18.05.2008 – Graham Croker
The Blue & Gold Clubs annual sports luncheon that was to have been held on May 28, has been put back to Friday, August 29 and this year will be known as the Olympic Celebration Luncheon.
Alumni and Corporate Relations manager for Sydney University Sport and Fitness, Rodney Tubbs, said the plethora of events on campus in coming months has made it advisable to reschedule the annual sports luncheon.
“Following our highly successful Blue & Gold Olympic Dinner in the Great Hall last week, we’ve been struggling to get the support needed for a successful Blue & Gold Annual Sports Luncheon on Friday, May 28,” Mr Tubbs said.
“There’s been a lot on in a relatively short space of time – since March we’ve staged Blue & Gold Cricket and Aussie Rules Luncheons, the Olympic Dinner, our Annual Sports Awards Dinner and a farewell function for Greg Harris. And over the next three or so weeks, we’re also staging a Blue & Gold Soccer Dinner and a book launch in conjunction with a farewell SUSF function for Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gavin Brown.
“So, we’ve decided to reschedule the 2008 Blue & Gold Annual Sports Luncheon to Friday, August 29 and to rebadge it as our Olympic Celebration Luncheon. The Four Seasons Hotel has generously allowed us to do so without any financial penalty.”
Mr Tubbs said August 29 was selected because it is just three days after the Australian Olympic team returns from Beijing and it is more than a fortnight before the Sydney Welcome Home Parade, which is scheduled for September 15.
“Those who had booked tables and/or individual places at the Wednesday, May 28 Blue & Gold Annual Sports Luncheon will naturally receive the option of front of house tables/places at the Friday, August 29 Olympic Celebration Luncheon,” Mr Tubbs said.
“At the rebadged Olympic Celebration Luncheon, I’m confident that a lot more tables will be booked by our traditional corporate supporters. It will also appeal to many of the University’s departments, faculties and residential colleges, which were enthusiastic supporters of last week’s Blue & Gold Olympic Dinner.
“It should be much easier to get Club support for an Olympic Celebration Luncheon, for example two or three tables comprising members of the extended Flames’ family in support of our women’s basketball Olympians.
“I know that this function will also be popular with the many individual members of the Blue & Gold Club who were associated with the various Olympic sports during their student glory days.
“We’ve booked the Four Seasons Hotel’s half ballroom for the Friday, August 29 Olympic Celebration Luncheon, but we can easily convert to the full boardroom if, as I suspect ,we get considerably more than 250 takers.”
Mr Tubbs said the University Chancellor and the new Vice-Chancellor have been invited to attend their first SUSF function.
