President’s Desk
Hi folks,
And we have winter finally. Some good snow fall and with cooler temperatures the ice is starting to form up and the ridgelines are now presenting a more consolidated snow conditions. Let’s hope it lasts a while, August will be a busy month.
The inaugural Ruapehu Snow Craft 2 trip went off as planned, with five students learning the ropes under the tutelage of the TAC team, this year including Don Patterson, Chris Hayes, Angus Morely- Hall, Mark Hall and Steve Ritsen. Apparently the course was thoroughly enjoyed by all and the Levin Waiopehu Lodge turned out to be a highly recommended venue. Steve Ritsen may still be in the sauna… So big thanks to those instructors for going the extra couple of hundred miles.
And there’s more to come this month, with two more SC1 courses to be held from Tahurangi lodge. Looks like these courses will be bang on time to make the most of the winter snow conditions so fingers crossed the weather hold up. You lucky punters should have a great weekend.
The 90th Anniversary pot luck lunch is this Saturday 1 August, being held at the NEVC Camp House, with members coming from far and wide for what will be a special day for many. Huge thanks go out to Elaine Sinton for putting her hand up to be convenor of this event, and for everyone else who has helped out along the way.
I have been reliably informed that the much anticipated 2020 FMC cards are en route from FMC to our club mail box, so I am hoping that these will available for members to collect, should they want them, at our next club night. Which will be held on the 6th of August at the Blind Foundation on Vivien St, presented by ex NZAC President John Palmer.
It’s about time to start thinking about the photo competition this year, if not actually going out and taking great photos yourselves, but at least stealing Jeremy Becker’s Camera. We start calling for the entries in November, but now might be the time to start thinking about that winning shot.
And no presidential tenure can go by without the Lodge requiring some kind of expensive and labour intensive project. And this time round it’s going to be the replacement of our power cable. Damaged by the lightning strikes and generally past it’s use by date, the bugger has to go. It’s going to require the technical assistance of the usual suspects, conversations with DOC around our concessions, summer working bees and a five figure sum to sort it all out. However, we are under way with the planning and, all things going according to plan (hahahaha), should start this coming summer.
Finally subs are now overdue. We’ve put out a final notice email to those who have still not paid their subs, and following the next committee meeting any outstanding memberships will need to reapply should they wish to continue as members. Any non member e-keys will be disconnected. The current membership stands at 215 members and growing.
See you all out there.
Ivan Bruce
El Presidente!