Newsletter No. 19 - April 2018
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President's Report

Tony Coote President
25 Probus Club Members and friends of members spent 9 days travelling to the South Pacific aboard the beautiful Celebrity Solstice. Despite some rain and a bit of rough weather, we all had a fabulous time. The ship’s facilities, shows and food were all amazing. Thanks to Sue Hackett for making all the arrangements. Sue will provide a full update at our meeting on 18th April.
My thanks to David Antonjuk, Colin McGowan and Ian Roberts who jumped in to run the last general meeting. I’m told that we had a good roll up, despite so many people on the cruise. Brian Powyer’s talk on Australia almost French was also a hit. Many thanks Brian.
We have a very full activities programme for April and May and I urge you to participate wherever you can. Don’t forget our ANZAC Day picnic at Cumberland Forest and also the Hunter Valley trip in May.
We are always on the lookout for great photos of our various activities for the newsletter. Please take your camera with you.
Please pay your annual dues ($60), if you have not already done so. Ninety members have already paid.
I look forward to seeing you at our meetings and activities.
Tony Coote
25 Probus Club Members and friends of members spent 9 days travelling to the South Pacific aboard the beautiful Celebrity Solstice. Despite some rain and a bit of rough weather, we all had a fabulous time. The ship’s facilities, shows and food were all amazing. Thanks to Sue Hackett for making all the arrangements. Sue will provide a full update at our meeting on 18th April.
My thanks to David Antonjuk, Colin McGowan and Ian Roberts who jumped in to run the last general meeting. I’m told that we had a good roll up, despite so many people on the cruise. Brian Powyer’s talk on Australia almost French was also a hit. Many thanks Brian.
We have a very full activities programme for April and May and I urge you to participate wherever you can. Don’t forget our ANZAC Day picnic at Cumberland Forest and also the Hunter Valley trip in May.
We are always on the lookout for great photos of our various activities for the newsletter. Please take your camera with you.
Please pay your annual dues ($60), if you have not already done so. Ninety members have already paid.
I look forward to seeing you at our meetings and activities.
Tony Coote
Secretarial
Cathy Turner & Sue Calabrese
Correspondence for April General Meeting
Correspondence In
Received hard copy of the Active Retirees Magazine. This will be at the back of the hall at the next meeting for anyone to browse through.
Any promotional material has been forwarded on to the Activity leader Glenda.
Received an email from the Ambassador for the Thornleigh Mixed Probus Club asking if we were interested in attending a get together of the Cluster 5 Probus clubs to share any ideas. Tony and I will be going next Monday 23rd to the Pennant Hills Bowling Club to meet with them.
Correspondence Out
Nothing to report.
Details of the Probus Member Benefit Scheme are at: www.probussouthpacific.org/pages/members_offers_member_benefits_scheme
(click on link)
Correspondence for April General Meeting
Correspondence In
Received hard copy of the Active Retirees Magazine. This will be at the back of the hall at the next meeting for anyone to browse through.
Any promotional material has been forwarded on to the Activity leader Glenda.
Received an email from the Ambassador for the Thornleigh Mixed Probus Club asking if we were interested in attending a get together of the Cluster 5 Probus clubs to share any ideas. Tony and I will be going next Monday 23rd to the Pennant Hills Bowling Club to meet with them.
Correspondence Out
Nothing to report.
Details of the Probus Member Benefit Scheme are at: www.probussouthpacific.org/pages/members_offers_member_benefits_scheme
(click on link)
Treasurer
General Account for March 2018
Opening Cash Balance 1-Mar-18 $3,501.86
Total Deposits $2,856.00 Members dues, (+payment for Activity)
Payments $413.28 Morning tea, drop box, post box
Closing Cash Balance as at 31-Mar-18 $5,944.58
Activities Account for March 2018
Opening Cash Balance 1-Feb-18 $4,383.37
Total Deposits $2,686.00 various activities
Payments -$2,580.00 (-$150 Wolfe, -$550 Port Hacking boat)
Closing Cash Balance as at 28-Feb-18 $4,489.37
Activities as at 6-Mar-18: Receipts Expense Balance
Strictly Ballroom $51.00 $0.00 $51.00
Vivid $1,482.00 $0.00 $1,482.00
Book of Morman $2,640.00 $0.00 $2,640.00
Book of Mormon Bus $280.00 $0.00 $280.00
TAFE dinner $980.00 $980.00 $0.00 Closed
Museum trip $420.00 $360.00 $60.00
Mama Mia $2,713.00 $2,623.85 $89.15 Closed
Surplus $327.82
Bank Balance: $4,976.37
There are no unpresented cheques, so bank balances equal cash balances.
The three activities in process are Book of Mormon, Vivid and Strictly Ballroom. TAFE dinner and Mama Mia were closed, the latter with a surplus of $89.15 (which was moved to the “Surplus” item).
Last month I proposed a “Activities Surplus and Deficit Policy” which was approved by the Committee then the members. This describes how Activities surpluses can be accumulated to cover activities deficits or be used to subsidise an all members event. As you can see above, the surplus balance is $327.82 + $89.15 = $416.97.
Opening Cash Balance 1-Mar-18 $3,501.86
Total Deposits $2,856.00 Members dues, (+payment for Activity)
Payments $413.28 Morning tea, drop box, post box
Closing Cash Balance as at 31-Mar-18 $5,944.58
Activities Account for March 2018
Opening Cash Balance 1-Feb-18 $4,383.37
Total Deposits $2,686.00 various activities
Payments -$2,580.00 (-$150 Wolfe, -$550 Port Hacking boat)
Closing Cash Balance as at 28-Feb-18 $4,489.37
Activities as at 6-Mar-18: Receipts Expense Balance
Strictly Ballroom $51.00 $0.00 $51.00
Vivid $1,482.00 $0.00 $1,482.00
Book of Morman $2,640.00 $0.00 $2,640.00
Book of Mormon Bus $280.00 $0.00 $280.00
TAFE dinner $980.00 $980.00 $0.00 Closed
Museum trip $420.00 $360.00 $60.00
Mama Mia $2,713.00 $2,623.85 $89.15 Closed
Surplus $327.82
Bank Balance: $4,976.37
There are no unpresented cheques, so bank balances equal cash balances.
The three activities in process are Book of Mormon, Vivid and Strictly Ballroom. TAFE dinner and Mama Mia were closed, the latter with a surplus of $89.15 (which was moved to the “Surplus” item).
Last month I proposed a “Activities Surplus and Deficit Policy” which was approved by the Committee then the members. This describes how Activities surpluses can be accumulated to cover activities deficits or be used to subsidise an all members event. As you can see above, the surplus balance is $327.82 + $89.15 = $416.97.
Membership
Lynne Henderson & Kim Nichols – Membership Officers
Please remember to notify the membership officers Lynne Henderson or Kim Nichols if you will be absent for an extended period of time, or if your personal details change.
For any membership issues please contact Lynne or Kim or please email the Membership Officer at [email protected]
Please remember to notify the membership officers Lynne Henderson or Kim Nichols if you will be absent for an extended period of time, or if your personal details change.
For any membership issues please contact Lynne or Kim or please email the Membership Officer at [email protected]
Risk, Safety and Insurance
Colin McGowan - Risk Management Officer
Nothing to report this month.
Nothing to report this month.
Guest Speaker - Riccardo Bosi's Afghan Adventures - Lionheart Australasia

Can you imagine what would it be like to live, work in the Middle East? Are the images and stories we receive through the news accurate or are they a distortion of the truth?
Can the divide between the Christian West and Muslim Middle East ever really be bridged or is this ‘a fool’s errand’? On a more personal level, what would you learn from such an experience and what would be the insights you would want to share in order to inform Australia’s future engagements?
Author and award-winning speaker Riccardo Bosi is a former Australian Army Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel who, between 2009 and 2014, lived in the United Arab Emirates and with his team trained UAE Special Forces soldiers to fight the ‘war on terror’ in Afghanistan.
During this time, his wife gave birth to their two daughters and raised their family in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE. Riccardo was well suited to this demanding responsibility having previously served with Combined Joint Task Force Headquarters in Kuwait, Australian Theatre and Special Operations Headquarters, the Special Air Service Regiment, and the 1st Commando Regiment.
Riccardo retired after 24 years’ service and since consulted widely to both the public and private sectors on leadership, strategy and innovation, the subject of his about-to-be-released book, Greatness Awaits You – The Five Pillars of Real Leadership.
Can the divide between the Christian West and Muslim Middle East ever really be bridged or is this ‘a fool’s errand’? On a more personal level, what would you learn from such an experience and what would be the insights you would want to share in order to inform Australia’s future engagements?
Author and award-winning speaker Riccardo Bosi is a former Australian Army Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel who, between 2009 and 2014, lived in the United Arab Emirates and with his team trained UAE Special Forces soldiers to fight the ‘war on terror’ in Afghanistan.
During this time, his wife gave birth to their two daughters and raised their family in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE. Riccardo was well suited to this demanding responsibility having previously served with Combined Joint Task Force Headquarters in Kuwait, Australian Theatre and Special Operations Headquarters, the Special Air Service Regiment, and the 1st Commando Regiment.
Riccardo retired after 24 years’ service and since consulted widely to both the public and private sectors on leadership, strategy and innovation, the subject of his about-to-be-released book, Greatness Awaits You – The Five Pillars of Real Leadership.
Sue Hackett & Donna Fraser
Welfare
Marilyn Savic – Welfare Officer
It is important, as members of Probus that we care for the welfare of one another.
Anyone with information about an illness, bereavement or physical disability affecting a member please advise me, in order for me to make contact, and offer moral or physical support where appropriate.
Please be assured that all information provided will remain completely confidential.
It is important, as members of Probus that we care for the welfare of one another.
Anyone with information about an illness, bereavement or physical disability affecting a member please advise me, in order for me to make contact, and offer moral or physical support where appropriate.
Please be assured that all information provided will remain completely confidential.