07/07/2025
Message from Chris Michalopoulos.
Humble warm greetings fellow members and gardening friends.
This is my last presidents report as well my extensive contributions for our clubs Website Newsletter and Facebook, information/ pictorial articles. I thank and acknowledge the symbiotic work of Stanton, Helen and Akif.
After 27 years as president and show manager I made the decision as of Wednesday the 14th of May 2025 that my tenure will come to its end. A worthy new leadership team will undertake the administrative baton to nurture and move the club forward.
It's a delicate process in thanking and remembering all committee members, fellow members and non-club members and organisations who provided me and our club with so much assistance and friendship: the likes of Brimbank City Council and Staff, i.e., Mayor Natalie Suleyman, Mayor Sam David, Hasi Mutluel Facilities, Simone Gordon Festivals and Events and current and departed council staff.
As for past members and present ones, you Are All Dear to me with acknowledges and each of you appreciated.
Exemplary supportive horticultural affiliate organisations and their magnificent volunteer administrators, Royal Horticultural Society Of Victoria, Dahlia Society Of Victoria Inc, Australian Horticultural Judges Association Inc, Rose Society Of Victoria Inc, Williamstown Garden Club Inc.
Our generous corporate sponsors Brimbank City Council, Seasol, Neutrog, Flemings, Ryset Aust., Yates, Gardenworld, Wafex and Parks Victoria
Appreciation to our outstanding guest speakers for their attendance, sharing their knowledge and experiences and some finished being wonderful friends like James Wall, Craig Castree, Matthew King, Professor Tim Enwisle, Peter Leigh, Helen Lovel.
We have shared and participated in numerous annual and mini shows. Our club has had many world-class horticultural specific species and non-horticultural exhibitors supported by outstanding non-member exhibitors and knowledgeable Judges and Stewards.
We participated and enjoyed bus trips, field days and community volunteering the likes of providing gardening assistance after the bushfires at Steels Creek, planting native plants at Brimbank, volunteering at Sunshine Hospital, Ripponlea, Werribee Mansion Gardens and Rose Garden, local schools open days and festivals promoting our club and helping people and our environment and not forgetting our close relationship with the Sunshine Presbyterian Church.
Our club general meetings and special events have been numerous and always interesting and enjoyable. Glengala Hall has been a perfect home for our club both for our meetings and Shows. Previously our Halls and facilities were very ordinary to be kind, the catastrophic fire of the band hall in Wright Street resurrected our club by moving into a new venue.
Our Centenary Celebration was monumental and on the night seven (AUSTRALIAN RECORD OF MEDALS TO A CLUB IN ONE YEAR) of our beloved members were recipients of the RHSV GOLD JOHN PASCOE FAWKNER MEDAL - the highest award to volunteers of long outstanding garden club services - presented by Don and Jennifer Rickerby President and Admin. Secretary respectively of the RHSV.
Our club nights have a variety of night events, competition tables, trading table, annual plant sale, raffle and delicious supper. Our end of year events has been varied and interestingly enjoyable most of the times. Birthdays, presentations and club nights have seen us partake and sharing mouth-watering cakes.
Our club has been well functioned and hopefully continue to be so because members supplemented by our loved ones, to administer the tasks is both time consuming and requires physical and emotional efforts and devotion not always known and understood by our fellow members.
Service to our club is like a relay I acknowledge and thank our past committee and our recent and current committee members and to the band of non-committee members who do so much when it's required.
I remember and miss members and members loved ones who have died or are unable to attend our club which is our extended family. Regrettably in the latter years it's a struggle. But wonderful new members have recently come to our club and they have given us oxygen and optimism.
Our membership / subscription of $2 Per Annum was exactly the same 27 years ago no inflation in our club, remains cheapest garden club membership in Australia.
Our club is in excellent condition financially and the new leadership team will not have to worry about income to sustain the operation of our club for many years to come.
With 95% of our members retired I felt and was not able to achieve running our club midday instead of nightly meetings. We did achieve benefits with altering and adding Golden Age to our Sunshine Garden Club Inc.
Please make a trip to our Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne and visit our tree .
At our AGM members will be issued a financial statement; it's only a few pieces of paper but the effort and stress to put it together is a herculean task. This goes for all our items newsletter, website, Facebook, schedules, grants, raffle and prizes, show items, suppers, lunches, events and so much more.
TO COMMITTEE
A very big thank you and my personal indebted appreciation to Rosemary and Wanda (congratulations on being our latest Life Member) simply our outstanding long term Admin. Secretary and Treasurer respectively. Without them, 27 years would not have possible and our club would have struggled.
Joe, a loyal devoted Vice President and always there. Stanton, unassuming but his service in various ways is monumental. Helen, a bridge for me and our club and sister Robyn a quiet hero for our club.
Rod, always there for me and our club even when he was president of Williamstown Garden Club.
Roz, Gus, Alph, and Graeme: I appreciate their support in so many facets. Yes, Alph’s raffle is an event .
Thank you to All our members for your consideration and friendship to me and our club. I hope our club remains easy going, continues its base of inclusiveness, on committee oriented and not always about money or success. Friendship and respect makes a volunteer run amateur gardening club enjoyable to attend and its future secure.
I leave our club comfortably in my thought that I did more than my very best to nurture it and service it, with a few glitches here and there, but overall, our club’s warranty has been extended with many bridges at our disposal for its future.
My legacy for our club will only be judged by you and time.
As always I wish you All good health, love, respect and peaceful daily life of gardening and enjoying nature, people and animals.
Please call me without hesitation if I could be of any assistance or just for a fellow chat.
With Tender Hugs And Smiles.
Chris Michalopoulos
President and Show Manager, Sunshine Golden Age Garden Club
