Volume #37 / Issue # 06 | Page 6

President's Report

November 2020

Pajero Club : President ’ s Report 5 th November 2020
As I write this November President ’ s Report , I can feel myself physically willing much needed good news for our communities this Sunday . I ’ ll be watching this Sunday ’ s DHHS announcements and working with the committee , to release updated trip guidelines that ensure we stay safe and continue the outstanding safety and community minded culture of our Club .
The excitement I have anticipating joining Club trips and enjoying the great outdoors , being with like-minded people and choosing the best driving line again , is actually keeping me awake at night ! I ’ ll also be doing my little bit to help rebuild - buying the odd coffee and snack to help the regions we value so highly during our journeys across our country . For me personally , a visit to my Mum in regional Victoria is the first drive I ’ ll be enjoying .
The two recent virtual trips certainly helped me stay positive . We also had an actual trip run by our previous President , for our regional members – thanks to Neil Phillips for helping keep new members in touch . The Virtual River Red Gums and Simpson Desert trips presented vastly different areas yet still had something in common – dust - lots of it .
At last month ’ s Committee meeting a decision was approved to move the Pajero Forum to the ‘ cloud ’, in the same way Wild Apricot is run . This removes a significant risk because the Club doesn ’ t have programming skills to maintain and fix issues with the Forum software . Advertising trials were also tested on the Forum , successfully and will continue on the updated Forum . The committee is anticipating advertising will now cover Forum costs , along with providing new functions for Forum members and hopefully encouraging more people to join the Club .
A Digital Records sub-committee has also been created to explore better ways of sharing the significant trip , people and technical records history the Club has . This history will continue to grow as we submit trip reports , so it ’ s important to be able to share this right across our Club . Thanks to Ian Fieldhouse for running this – suggestions can be sent to our Treasurer , Ian Fieldhouse , at treasurer @ pajeroclub . com . au .
In my September report I asked what trip plans are you thinking about . I ’ ve been planning using Google Maps . It ’ s a good resource especially for trips closer to Melbourne . Longer trips – think of an iconic Cape York trip – isn ’ t something I ’ m able to consider for a while yet . When the time is right for my own epic trip , I ’ ll be reaching out to the seasoned members of the Club that have done those trips . Much of this information of who to contact is documented in the Historic Trips Information report now on our Wild Apricot site .
I ’ ll finish this month ’ s report keenly anticipating driving again and reminding all of us to feel free submitting suggestions to your committee .
I hope to see you in the mud and around a campfire again soon . Stay safe .
Terry Barbie # 1906 President : president @ pajeroclub . com . au