September 21
PRESIDENT'S REPORT
To all those who have been ailing I wish you all a swift recovery.
The update to the Car Park is now complete along with the line marking. What a great difference it makes for everyone. Please be aware of the 10km speed limit.
The last BBQ in August was well attended by members and their partners, and a good time was had by all. Covid 19 impacted on the number of attendees at the August BBQ with the numbers reduced to 50 but at the last minute expanded to 75. I am really looking forward to when we are allowed unlimited attendance at our BBQ’s.
We are organizing another information night for the 10th of November when we will have two oncology specialists talking to us about different types of cancer along with DVA to answer questions about their involvement with veterans suffering from these maladies. Spread the word as everyone is invited. Just ring the office to book your attendance.
We have had a number of meetings re Camp Andrew Russell and are endeavouring to secure this site on a long-term lease as the Memorandum of Understanding we currently have is with the current owner who is wanting to sell part of his farm. The part he wishes to sell includes the CAR site. We are looking at all possibilities in relation to this conundrum. Some recent visitors to the Camp have offered to cement the floor in the swag shed for nothing. We have accepted their kind offer. Thank you to Bob Haslett for all his work in relation to this offer.
The Food drive for homeless veterans at Andrew Russell Veteran Living (ARVL) has been very successful with one delivery already made and another one to happen this afternoon. I have already received a letter from Nathan Klinge, CEO of RSL Care thanking us for the kind donations along with verbal thank yous from Ryan Ollwitz the Manager of ARVL. This initiative has been very successful and one which we should repeat at a later date.
I attended a Memorial Service for the Malay Borneo Vets at Hilton on Friday 27th August and in the evening a dinner at the Brighton RSL for their Annual “Dugout Dinner”. I took the opportunity to speak with Corey Wingard and David Speirs, two local members, about C.A.R. and forewarned them they would be receiving an official visit from me to discuss our plans for Alawoona and ask them for their help to achieve these aims.
Bob Ellis, Bob Haslett, Debbie Glastonbury, Phil Scroop and I attended the wreath laying ceremonies by Our Patron, His Excellency the Governor of S.A. at the National War Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial on his last day as Governor. He then invited us all back to Government House for morning tea.
My thanks to Fay and Bob Ellis for attending the State Dinner to farewell the Governor and for attending the Dardanelles memorial service on Anzac walk last Sunday.
Both Bob and I attended the DVA DC’s Forum on 1st September where we raised issues about ATDP Training and the perceived conflict of interest with DVA taking over ATDP training and the lack of BEST Grant recognition of the work done by Well Being officers. No real solutions were offered. All we can do is to keep beating the drum until someone listens
Stay well, stay safe, isolate and communicate and we will all get through this difficult time.
Mal Thiele
President