CHAIRMAIN'S Aspecial welcome to our distinguished guest Mr Deputy Mayor of eThekwini Municipality,Councillor Logie Naidoo,our guest speaker Mr Victor Vermeulen,honored guests, fellow Trustees, Board Members, Headmaster Mr Elwyn van den Aardweg and his wife Tracey, staff, parents,old boys,gentlemen ofGrade 12 and boys ofKearsney College. I personally know many of the Matric boys and I know that they are a fantastic group. It is both an honour and a great pleasure to have you all here today on our 2001 Kearsney speech day and Grade 12 prize giving. Kearsney is a hive of activity and energy. The involvement and commitment ofthis community made up ofstaff, parents, boys,old boys,Board and Trustees is amazing. I thank the past Chairman Lauron Buys for the time,effort and contribution made and which he continues to make as a Board Member. I thank our new Headmaster Mr Elwyn van den Aardweg for his dedication,clear common sense style,direct approach followed by action. He and I meet regularly and review past and future direction. He understands that my role is to assist,guide and mentor as the conduit for Board and Trustees. Elwyn has done much this year in building team spirit, management restructuring, identification ofkey performance areas in order to achieve overall excellence in 12 key areas such as academics,sports etc. His wife Tracey is a real asset and her overseeing of the Kearsney website, involvement in the recent musical and much more is greatly appreciated. The school is about to embark on a 3-year forward strategic plan with some exciting developments in the pipeline. In summing up m * • y feelings, 1 believe that the word ^fassion" encompasses it all. It is traditional for us to acknowledge and congratulate a staff member who has served Kearsney for 25 years. Jay Govender qualifies this year and we thank him for his dedication to the task as Sports Eield Grounds Manager and'more particularly the cricket pitches. I ask Jay to come forward and accept a token of the College's appreciation for a job well done over such an extensive period. In summing up my feelings after almost one year as Chairman,I believe that the word "pass ion" encompasses it all. The Kearsney community is passionate. This culture is not fabricated or bought, it is the latent fibre that evolved out of people's involvement over these past 80 years. Some of these people who have touched me and whom I would like to mention are Mrs Reece, a past Kearsney teacher from 1933 and still a frequent visitor who is attending her 68th speech day today. She was made an honorary"Old Boy" on her 90th birthday. Dr Graeme Shuker, a past Chairman now Trustee and visitor to the campus almost daily has and continues to give such wise council. The late Mr Neville Polkinghorne,past Chairman ofthe Board who got out ofbed when dying ofcancer to present his Chairman's address on Speech day. Weowe these and many other people our "salute" for their contribution for what we now experience when entering the Kearsney gates. / thank our new Headmaster for his dedication,clearcommon sense style and direct approach followed by action. »
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