Griffith Shukan News

Thursday, 26^th March 2009

CONTENTS:

1. Reminder – Michael Williams Sensei Seminar This Weekend

2. Uke's Needed For Dan Gradings in Byron Bay

3. Griffith Aikido Annual General Meeting Report

4. A Belated Thank You From Margaret

1. Reminder – Michael Williams Sensei Seminar This Weekend

Just a reminder that Michael Williams Sensei seminar is on this weekend. The Nathan Dojo will still be open with Ben Tan Sensei as usual. The seminar details are as follows:

Where: Capalaba Secondary College Assembly Hall, School Rd. Capalaba.

Program: Sat 28th Aikido 9.00 – 11.30am and 2.30 – 5.00pm;

Sun 29th Weapons (basic to advanced) 9.30am – 12.00pm.

Cost: $75 for 3 sessions or $35 per session

ALSO AT:

Byron Bay

After a very successful Friday/Saturday seminar at Byron Bay last weekend Williams Sensei will be returning for two evenings on Tuesday 31 March and Thursday 2 April to teach at Byron Bay and for Dan Gradings. Session time will be 6 pm to 8 pm NSW time ( still on day light saving)

2. Uke's Needed For Dan Gradings in Byron Bay

Paul Smith will be doing his San Dan grading on the 2nd April (a week Thursday) when Michael sensei is back down here. Paul Smith will be grading 3-dan. Also two Grafton students will be grading 2-dan and 3-dan. As Paul has been training often at Griffith dojo there is a warm invitation for any Griffith members to come down and participate. We are a little light on the ground for yudansha these days and it would be nice to send Paul off to Japan with some gusto.

It should be a "festival of the dans" that night

3. Griffith Aikido Annual General Meeting Report

Hi everyone

The AGM was held last Tuesday night.  This year we had pizza first.  Everyone stayed (a good sign!!) even though we polished off the pizzas in the first five minutes of the meeting. 

A big thank you to those who participated in the meeting.  AGM's are mostly procedural, which means there is boring stuff that has to be gone through.  We got that done.in fairly quick order.  Receiving of audit reports, profit and oss statements, correspondence, etc.  The meeting then elected the new club executive.  They are:

President - Steve Mitchell

Vice-President/Treasurer - Jutta Dowdy

Secretary - Mark Hoffmann

General Executive members - Fleur Scott, Phil Maxted and Narelle Campbell

Ex-officio Executive Members - Head Dojo Instructor (Danny James) and Head Of Dojo, Everton Hills (Rod Nixon-Smith)

Ex-officio means that Danny and Rod sit on the committee by virtue of the positions they hold.  Extremely important to our club, of course.  Welcome to our new Secretary Mark Hoffmann.  Welcome also to our three new general executive members whose only role is to be a club member, and bring their opinions and thoughts and those of their fellow members on the mat, to executive meetings.  This is a fantastic idea (suggested by our immediate past-President, Gary Weigh), as the club moves from a growth phase into a consolidation phase.

I'd very much like to pay tribute to Gary's hard work and guidance as President, as he steps down from the executive to pay more attention to his business but continues to assist the club with planning, and club accounts.  Gary has been a large and integral part of the administration of the club, especially it's financial administration, for the last few years.  He has provided professional planning and accounting expertise, was part of the team which incorporated the club, has written a comprehensive financial policy and contributed massively to general administration and other activities both within the dojo and in the community.  I'm very pleased his expertise will still be available to the club albeit from off the executive.  Thanks Gary on behalf of the club.

Steve Mitchell

4. A Belated Thank You From Margaret

I've been back in Manchester for a few weeks and wanted to thank you for welcoming me into your dojo on my recent visit to Brisbane.  I fully intended getting to more of the training sessions and saying goodbye in person but a combination of family commitments and termites kept me away.  (My brother's house had termites and had to be evacuated for a few days so we decided to have a bit of a holiday down the coast!)

 

I really enjoyed my training at Griffith Aikido and everyone was warm, friendly and extremely encouraging.  My front rolls are really improving thanks to the extra tuition I received with you and I have the neatest tied belt in our dojo (thanks to Eric!).  While I was with you I made some notes in order to share the experience with my dojo and they have published them on our website. Our website address is www.marpleaikido.org.uk  if you're interested in seeing what I had to say. We've recently returned from the annual long weekend of Aikido and you'll find a report on the website as well as some pictures from our club courses.

 

It goes without saying that you are always welcome to come and train at our dojo in Marple if you're ever in the area. We are about to start a second night of training on a Friday and luckily we are only a couple of minutes walk to a beautiful canalside pub for that hard earned pint afterwards!

 

Cheers!

Best regards

Margaret (or Mango!)

Shirin Mohebbi

Griffith Aikido Newsletter Editor

Email: shirin(AT)internode.on.net