Presidents Report : April 2016 (Retiring President – Jane Fairgrieve)

ANNUAL  GENERAL  MEETING – 3 APRIL 2016

Thank you all for attending tonight, this is an important AGM as a new committee will be formed.

Before I acknowledge certain members of the club, I need to do a quick review of the last 12 months.  ORC gratefully received financial input from the OCCRF last year and consequently we were able to purchase our very own timing system, which released us from the previous consortium with the Tri Club, Gold Seekers and Bike Club.  Although the new system cost $12,000 including the purchase of replacement chips for all members, 4 years prior we paid approximately $15,000 for the old system and even though we were paying $1,000 a year into a sinking fund for the use of that timing system there always seemed to be something going wrong or wearing out. So basically we just had to learn from that experience and move on. To date, touch wood, our new system has worked a treat and is very user friendly and time saving for Michael.  Our other major expense of course has been the Christmas Party which was well received and other than those two outlays, and a few BBQs we have had a good year and the club is in an excellent financial position, once again thanks to the help from OCCRF.

As you know I shall not be part of the new Committee.  I have been involved with ORC for 15 years, 12 of which I have served on the committee in some type of capacity, so its time for a break.

I am going to start my last President’s report with the recognition of the  founding members of Orange Runners Club :-Bob Healey and Ken Patteson  – who commenced the club in September 1978 with about 12 members.  From humble beginnings the club currently has 570 members, this equates to the most we have ever had.

I also acknowledge the contribution of the past Presidents  I have been involved with and served on their committees – Gary Williams and Frank Ostini.  Both very popular and well respected presidents.

To the current executive committee I would like to thank each of you for your help and although my comments may sound brief my appreciation is sincere and genuine.

Vice President Graham Fahy  has worked on all facets of the club with great enthusiasm and made me look better than what I actually am.  I consider Graham and I have made a good team and I hope he feels the same, we have known each other for for a very long time and it was good to renew our acquaintance when Graham and Sharon joined ORC many years ago.  I am going to digress a tad here and say a thank you also to Sharon Fahy – although Sharon has not been on the committee, she been of great support to her husband, and also been a constant and reliable help to myself and Billy.  Talking of Billy, he has always backed me up and corrected me when I have my wires crossed – which believe you me happens regularly, and  of course has done a brilliant job as the bean counter, contributing many hours each week for the benefit of ORC.  Graham and I are very lucky to have such wonderful spouses.  The secretaries I have been involved with – firstly Mike Cooper, who not only was the secretary for many years but also gives up a lot of his precious time on a Sunday to mark out the courses, this past year Alison Spurway has been the secretary, and has also introduced me to trail walking throughout Mt Canobolas.  Thank you Mike and Alison.

Next is the  ancillary committee, thank you for your contributions,  go to Michael Sharp, Anthony Daintith and John Moss.

Publicity Officers Daryl and Kinisha have done the newspaper reports for 2 years running and must be congratulated on their input each week, a very hard and demanding job.

Many thanks goes to Renai McArdle for looking after the website and FB for the last two years.

To all the good people who collect the mats for the Sunday runs, thank you for your  help its a job that is taken for granted  unfortunately by most members.

John Hannan has also to be acknowledged for his time in researching the new timing system and learning how to use it.

Michael Sharp – every member of ORC worships the ground you walk on.  Michael is Orange Runners Club and without you we would be in right old muddle.  I know you also are desperate for people to come forward to learn all about the system but unfortunately it is a stalemate – hopefully the new Committee will be able to relieve you at times or perhaps find a way around this problem.

3 years ago, we were told that a completely new Running Festival Committee would be required.  On a cool autumn Sunday out at Lake Canobolas I was lucky enough to meet a lovely young couple new to Orange, Erin and David Gibson who said they would be happy to have a go at running the festival, well we were smiling from ear to ear and a great weight lifted from the shoulders of ORC committee.  The Gibsons’ and their very talented and bright committee worked so very hard, and it was extra hard as none of them had had any previous experience in this type of event, however they did a fabulous job and what a festival 2015 was and of course was followed up again this year with another superb event.  Not only did they support local charities in Orange with sizeable donations with the proceeds from the running festivals, they also for the first time in the festival history, acknowledged the volunteers from Orange Runners Club by giving us a donation of $3,000 last year and this year once again we are the recipients of a  donation of $2,500. I would like to stress that the ORC committee did not ask for a contribution, and the festival committee did this off their own backs.  To top it off, and as stated prior, the club has been able to purchase the new timing system due to a contribution of $20,000 from the Running Festival. David and Erin, and all of the committee of the running festivals, please accept my most sincere appreciation for all you have done for not only making our running festival one of the best in NSW, but also your dedication to our club for hosting such successful events, and on a personal note I would like to thank Erin and David  for the friendship and kindness  you have extended to me over the last few years.

My decision to retire from the committee of ORC has not been taken lightly  I said to myself, what is good for Orange Runners Club.  People staying on too long in the one position can make an organisation stale and I did not want this to happen to a Club that I  enjoy so much.  New blood brings fresh ideas and new ways of doing things – I am looking forward to seeing the Club move ahead in new and exciting ways.  Its a bit  like a relay race –   the relay team for me,  consists of Gary Williams, Frank Ostini and myself,  we have done our lap around the stadium – we need the next runner to step up and carry on the tradition of progressing this club, respecting peoples opinions and views, working for the good of all our members, and very importantly keeping this club known as “the friendly club”.

My final words would be that I think the biggest highlight for me as a member of Orange Runners Club is the wonderful friends Billy and I have made, we hold you all in high regard and respect and thank you for your hands in friendship.

To the incoming President and new committee I wish you well, its a brilliant club and I am honoured to have held the position of President.

Thank you.

Jane Farigrieve