Report of TBC Old Boys' Association President Richard Craven to the 2015 AGM

When reflecting on the report card for our 2014 -2015 year, it seems appropriate to align the language with this evening's.  On that basis I'm pleased to report a  MERIT, and it's a MERIT with: “next year impresses as one of great opportunity“.

A MERIT on the back of a sound platform established by our Patron Bill Holland and for that Bill we thank you for your inspiration.

For those that attended last year's dinner, the special evening launching the Garth Sim Centurion Scholarship, it's been heartening to all involved that attendees, even this  week, talk about how much they enjoyed the evening and the sense of the Old Boys Association coming of age.

And it's by no mean a co-incidence that it's at this stage we are proud to announce tonight we will be formally nominating for Life Membership of the Old Boys Assn Mr Bill Holland. Messrs Geoff Olsen and Robert Mangan will later be speaking to Bill's nomination.

It's with pride this evening, that the Executive can report of four new initiatives being established during the year and now available for the support of our young men as they traverse the challenges and opportunities through Tauranga Boys' College.

Firstly, we are pleased to advise that our very own Acorn Foundation has accepted our application for the establishment of an endowment fund. A fund where the OBA receives a financial return from our community donors that choose to support the education of our young men.

Secondly, due to the generosity of the trustees of the Tauranga Boys' College Charitable Trust (Bill Holland, Tom Roper and Neville Grey) that the OBA will soon be established as the custodian of resources of this trust, to continue the purpose and commitment to support the education and well being of our young men, including the Mr & Mrs Grant educational scholarships. A fund with a level of more discreet decision making than that of the Acorn Foundation.

Thirdly, the Board has supported the establishment of a Student Support Fund. A fund where Old Boys are able to contribute a chosen level of regular contributions, one example being $20 a payday, with this fund being readily available to the teachers and executive of TBC when an opportunity is identified for the urgent support of a young man. This may be for learning resources, uniform, transport, arts or sports outings, medical etc. Anything that may be a barrier to a young man achieving his best.

And lastly, we are excited and thankful of the Board approving an initiative to include the option of our future students volunteering to become members of the OBA, by way of an annual subscription payment with their school fees.  This is a significant step in the deepening of the awareness with our boys and their families of the value and purpose of the OBA.

Ladies and gentlemen, I invite you to talk to any of our Executive should you be interested in contributing to any of our new support strategies.  Rest assured the Executive are committed to making a difference to the best of our combined abilities, to the resources we can make available to the incredible teaching staff, Executive and fine young men at Tauranga Boys' College.

It would also be remiss of the Executive at this juncture not to recognise the unrelenting commitment and hard work by your own, and our committee member Mr Rob Leslie.  Rob, thanks for your relentless work, particularly with specific Old Boys' sports groups.

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you again for your attendance and your support. We look forward to continuing our growth and the maturity of the OBA toward our dream of making a difference to the fine young men that traverse through TBC.