The Sub-Branches 71st Annual General Meeting was a wonderful event, with seventy-three MEMBERS plus five visitors in attendance. We were privileged to have present the Norm Anderton & Norm Huntly of the now defunct Gold Coast & District EX-POW Association in attendance. The Ex-POW Gold Coast Branch disbanded this month, remaining members will continue to be members of the Association and will continue in their various roles associated with commemoration services and schools. We wish them well and would like to congratulate them for a job well done!

Greg Betts, Burleigh GCCC Councillor and Grant Perry, Manager Suncorp Burleigh Branch, joined us for the afternoon. Greg took on the role of Returning officer again this year, many thanks!

The ladies of the Women's Auxiliary joined us after their 57th Annual General Meeting, for refreshments and BBQ, they are a small band and I would like to congratulate their committee for another year. The Women's Auxiliary President for 2009/2010 is Mrs. Ruth Connelly, Secretary/Treasurer Mrs. Jeannie McKenzie, and Vice Presidents, Mrs. Dulcie Humrich & Betty Billings. The Sub-Branch would be the poorer should the ladies decide to call it a day as their numbers are struggling and are always on the look out for new members, I would like to thank the ladies most sincerely for their contribution on the day of the AGM and for their continuing contribution throughout the year!

A huge thanks goes to the cooks, Ken McNaught, Ray Coppin & Ron Mansfield, the meat was cooked to perfection, the BBQ's are always a huge success. Another huge thanks to the Providore, Les McKenzie and his band of merry men, Committeemen Noel Hull & Brian Williams who provide lovely cold refreshments after the meetings! The Committee man/Fundraiser Kevin Cook and his assistant George McCabe, I would like to thank them for their contribution on the day, which was fantastic and as usual the raffles were well supported, thank you Members!
Allan Price Door keeper and his helper David Parsons excelled in their duties, thank you! George Utterson willing helper and all the other members who assisted to make the day a huge success, Thankyou!

All Sub-Branch Committee positions for 2009/10 had been nominated and those who nominated were duly elected unopposed.
Yours truly Chris Keating, C Dec, President, David Grant, Senior Vice President, Les McKenzie, Junior Vice President, Trevor Taylor, Honorary Secretary/Treasurer, Robert K Jones, Honorary Assistant Secretary/Webmaster, Allan Price, JP C dec, Doorkeeper/Attendance Officer. The Following elected to the committee, Kevin Cook, Noel Hull, Jock Black, Bruce Weir and Brian Williams. Welcome aboard for another year and thank you for accepting your nominations.

I need to thank the Honorary Secretary/Treasurer Trevor Taylor for his attention to detail in the preparation of reports for the AGM, a lot of work went into this procedure, well-done Trevor!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the retired outgoing Senior Vice-President Bob McNamara, and retired Committeemen Ken McNaught and Ron Mansfield for their contribution whilst serving on the Committee in 2008. It was a pleasure working with these members and I wish them well.

The 2009/10 appointed Pension Officer for the Sub-Branch is Honorary Senior Advocate/Pension officer Neil Harcourt, OAM; Neil can be contacted on the following phone numbers Surfers Paradise RSL Veterans Office 075539 8336 Mobile 0419 641843 and or in an emergency only after hours 5576 3091 home. Neil is a very experienced Pensions Officer and should continue to give our members the very best of service in obtaining their deserved DVA entitlements. Please, should you feel your pension entitlements are not up to scratch, arrange to see Neil Harcourt and get it reviewed!

I have again been appointed the Sub-Branch Welfare Officer, should you require to contact me, please phone me 0407 761663.

I am again looking forward to representing the Burleigh Heads RSL Members as your elected Congress Delegate at the 2009 Queensland State RSL Congress being held in Maroochydore in June. It again should be a very interesting congress. More news to follow!

The Sub-Branch appointed Patron for 2009/10, Gary Ivory is still in Qatar as the "School Management Advisor Education Queensland International School Support Organization" promoting the ANZAC legend and promoting the Burleigh Heads RSL; we look forward to his return in due course! We are sure getting International exposure with Gary involved in the ANZAC Commemoration committee!

In conclusion there is much activity that goes on behind the scene within the Sub-Branch and it is absolutely essential to have a supportive committee, and for a number years this has occurred, "united we stand divided we fall" it is a shame many other organizations don't heed this old saying!

Look forward to another great year,

Yours in service,

Christopher Keating
President