CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE

As we all appreciate, our Club meetings create opportunities to connect and extend our circle of friends, people whose company we enjoy. We all have the ability to create a sense of belonging by being present and showing care for one another. It starts with a friendly wave or smile but can grow into a warm friendship.

Extending a hand of friendship and welcoming more people to our Probus Community is aided by the formation of new Clubs. May I take this opportunity to welcome our new members and congratulate those involved in the formation of the new Parnell Probus Club here in New Zealand.

There have also been 10 new Clubs formed during the past 12 months in Australia. In New South Wales, there are Bilgola Plateau Probus, Camden Combined Probus, Gilead Probus and The Oaks Probus Clubs. In Queensland, Arana Hills District Probus and Victoria Point Probus Clubs. The Adelaide CBD Probus Club in South Australia, two new Victorian Clubs in Wandin Probus Club and Alfredton Lucas Probus and in Tasmania, there is Devonport City Probus.

These new Clubs’ members are enjoying monthly meetings, morning and afternoon teas, interest groups, guest speakers, trips, group activities, new friendships and so much more.

May I also congratulate and thank members who have stepped forward to take on roles within the Management Committees of the new Probus Club in Parnell, providing a vital service to their community by helping fellow retirees stay engaged and connected. As Club Leaders, I ask you to take some time to consider the future, and how many members your Club will enable to stay engaged and connected in the coming years. That thought alone is very rewarding.

I know that there are many of you, across the country, that are continuing to serve on Management Committees beyond the amount of time you originally expected because you believe in Probus and what it brings to your fellow members. I know, firsthand, how rewarding these roles are and thank you again for your continued efforts. I know your fellow Probians appreciate your efforts, and this also extends to all those new Committee members. I look forward to witnessing all the new ideas that you will bring to your Club.

You may have heard that Probus South Pacific is embarking on a new promotional campaign to help more retirees Discover Probus.

We have had members remark that they’ve enjoyed hearing the Probus name on the radio over the last few weeks – feedback that I and the team at PSPL have been thrilled to receive. Hopefully many more of you will notice the increased marketing activity centred around the importance of social connections. We will be spreading this message across radio, print and digital publications across the country.

As part of this campaign, we will be communicating with government, increasing the public profile of Probus. This makes now the perfect time to increase your Club’s efforts in promoting Probus locally with the range of personalised material available to all Clubs from PSPL.

Hopefully, the marketing efforts of PSPL and your Clubs will yield great results and we will be welcoming even more new Probus members. I truly believe that so many retirees would join Probus today if they understood the positive effect being a Probus member could have on their lives.

So, this year, let us all work together and encourage our club members to invite retired and semiretired people they know or meet to Discover Probus!

Chairman Probus South Pacific Ltd