2000/2001
The past year has been an interesting one. The Club has enjoyed a steady period of operation, and weathered remarkably smoothly the introduction of the GST; and this in a year that has seen a number of university staff clubs both intra- and inter-state close their doors (the most recent of these has been University of NSW's club, which has been running a considerable debt burden for some years, and has now come to the point of winding up altogether). Against this bleak trend, our Club is sound in its finances; to the point, indeed, of having felt in a position to initiate a programme of refurbishment of the lounge and dining areas. The Committee hopes that you, the members, will have approved of and begun enjoying the srnarter-looking environment.
There have been three major reasons for the continued success of the Club in the face of the failure of others around us. First, we have a staff that is unrivalled, providing a most efficient, and at the same time very human, face to the operation. It works as a team and has both depth and breadth to its qualities. It is difficult to single out any individuals, but we must, I feel, again thank the Manager, Rod Scroop, for his unflagging efforts on our behalf, and in a period when his own health has not been 100%. In the past year, Rod has worked tirelessly in bringing to the attention of the Committee new and attractive forms of incentive for the members to take advantage of (these include the new one-for-six card, only recently introduced, and a book of generous discounts/offers in South Australia and beyond that members can take advantage of through their membership of the Club). Also, the work of Rita van der Wegen and Denise Beaty (who didn't seem to blink an eye in bringing the GST into the operation of the Club's finance system!) has been of great importance in maintaining a most enjoyable, and indeed reassuring, environment for members to spend time in. The kitchen has gone through some changes too, but our current Head Chef, Stephen Thompson, is quite clearly taking the Club in attractive directions with the range and quality of food he and his team make available to us each day.
Second, the Club's Committee, the Chair of which I had the signal honour of taking over from Gerald Laurence at this time last year, is a very fine one indeed, combining a rare blend of enthusiasm, professionalism and keen thinking. One of the more attractive features of the Committee is the sense of continuity and the invaluable institutional memory present (with Paquita Bulbeck so ably and conscientiously looking after the minutiae of the financial affairs of the Club -- no small task in the current climate -- as well as two past chairs, Gerald Laurence and Ray Choate, providing wisdom and energy that has been of such importance to the life of the Club). Committees do change. In the past year we lost a number of committee members. Margaret Moore and Ken Hawick resigned (the latter replaced most ably by Ms Lynette Copus). Sadly, we also lost a long-standing member of the Committee and the University community as a whole in the person of Robin Oliver, who passed away quite suddenly earlier this year.
Third, the members themselves. Risking raising a cliché here, without you, and your steady support both in social and financial ways, there would be no Club, as our peer organisations seem to have learned to their great cost. We have maintained a healthy, loyal membership, and one that has contributed generously to it in making it a much-envied place, as visitors so often tell me when they see the pleasing environment and facilities we offer. The range and price of wines, the quality of food and the excellent physical surroundings make our Club a gem; a gem well worth preserving. To this end, the Committee and I would encourage you to continue introducing new people, and potential members, to it. Its life, and continued well-being, very much depends on this.
On our part, the Management, Staff and fellow Committee members and I are regularly looking at ways in which to make the Club more functional and attractive. We welcome suggestions from the members, and, indeed, would actively encourage these.
Felix Patrikeeff
Chair
30 May 2001
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