My second term, as President of the
SSPS has been a year full of activity, but non-the-less it has
been very rewarding.
Again I am delighted to report the club having an extremely
satisfying year in terms of increased membership and a high
level of involvement in competitions and outings.
We had the opportunity of obtaining a lease on this Scout Hall
here in Livingston Street after much negotiation with the scout
movement itself, and so now can meet in relative comfort in
an area that suits our needs a lot better than the previous
church hall. We have ample space to display photos, a storeroom
to house our photographic materials, and our ever increasing
pile of photographic magazines.
Due to our very healthy financial
standing as a society we have been able to not only move in
quickly, but also set up an excellent screen, display cabinet
and sound equipment. We also were able to purchase good quality
fittings like curtains, folding tables, fans and comfy chairs
to enhance our clubrooms and be comfortable while attending
our meetings.
During the year our society had the means to purchase
a second computer, which is used extensively and makes the job
of loading digital images for meetings that much easier. The
committee also purchased a large plasma television, DVD player
and portable platform to show members images during supper alongside
the print stands, quality speakers for good audiovisual events
and various other replacement parts to keep our lighting in
good order. This is all done to ensure our Society functions
well and that the meetings are of the highest quality, and as
a result all the members benefit greatly.
To start the new Photographic
year at SSPS with a good bank balance with every one of our
accounts paid and up-to-date is a good recommendation to us
all, especially the committee. No one wants to belong to a club
struggling to keep afloat financially as it puts an increased
burden on the members.
I wish to thank every member of the SSPS
committee sincerely for their diligence and hard work during
the previous twelve months and thank all those continuing on
into the next year as serving members.
A big thank-you goes
also to members who helped the committee during our change-over
to these new club rooms, those helping at the suppers, transporting
images to the various judges, the cleaning, to those that assisted
on the compilation of entries, the huge job of collating and
setting up the VAPS exhibition under the capable oversight of
David Calkin…. and to the myriad of small jobs that get attended
to during the year.
I am pleased to see that SSPS has acquired
a name among surrounding clubs of being very social, friendly
and outgoing. We also are the envy of other clubs because we
bother to arrange outings, not just day trips but weekends and
multi-day events to advance and promote the social fabric of
the club and even more importantly to improve our picture-taking
skills.
Last year our club organized and ran three photography
courses with a total attendance of fifty-six, many who joined
as new members and who now participate regularly in the club
activities. Last year the club was able to arrange for a weekend
outing to Warruk Homestead and the Casterton area of West Victoria
and the club also arranged a five-day trip up into the high
country and Australian Alps. We want to continue to offer these
outings to members and I am pleased to say that planned ones
in the next year of our club are extremely well supported. Needless
to say I feel as President that the social fabric of our Society
is strengthened greatly by these excursions and I encourage
many more members to think seriously about attending as it one
of the more pleasurable sides to this club. It was also very
good to see some members arrange weekend trips to various places
in the past twelve months with an open invitation to anyone
interested, and this only strengthening social ties within the
club which is a very healthy sign that our club is a cohesive
and positive society.
In the past year SSPS members have been
very busy entering numerous International Salons once again.
Among those worthy of mention include the Trierenburg Super
Circuit where our society received a gold medal for being among
the top ten clubs that entered mixed media in this Salon. Nine
members entered the Holland International circuit and awards
given out included three ribbons and a gold medal. Six members
entered the Maitland International and a gold medal was awarded.
Fourteen members entered the Al-Thani International Exhibition
with an excellent acceptance rate for this salon. SSPS did exceptional
well at the Inter-clubs in the past year The VAPS exhibition
held last year at the muster in Apollo bay was again well represented
with members taking out awards. The Essendon interclub, which
sadly will have been the last, was won by SSPS. We also came
first in the Berwick Doncaster interclub. Members also supported
other National and Internationals during the year.
The club's
membership remains strong with up to 140 members on our lists,
which includes life members and those that have not attended
for some months.
I am happy to accept another year as president
and hopefully to oversee more great club meetings events and
trips. It's a wonderful society and I am extremely proud to
serve this club as president once again. I welcome all the new
committee members voted in tonight and will be delighted to
work along with you all for the advancement and prosperity of
our society.
We have good things to look forward to in the coming
year, excellent speakers are lined up to attend and give talks
and show some of their work, also a weekend to Wilsons Promontory
and a week long photo excursion to Norfolk Island has been planned.
The coming year will also include the planning of our 60th anniversary
as a society which falls on March 11th 2012. I hope every-one
of us will have some share in these society-sponsored events
and continue to support their club in the foreseeable future.
Ian Rolfe
