Well my term as your President is coming to an end so I though it would be in order to review some of our accomplishments over the past year.
Financial Accountability
This was number one on my priority list and I trust everyone will agree not only have we returned accountability we have been able to turn the finances around where we will be ending the year with a surplus. By implementing a new internet based bookkeeping system, your Treasurer has been able to report an itemized statement each and every month. With this type of tracking we were able to empower the Treasurer to write cheques of less than $100 without a second signature. This change allowed most of our payables to be addressed by the Treasurer without him requiring to chase down a second signature.
With careful negotiation and shopping around we were also able to reduce the monthly costs of producing the Kilowatter. With these savings plus an ever increasing number of members choosing to take their Kilowatter off the web, further savings resulted.
Membership Drive
In order to return the club coffers into black ink, it was necessary to either increase our dues or grow our membership. The membership drive that was held during September and October was very successful with forty new NET members joining bring our ranks to 178. This increase in membership revenue coupled with our cost cutting measures will allow us to end the year in the black.
Our Newsletter
The Kilowatter was delivered on-time every month thus assuring all members adequate notice of the Monday meetings and allowed those who where unable to attend the ability to read the minutes and a brief article on the previous meeting. The Kilowatter is also published monthly on the clubs Internet Web site. Here visitors can view all past issues of the Kilowatter back to May of 1996.
Great Programs
I am sure everyone will agree that KWARC has brought you the best series of programs ever experienced by our club for many years. My thanks to Ben Sasiela, VA3BNY for his efforts in bringing us this great lineup of programs.
www.kwarc.org
The clubs web site, http://www.kwarc.org has now been visited by over 21,000 hams and those interested in amateur radio. The guest-book receives dozens of entries every month from hams around the world. We could almost start a DXCC collection. hi-hi.
Many many thanks go to club member Don Sinclair VE3ICD our host and benefactor at K-W Information Gateway Services who graciously provide KWARC with several hundred dollars of FREE monthly services. The web site has not gone unnoticed and has been referenced in virtually all Amateur publications at one time or another which results in KWARC becoming known world wide as a very progressive club of Radio Amateurs.
Emergency Services Group
KWARC is now affiliated with the Amateur Radio Emergency Services organization and under the direction of our Emergency Services Chairman, Ed Spike VE3TCK and ARES Co-Ordinator John Schreiter VE3DOS, several training sessions have already been held. Following the severe ice storm in North Eastern Ontario, it goes without saying that traing KWARC members to handle natural disasters is a must.
CANWARN weather spotters have now had two training sessions by Randy Mawson of Environment Canada. The most recent session had a full house of interested members. This was very gratifying to see this level of interest from our members.
ELECTIONS
Mondays business session will see the membership vote on the slate of Directors for next year. As you will see from the nominating committee report printed elsewhere in this issue, we have so far only been able to nominate one new person to the list of nominees.
As you read this article, nominations are still open. KWARC needs new ideas to assure it's members of continued improvement. If you know someone who you feel is willing and able to help the club grow talk to them about letting you nominate them at Monday's meeting.
It's your club and your assistance no matter how small will really help so please give thought to letting your name stand.
Paul Cassel VE3SY
KWARC President
