While I think back to November when I wrote my contribution to the November newsletter, I can’t help thinking about events outside the Old Boys’ Association such as being woken up just after midnight on 14 November feeling that something violent was happening. 

It didn’t take long to realise we were in the middle of a huge earthquake which kept on going for ever and of course we live in Hawkes Bay which is a long way from the epicentre in Kaikoura. As if that wasn’t quite enough, we all became aware of the Port Hills fires on Monday 13 February and the similar fires at Waimarama in Hawkes Bay the same week.

It is probable that various Old Boys were caught up in these terrible events and we can only hope that everyone came through unscathed.

In the meantime we held a joint Old Boys’/Old Girls’ function at the Havelock North Club on 23 November and although around 35 people turned up, we could have coped with more. One extra Old Boy who turned up at the last minute was Stuart North, along with his wife Adair. Stuart is the Old Boys’ convenor for Auckland and he gave us a very informative and amusing address. We are still a bit puzzled as to why more Old Boys do not come to these gatherings and we will be holding a local meeting soon to discuss ways and means of doing it better. It seems that it is a nationwide problem and to that end, there have been informal discussions as to how we can convince more Old Boys to become involved and also to become members.

At the National executive level we are in the process of setting up a modified structure with a business plan to support it in the future. It will involve setting up sub-committees with a minimum of two people on each one to maintain continuity, such as membership, marketing, website, branches, archives etc. So we are looking for volunteers, particularly South Canterbury domiciled Old Boys who are prepared to donate some of their time. Please contact Laurie Shanks on shanxi347@gmail.com to take this further.

I must advise that Laurie has decided to resign as secretary of the Association at the upcoming AGM in April. As Laurie advised, he has been doing the job “all century” and he says it is time to give someone else a go. So sincere thanks go to Laurie for his input over the years and it is good to know that he has offered to keep involved by being on the committee where his knowledge will be very welcome.

If you want to become a member of the Timaru Boys’ High School Old Boys’ Association you can do so by going through the following steps:

Log on to www.timaruboys.school.nz

Click on MENU in the top left hand corner

Click on Old Boys

Click on Membership

Click on THSOBA membership form

Print out the form and pay your $30.00 by Direct Credit to the bank account shown (with a relevant reference) or post the form with your cheque attached to the postal address shown.

That’s all it takes! And that’s all it costs for a one year subscription. In return you will receive the Timaruvian each year and if you have an email address you will receive regular newsletters keeping you up to date with activities at the school and upcoming Old Boys’ functions.

For instance we have the AGM coming up on Thursday 13 April at 5.00 pm in the Memorial Library.

This will be preceded by the ANZAC DAY Service at 2.00 pm and the Opening of the refurbished Gillies Block after that.

In August, on Waitaki Day, Don Hutton, son of the famous Bill Hutton who sang Drake’s Drum at the 1913 school assembly and then captained the First XV to their first win in several years over Waitaki Boys’ High School, will speak at this year’s assembly and present to the School several items of Bill’s memorabilia which will go on display in the Memorial Library. Thanks to Nick McIvor for organizing this important event.

There is a lot more I could go on about but the main focus this year will be to increase membership, develop the new structure and expand branch activities.

Regards to all of you.

Chris Moore
National President