From the President

Dear Old Virgilians

Welcome to the Festive Season

To all Old Virgilians, their families and loved ones, on behalf of the Association, I wish to extend our warmest wishes to you all and hope that you have a safe, relaxing and enjoyable Christmas and New Year. 

This time of the year not only brings happiness and enjoyment for many but also can be a stressful and sad time for many as we remember those that have passed during the year and cannot be with us and those who do not have family and friends close by. Many may experience elements of sadness and loneliness. I hope that all Old Virgilians can gather around and reach out to those who may be experiencing those feelings at this time of the year and assure them that the OVA community stands with them and for them at all times.

A Time for Celebration

For the first time in 30 years, the College has graduated a Year 12 class. I have had the opportunity and the pleasure to join the Year 12 graduates at the Speech Night on 4 December. I am a proud Old Virgilian when I see the quality and calibre of the graduating class who are a credit to themselves, and I have supreme confidence in their capabilities as future leaders in the community.

I believe we all have cause for great celebration and the future of the OVA is extremely encouraging if this 2024 graduating class is reflective of the ongoing product of the College, its dedicated teaching staff and the School community in total. We are all filled with great confidence for the future.

Chris Wright and Bruce Woods of your committee represented the OVA at the Year 12 Valedictory Dinner at Wrest Point on 10 December and the feedback the Committee has received reinforces my observation from the Speech Night.

On behalf of the OVA, I extend my warmest wishes to all graduates of 2024 and welcome them to the OVA fellowship.

Recognition of Outstanding Service to the College and OVA

I use this opportunity to acknowledge the service of Graeme Rainbow, a favourite teacher of many Old Virgilians between 1971 and 2002 (including myself in Year 5 (1972) and Year 7 (1974). In addition, Graeme has had more than 40 years of involvement with the St Virgil’s athletics team and many other sporting activities of the College. In 2009, Graeme was lured into chairing the Centenary History Committee, and following the 100-year celebrations, the then Principal, Damian Messer, approached Graeme, along with Bruce Woods, to maintain and develop the College archives - so valuable a part of the rich and varied heritage of the College and its community.  Graeme initially said he would do two years, but this has expanded to thirteen. In late 2017, OVAtion – the Old Virgilians e-newsletter - was introduced, and it became Graeme’s responsibility to provide most of the content for it. This edition – number 84 - will be his last. He feels it is time to retire AGAIN.

Graeme has also served for a lengthy time on the OVA Committee and in recent years as Secretary. As your President, I could not have wished for a more diligent, knowledgeable and committed Secretary who has enabled me to fill the position of President with confidence that I had the wise counsel of Graeme to guide me over the last two years.

Graeme has indicated that he will not stand for re-election at the AGM in 2025. Quite simply Graeme is difficult to replace. We have an enormous challenge to pick up the works of Graeme. This is acknowledged by both the OVA and the College Principal.

Graeme’s deep and varied connections with the College, past and present students and their families have provided such valued content in the regular editions of OVAtions that we are seriously challenged to meet the content that Graeme has provided our community with for so long.

I urge all our community to reflect on Graeme’s outstanding contributions to our lives and the College community and to extend their thanks to him. The OVA will be recognising Graeme through a series of occasions in the next 12 months and I would like to see our members express their thanks to Graeme when that opportunity arises.

OVA membership communication

All past students and OVA members for where the College has current contact details will receive communication in the new year about the directions of the OVA and the ability to contribute to that. There is an opportunity for the members to demonstrate the force that is the OVA Army as a significant stakeholder in our college community in the near future and I am confident our members will respond positively and join or renew their OVA membership to enable us to contribute to the College community and support the delivery of such a fantastic group of men that we saw at the Speech Night and Valedictory Dinner.