Here we are finally with a long overdue update on this year’s Salmon BBQ, the 70th Annual Event! This year, for the first time, we moved the date from the second Tuesday in August to August 23rd, to be sure of ample supplies of salmon though we had worries about the sometimes iffy weather at the end of August. We needn’t have worried: the sun shone on one of the hottest days of the year, the mood was jubilant and the music delighted!
Months of preparation by coordinator, Julie Stewart, and her fabulous crew of volunteers paid off as the event unfolded seamlessly. The Lund Gathering Place proved once again the perfect venue with its sight lines and acoustics improving the experience for everyone while acting as the community hub it was supposed to be. We hope other groups and organizations will put the space to good use for events and meetings in the future. We raised funds with the Silent Auction and the Raffle as well as ticket sales and sales of raw fish thanks to the generosity of so many sponsors, donors and volunteers. We acknowledged these contributions at our traditional Thank You Tea held on September 21st at the Hall.
This year was the definitive swansong of our event coordinator, Julie Stewart, and we thought we had already lined up a successor. However, plans change and now we find ourselves once again searching for someone to take on next year’s Salmon BBQ organization. So if you’re up for a challenge that will have you leading the most fun and dynamic crew of volunteers ever and that will earn you the undying gratitude of the whole island, please contact us at: ❤️ info@gabriolacommunityhall.com
On October 19th, we held a General Meeting of members convened by the Board to consider changes to the Hall Bylaws. The recommended changes were wide ranging. Some were fairly minor: replacing words for clarity and consistency; eliminating repetitions. Others were more significant in that they affect Board operations: reducing the quorum for general meetings from 20 to 10; allowing the date of the AGM to be set within 3 months of the financial year end instead of being fixed in November: having the officers elected by the Board at the first meeting after the AGM instead of by the membership at the AGM; the terms of office of the directors now being set at 2 years instead of one with staggered terms to ensure continuity. All these changes provide the Board with greater flexibility and discretionary powers while maintaining compliance with the BC Societies Act. Perhaps the most radical change was the elimination of the role of trustee, trustees having been part of the Hall’s governance structure since its incorporation in 1975. The current bylaw states that “ ‘Trustee’ means a director who, unlike other directors, is elected for a three-year term and who may, by a majority vote of the trustees, veto motions passed by the Board” and it is this veto power which is problematic. Attendees engaged in a lively debate followed by a vote which saw the changes approved unanimously with one abstention. The Board would like to thank Kees Langereis for his help and guidance in working through all the changes and for implementing, at long last, a numbering system for the bylaws. Thank you!
Looking forward, we have our AGM coming up on November 30th at 3pm, which will now be conducted in accordance with the new bylaws, if the Government strike allows us to file the changes with the BC Registrar in time. All are welcome and we are always looking for new board members to join us so if you’re interested, we’d love to hear from you.
And on Saturday December 13th, we’re holding the second edition of our old fashioned Christmas Faire with craftspeople selling their wares, fun activities for children, Santa Claus, carols and hot chocolate! Keep an eye out for the posters and put the date in your calendars.
Thank you for your attention and support and here’s looking forward to a cozy and fun-filled fall season.
Board of Directors,
Gabriola Island Community Hall