Mission Statement and Objectives Message Going Forward from Dean McGaveston

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Hamilton Blues Society NZ

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Jun 5, 2022, 1:51:32 AM6/5/22
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Dear HBS NZ Members

As you know I have nominated myself for the role of Chair for another two-year period, 2022-2024.

Part of my motivation for putting my hand up for another two years is so that, hopefully, HBS NZ can get to have events NOT impacted by COVID running rampant in the community, causing various lock-downs here and there, resulting in repeated cancellations.

Emerging from the COVID shadow does mean that Government has granted funds to areas throughout New Zealand for event promotion, to stimulate the entertainment sector, and it appears that going forward HBS NZ, and other blues clubs in the network, may be eligible for funding to support their endeavours.  This is certainly happening now with BOP Blues Club in Rotorua where their Council is supporting the Rotorua Blues and BBQs Festival in November (I am honoured to have been invited to represent HBS in the planning process). Auckland Blues Music Society has also invited me to participate in their festival planning for their Auckland Blues Festival; two invitations I am very pleased to accept in representing HBS NZ. And of course HBS has two festivals early in the new year, Pirongia and Easter Bluestock for which a stimulus package will be sought, making a big difference to the success of each.  Planning for Easter Bluestock is already underway involving myself, Tayla Dee and the Rhythm & Vines promoter, Andrew Witters. The festival front looks very promising at the moment.

Emphasis going forward has to involve younger players as much as possible.  Working towards this end, Tayla Dee and I are the Event Management Sub-committee. Some of you may not know, Tayla, Venues & Function Manager for Waikato University Student Union (WSU) in part involved student entertainment, managing in house events/functions and the Don Llewellyn Sports Bar as well as the WSU drop-in basement. Tayla is very keen to promote blues to the student body through concerts, etc, leading to greater HBS involvement on campus. In addition to the Uni, HBS Treasurer, Mark Flyger has recently connected with the Wintec Head of Music with respect to 'open mic' night at BIddy's; to be further explored in the future. The Event Sub-committee plans all events for HBS and liaises with outside interests to provide blues artists and bands for other festivals, such as the Hamilton Garden Arts Festival, or Cambridge Autumn Festival, Rotorua Blues & BBQs, etc, etc. Festival organisers pay HBS NZ for the pleasure of having our HBS acts/bands perform at their events, that's how HBS makes money throughout the year.

Getting together with the HBS community has been difficult over the past two years because of COVID, lock-downs, and many feeling 'at risk', especially in small confined spaces. This has hampered opportunities to plan away trips, shared extravaganza style events (such as the Moovember Xtravaganza in Morrinsville) and taking it further, Te Aroha, or even Raglan. For HBS Tayla and I have been exploring Beach Blues hitting the Beach Resort areas around Coromandel, as well as Raglan, Thames, Waihi, etc, over the summer hol's.  Of course, for most performing bands the early New Year is relatively quiet after New Year's Eve events, so let's get out there amongst the holiday makers, take 'blues' to the beach. The Waihi Beach Hotel Blues, Brews and BBQs in January 2021 was a howling success.

Finally, please do not hesitate to express your choice at this AGM. You do not have to attend the AGM to vote. Your voice can be proxed and you can influence what happens in our Society going forward, especially since the COVID situation appears to be easing somewhat. Use the proxy voting option if you are at all hesitant about attending the meeting on Thursday 9 June at 6pm. Your subscriptions must be up-to-date though.

Feel free to ring me if you would like to discuss any of the above matters further.

Dean McGaveston
021 057 3212
my personal email is: dea...@hardrockers.com
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