HON. SECRETARY’S REPORT Mr. Mario Cafarelli
Mr. Chairman and Members, I am pleased to present for your consideration the Secretary’s Annual Report for the 2007 season. The season commenced with no changes to the committee from 2006. The association’s patrons also remained unchanged, namely Messes Peter Winchester, Bradley Clyde and Garry Hughes. We thank these three gentlemen for their support of the association during the year. One change of some significance occurred with the inclusion of Elayne Jeffcoat as an Honorary Member. Elayne became the association’s first female Honorary Member for her work with social secretary and husband, Glenn. Early in the season the Trustees of the Leo Randle Foundation made funds available for the association to conduct two exchange programs. Financial assistance was also provided for the Annual Blue & White Cabaret and funds were also set aside, in the form of a scholarship, for a member to attend an Outward Bound program. Whilst the offer of an Outward Bound program was not taken up, two exchange programs were conducted in July. Chris Cafarelli and Paul Archer travelled to Perth whilst Graham Hinds and I visited the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. In Perth, Chris refereed three games, u15s, u17s and a Women's game when the scheduled referee failed to turn up for the match. Chris also officiated as a touch judge in a Tooheys Cup First Grade match. Meanwhile, on the Sunshine Coast, Graham refereed his first u16s game on Friday night and backed up on Saturday morning with a further two games. Both Chris and Graham gained a lot from the experience. All four of us commented on the different standards of football, the different approach to the game by the local officials and, above all, the vastly different attitudes from spectators. Both these exchange programs proved to be extremely successful and both districts are keen to return the visits in 2008. Thank you to Andrew Wareham, Paul Beasant and Mark Langlands from Sunshine Coast and also to Peter Watkins and Greg Raftery
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