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August 31st Newsletter

BLENHEIM ORPHANS’ CLUB

NEWSLETTER

AUGUST 31^ST 2018

Well that’s August done and dusted and so here’s the inevitable review and preview. The Entertainment Group has been out on three occasions and a willing working bee of no less than nine did a wonderful job on a sunny Saturday for which Karenne and I will be forever grateful. Anyway with all that and some Piano hire we’ve been able to give our hard working treasurer John quite a few dollars to bank which all helps enormously with our running costs and travel funds.

Talking about travel I hope and expect that you’ve all put your names down to travel to Nelson for our up coming raid on Saturday 29^th September. Only $20 per head for transport with the club picking up the tab for the rest of the coach hire. Needless to say Tony has once again volunteered his services as our driver. The coach will leave at 1.30 and return by midnight. Set up around 4 o’clock at our host’s hall and an evening meal at the Club Waimea at Richmond. Doubtless some of our hosts will join us for dinner and the usual fun and fellowship. Program Organiser Pete is putting the program together and so make sure he knows of your sketches and musical items in plenty of time.

Our next club night is of course this coming Tuesday and seems to be all under control. I know that a lot of music practice has been going on and expect the sketch artists are similarly well prepared. I thought our Friends and Family night went really well and with some sons, daughters and grand children present and participating it felt right. With our own kids having been brought up in and around the Orphans’ Club it’s special for me to have the next generation being offered the same opportunity. I was really amused when my four year old grand daughter having just seen a bearded man pretending to be a woman then saw her mum come on stage with a band of blokes backing her asked me if “Mummy was now pretending to be a man?” Our two year old who’s called Jessica got really excited and ready to race on stage when Barry announced that Neal and Jessie were going to sing.

Well that’s about it for now I think and work calls and so will finish looking forward to seeing you all next Tuesday.

Ken Ham

Editor.

Blenheim Orphans Club 2018 Programme

Newsletter 26th April

BLENHEIM ORPHANS’ CLUB

NEWSLETTER

APRIL 26^TH 2018

Well April is almost done and dusted and so we’re now looking forward to our next regular club night next Tuesday May 1^st. Obviously as usual you will have already contacted Program Organiser Pete and so I don’t need to remind you about that. Wasn’t our Family and Friends night a hum dinger? Our large audience were unanimous in their praise, comments and compliments. Supper was very nice thank you everyone and the standard of our 19 item program was extremely high and all done before 10o’clock. Great to have Ian and Anne back with us, their stay in Aussie doesn’t seem to have adversely affected them which is a good thing.

April was apparently the month to take your campervan or caravan and depart for places north and south. Murray and John with their wives went west and south whilst Len and Joy headed over the hill to Nelson and beyond and they were all sorely missed. Colin spent some time scraping his bottom but he assures me that it’s all clean and shiny now. Oops I’m terribly sorry I missed the word “boats” out of that sentence but he won’t mind because apparently he can’t open my emails anyway. Meanwhile Neil organised and ran an extremely successful and well attended ukulele event a couple of weeks ago with I’m told about 140 uke players turning out from all over Nelson and Marlborough. Ron hit the high spots on Anzac Day when he was asked to be the keynote speaker at the Rai Valley Anzac Day parade. I’m reliably informed that he carried out his task with all of the pride, dignity and attention to detail that we would expect of him.

Now about our all important trip to Hoki in a little over a month; When I spoke to Treasurer John a couple of days ago he told me that he was only waiting on one more person to pay before our registration deadline of Friday 27^th. I’m confident that we stand a very good chance of having the single largest club contingent at the conference weekend which makes me personally extremely proud and happy. Not bad for one of the smallest clubs in the country eh?

I’ve not heard anything to the contrary from the Almoner and so assume everyone is reasonably fit and healthy going into the colder part of the year so that’s good.

The entertainment group continues to be very busy but through the last month has had to do it without some members but should be almost back to full strength tomorrow when we hit Ashwood Park.

Well I think that’s about enough for now and so will go and have tea looking forward to catching up with you all next Tuesday.

Ken Ham

Editor.

Long Service Award Presentation

We thought you might be interested in this photograph of a very recent presentation of a "Long Service Award" to Ian Graham who recently resigned at the age of 95. Until very recently Ian who lived in Picton attended most of our Club Concerts and gave us an item on his keyboard. He also often joined us when we entertained at Seaview Rest Home in Picton playing his keyboard or skillfully accompanying us with his castanets. Easy to talk to, he encouraged us all in whatever roles we played within our club. The photo attached was taken where we found him sitting in the sun. There wasn't much room to move and the photographer had to focus on the ball not the presenter.