Petone Rowing Club
Good afternoon.
It gives me great pleasure to be here for your closing day and trophy presentation.
Sporting-wise, it’s been a busy weekend for me. Yesterday, I competed in the Crazyman and went to the stadium to watch the Hurricanes beat the Lions.
Today I am here at the Petone Rowing Club for this very important day on your calendar, and I thank you for inviting me to be part of it.
It’s a club with which I have a personal connection, for my son – a keen rower – was a member during the 1990s before heading to England to study where he continued to row.
Of course, the club has been going for much longer than that. In fact, it is one of the oldest sporting clubs still operating in Hutt City, having been established in 1900.
Interestingly, the sport of rowing in Hutt City goes back even further when in 1882 a forerunner to this club which went by the same name was established.
Making this remarkable is that it predated the first meeting of the Petone Town Board by several months.
The Petone Rowing Club can reflect on a rich history of producing champion rowers at local, regional, national, international and Olympic levels.
Many will be past winners of the trophies we award today.
The club can also reflect on a proud tradition of promoting and encouraging participation in rowing by catering for young and old, competitive and social.
Like other sports clubs in Hutt City and around New Zealand, it plays an important role in strengthening the social fabric and well-being of our community.
It does this by bringing together people who possess common interests, in this case rowing, to have fun and keep fit and healthy, while at the same time forging friendships and establishing networks.
Earlier I had a chance to look around your facilities, and I must say how impressed I am.
At a time when many clubs are struggling to attract members and maintain facilities, it’s great to see this one in such strong and good heart.
I think I can be sure in attributing this to the strength of your volunteers, who are the foundation of any not-for-profit club or organisation.
Many of you give your time and energy to support the club and on a day like today the benefits of this are there for all to see.
Soon I will have the honour of presenting an award, sponsored by the Council, in recognition of the club’s most valuable supporter.
There are no doubt any number of you who could have been considered for the award, so I commend you all for your contribution to the club’s success and longevity.
I want to congratulate all of today’s trophy winners. Being recognised for your efforts is a great way to end the season.
Thanks again for your invitation to be here and enjoy the rest of the afternoon.