From the President

Hello and welcome everyone, to the “official” start of  2010 for EUCMS. I’d like to first acknowledge the  wonderful work done by those members of the 2009  Executive who did not continue in their roles: 

• Robyn Mead, whose clarity and foresight in leadership  will be greatly missed, and whom we welcomed into  well-deserved Life Membership at the February AGM 

• Rosemary Roach, whose efforts as General Secretary  for 2009 were heroic, given that for every EUCMS  meeting and function she had to perform, it was  necessary to add four hours of travelling time to and  from her home in the Shoalhaven, and finally 

• Keith Barry, who it seems cannot be stopped, either by  ill-health or any other cause from working himself into  the ground for EUCMS. 

To the 2010 Executive we welcome for the first time the  energy and enthusiasm of Cathy Bulfin – not only playing a  leading role in Gondoliers, but now editor of your Bulletin also.  And to the returning members of the Executive, thank you so  much for your support as I attempt to step into Robyn’s shoes. 

This year Caroline Reddel steps up as Vice-President and  Membership Convenor, while Megan Willis continues her  years of invaluable service as Business Secretary (where  would EUCMS be without her?). 

Lynn Bock, the Public Officer of EUCMS, again takes the  reins as Treasurer. Those present at the AGM will know  that 2010 is her last year in this role – if you have basic  book-keeping/accountancy skills and the commitment to  be regularly available to collect and distribute money on  behalf of EUCMS, please speak to her as early as you can  to find out more about the job. 

Elaine Gow seems to be inexhaustible, adding the  “pastoral care” role of keeping up with and responding to  Members’ news and life events to her position of Director  for Gondoliers. Jessica Allen, not content with Production  Managing for Gondoliers, is also taking on the new role of  Events Co-ordinator, overseeing all the many “non-showrelated”  occasions that make up part of the life of the  society, and Adam Wilson will once again this year  continue to develop the Publicity campaigns that help to  make our shows so successful. 

At the AGM, the positions of General Secretary and of  Property Officer were not filled. We hope to be able to bring  good news about these positions in the next Bulletin  (although as the people currently considering the roles have  some difficulties to overcome in taking them on, we would  still appreciate hearing from other members who would be  interested). This looks to be a strong, committed and positive  thinking Executive team – just what we need to face the  challenges of this coming year. 

Please give all of us your prayerful support in the task  ahead. 2010 will be an exciting and rewarding year as  far as shows are concerned, but also a crucial year for  our future as a society, as we begin long-range  planning for the 2012 celebrations of our milestone  50th Year, and as we face financial challenges greater  than we have yet encountered. 

For an excellent overview of what has been accomplished  and what lies ahead, please have a look at the President’s  Report to the 2010 AGM, presented by Robyn Mead at  the February meeting, and included in this Bulletin for the  benefit of those who were unable to be there. 

In terms of immediate ways you can help, please give  thought and consideration to the following. We will form  two new and important subcommittees this year –  Fundraising and 50th Anniversary, and we would love to  hear from you if you’d be interested in serving on either. 

To make our 50th “Jubilee” a special and memorable time for  members past and present, planning needs to begin now,  tying in both the shows we will present to showcase EUCMS,  and the other events that will form part of the celebrations. 

Also this year, we find ourselves safely home at Eastwood Uniting Church, and ready to present two shows once  again. But this does not mean everything is “back to  normal”. Our contribution to the Church for their  consideration of our needs of time and space has doubled  to $4000 p/a, and the new configuration of the hall  means that we are able to sell considerably fewer tickets  to any one show. Not only that, but with the increased  distance between the ceiling and the stage floor, our  (already quite worn) curtains are now much too short to  be used, and need to be replaced, as does quite a lot of  the lighting equipment and the power tools used by the  back stage crew. It is also very likely that a new piano for  the hall will be necessary in the near future. 

Due to the foresight and good management of previous  executives, there are still contingency funds available – we  are by no means bankrupt, but these are very major  expenditures, and some of them are not “one-offs”, but  continuing issues. 

The last thing EUCMS wants to do is to compromise our  commitment to charity giving, but to continue and to  keep producing high quality shows, we need to put some  thought and effort into fundraising, particularly this year.  There have already been several suggestions, and even a  few well-formed plans for events that can help in this  regard, but if you have ideas you’d like to contribute, or  the time and energy to serve on this subcommittee, it  would be great to hear from you. 

Although some of these matters seem daunting, I am  excited by the expressions of support and  encouragement, and by the creative and enthusiastic  suggestions I have already heard – with a membership so  passionate and dedicated to the EUCMS cause and the  principles behind our work, I look forward to a very  rewarding year. 

Penny Wilson - March 2010

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