FESTIVE MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Dear friends,

Another year has sped close to it's end.

A year with mixed fortunes - some good progess but a shrinking membership. Very disturbing and will receive detailed attention in forthcoming committee meetings.

Wonderful progress in our library with a fantastic contribution by Celia Bayliss before she moved to Cape Town. And a promise of a further vast donation from the estate of Peter Smits who, regretably, passed away last year. And a greatly improved location - much more space and additional storage cabinets. Assistance from Graham Southey and Derek Rubidge to place stickers in the donated items and/or to capture items electronically so that this can eventually be made available to members.

Interesting subjests well handled by speakers at out monthly meetings but a regretably small attendance by members!

Finances are in good shape thanks mainly to good sales of our e-SAGI database. The assistance of Dennis Pretorius in this regard, must be emphasised. Despite hicups, the database has grown subtantially and, although the expected number of people contained will fail to meet the 2008 target of 450,000, the target of 500,000 before the GGSA AGM in Bloemfontein in March 2009, is achievable.

I thank each and every member of the committee for their loyalty and assistance as well as each branch member who contributed no matter how small the contribution. In particular, I thank Gerhard Marloth and Penny Evans for their willingness to join the team in 2009!

For 2009, my wish to all is a year of unexcelled growth, health and prosperety. May all your 'blank walls' have cracks enabling you to find your 'lost' ancestors, and may the year ahead, for the branch, show continued growth in not only membership but also activities and interesting projects to which our members can respond and help to build our branch to greater hights.

Should you have complaints/thoughts for improvement, please contact me - I welcome all and any correspondence.

Ek vertrou ons Afrikaanse vriende sal verstaan dat hierdie boodskap in Engels uitgestuur word om komunikasie te vergemaklik.

Best wishes and friendly greetings,

Lucas Rinken, chairman