualified person become our grants officer again a position best attained away from the committee as all interests need to be fairly looked at.
Lastly we have offered Torrensville the use of our green during their current problems and we will work with them to help where we can if needed and in the long run hopefully we may pick up some players from them next year, we have also indicated an interest in buy one of the greens surfaces to replant one of ours with Tiff grass and am in the process of talking to clubs in western suburbs as to forming a Ladies team on Thursday.
In closing I sincerely thank Neville for his strong help in managing bowls this season certainly made life a lot easier and Anna for her help all year with staffing the bar for darts at night time (some nights till 11.30) and committee for their support I am sorry I have upset some members but over last ten years both myself and past President Shane with help from Lyn Anna Bill Gary Vicky John Conway and a few have performed many hours of work and have worked very hard to raise funds to keep the club going and without such effort the club would almost certainly have been closed and sometimes these actions may not suit those who still see their club as an stand alone bowling club but the reality is it is not, and I would also like to mention that Metropolitan Bowls wanted to fine the club $500 for playing during the rain but due to the very strong support provided to us by Morphett vale, Ascot Park and Glenelg which succeeded in having the fine reversed such support was a pleasant surprise.
I wish the new committee continuing success and would like to think club can at the very least make its 100 year celebrations, for those who supported me I thank you, and in closing I thank those in attendance for the celebrations of fifty years at Blight street last November and the re-naming of our greens in honour of our past patron Douglas Gordon Ryan and B green a memorial green in honour of those members over past eighty years who have contributed to the club and my disappointment in not playing the opening game on Douglas Gordon Ryan green in honour of Doug cannot be put in words after having been set in place months before, however Darryl and John have done excellent wok maintaining our greens this season.
Kindest Regards tony
Anthony C Blight
President / Life Member