DECEMBER 2018
November was a relatively quiet month. We renewed our website hosting. If you have yet to check it out, please do so, and let me know of anything would like to see added.
We held our AGM, with a few changes to the Committee membership.
Our end of year lunch was held immediately after the AGM. This year it was a bring-a-plate function, with dessert catered. The food laid out proved to be as delicious as it looked. The event wrapped up with some entertainment and a lucky door prize. We were well fed and well entertained. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making the lunch so enjoyable.
On the following Friday we had the last Coffee With Friends for the year. Even this late in the year, we had three new faces at the coffee morning. I hope to see those faces again at our various activities next year. I also hope to see more of all our members in the coming year.
The first event for 2019 will be our Open Day. At the Open Day you can renew your membership, sign up for your classes and see what new classes and social activities we have planned. You can also chat to a member of the Management Committee and share your ideas and comments. See you on 16th January.
Susan Hayes
NOVEMBER 2018
It has been a busy month for me since my last report. I have provided some help to the new webmaster at U3A Howard. I have also hosted a workshop on Disability & Discrimination Legislation. This was primarily for Committee members in the Wide Bay Area.
The workshop provided clear, concise information that was both interesting and useful. Look for something on the topic at our Open Day in January.
The new Travel Group has decided to organise a trip on the Indian-Pacific across the Nullabor to Perth, with some sightseeing in Perth. At least one traveller may add a cruise to the trip, before returning to Gympie.
We also have a new Craft Group, though it is off to a slow start. So far we have explored some fun paper crafts, dabbling in scrapbooking and pop-up card making. The group is open to all craft interests, provided they can be accommodated at our venue. (Currently the library.) You may like to consider joining this group next year.
The next meeting will be our Annual General Meeting. All committee positions will be declared vacant. I urge all members to consider nominating for one of the ten positions available.
(President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Class Coordinator, Publicity Officer, Registrar, News Editor, Social Coordinator and General Committee Member.)
Susan Hayes
OCTOBER 2018
With a two week break in the month since my last report, not much has been happening. I am starting to plan in earnest for the upcoming Annual General Meeting and the end of year break-up lunch. More details on those will be emailed to members in November.
During the break I met with Fleur Grainger, a member of U3A network Queensland and Vice President of U3A Howard. We spent some time planning an upcoming workshop, for Committee members in the Wide Bay Region, on Disability and Discrimination legislation.
However, the majority of our time was spent getting started building a website for U3A Howard. While there is more to be done before the site goes live, we did make good progress.
This is the last term for 2018 and I wish you all well for the coming months.
Susan Hayes
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PRESIDENT’S ANNUAL REPORT 2018
2018 has been a varied year, with both positives and negatives scattered throughout.
January saw the launch of our new website u3agympie.com. This has most definitely been a positive. The website outlines all the basic information about us that members, prospective members and the just plain curious might want to know. It has a number of printable documents, including our Constitution, Activities Schedule and Newsletters. At the moment, the newsletters are from January to November. Once I add January 2019, I will delete January 2018 and continue deleting throughout the year, leaving the most recent 12 issues only. This will keep the PDF Documents list from becoming too long and cumbersome.
The Gallery on the website has, sadly, been something of a negative. It has only two pictures on it, both from our 50th Birthday Celebrations at this time last year. The problem isn’t a shortage of pictures, but a shortage of the necessary time to add them. I hope to rectify this once classes finish for this year and hope to add to that page more regularly in 2019.
The Newsletters this year have also been somewhat variable. On the up side, I have streamlined it down to just two pages, with few pictures and no repetition. Hopefully this makes it much more reader friendly for those of you reading on a mobile phone. On the downside, while the newsletter should come out on the first of the month, this hasn’t always happened. That is down to me. The position of News Editor has remained vacant all year, so I have been filling in. I hope that will change after the elections later in this meeting.
The Activities Schedule acquired a new look, with the addition of a Social Events column. This gives you more advance notice of social activities to allow you to better plan your time. The Dates to Remember box in the Newsletters also facilitates this. Sadly, these measures don’t seem to have translated into greater participation in our social activities, and our offerings will be need to be reconsidered for 2019.
U3A Network Queensland State Conference was hosted by U3A Redcliffe in May. It was an enjoyable two days with useful information and pleasant surroundings. Keynote Speaker William McInnes was very entertaining.
In June a number of members enjoyed a cruise on the Great Barrier Reef. On board we enjoyed friendly competitions, easy craft activities, great stage shows and themed parties. On shore, we chose from a variety of excursions, visiting markets, joy flights and wildlife experiences. This became the first trip taken by the newly created Travel group. A trip across the Nullarbor aboard the Indian Pacific is currently being planned and we are open to other suggestions.
In October we played host to committee members from five U3As for a workshop on Disability and Discrimination Legislation. Some funding was provided by U3A Network Queensland towards what proved to be a very interesting and informative morning. I have also been working with Fleur Grainger, Vice president U3A Howard. She is currently putting together a website for Howard and I am helping her with that. I hope in the future we are able to work with other U3As in a supportive and collaborative way more often.
I would like to finish by saying thank you. The Management Committee has seen some changes in membership since the last AGM, and my thanks go to everyone who has participated, whether or not they saw out the whole year. The work put in by everyone has kept U3A Gympie playing a positive role in the lives of its members. I thank you for your hard work and for your support of me as your President, it is greatly appreciated. . I also extend my thanks to all those who have acted as Tutors, Facilitators and Helpers throughout the year. We would cease to function if it weren’t for your efforts and they are greatly appreciated. Thanks also to all the members – you are the lifeblood of U3A Gympie.
I wish everyone an enjoyable holiday season and look forward to seeing you in 2019.
Susan Hayes