YANCO All-Servicemen’s Club secretary-manager Andrew Hurst holds nothing back when describing the serious financial struggle the facility continues to deal with.
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Mr Hurst has held the position of secretary-manager for the past 12 months and since then he has had to deal with, and come up with a solid plan, to help the club’s doors stay open.
The club’s financial issues have been no secret for that period and it is still a struggle today.
Mr Hurst knows the community has been supportive, but said it remained important to keep everyone in the loop as to how serious the situation remains.
“It’s still a struggle … each week we basically need to be making $16,000 to stay afloat,” he said.
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“We’re still definitely in the red. The good thing is we’ve been buoyed by an initial payment on an insurance claim. Without that, we would be gone.
“To a certain degree we have paid most of our local creditors.
“There is still a couple outstanding, but they are on payment plans.
“We’re trying to get those out of the road.”
The club has installed four new poker machines and, while some may not agree that is the way to go to raise revenue, Mr Hurst said without them, the club’s doors would be shut.
Functions are still the target of the club, with ferret races scheduled for Australia Day, but Mr Hurst has encouraged residents to think of the facility for their birthdays, anniversaries and any other events.
“What we are trying to do is offer a point of difference,” he said.
“Just consider us and come and have a yarn with us. We will work with you. It doesn’t matter what the function is.
“We want bums on seats out here.
“People need to know the situation is still serious and we are still struggling.”
The slogan for the facility has changed to the “can-do club” and Mr Hurst said that promise would be made good – all one had to do was ask.
“At the end of the day we want the doors to stay open … we are a community club and without this facility, where do people go?” he said.
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