Dear Editor, as a supporter of your great newspaper, I have recently noticed the 'Croatian Herald' (read Vjesnik) having taken a much greater role - be it by choice or natural progression - in community affairs. Also, more importantly, the youth in the community. I know that the community as a whole is greatly thankful for this.

The reason I am writing this letter, after an interesting read of a recent 'special feature' article by Mr. Josip Loncaric, I had noticed a few comments taken from the 'specially arranged press conference' by Melbourne Croatia Social Club board members were not quite up to date with the facts, nor met the requirements of the community.

The article in question is "Make no mistake - Melbourne Croatia Social Club will survive" printed on Page 5 of the New Generation, on Friday the 1st of June 2007.

I have to firstly thank Mr. Zdravko Zilic for holding such a conference, as it has been quite some time since any board at Melbourne Croatia has given an outline of their plans for the future. This is a positive step towards the future, as recent boards have only spoken of negative debts thus desperately seeking funds, charity and donations; something that this community has grown sick of.

I take this opportunity to congratulate the Melbourne Knights Soccer Club board of directors from 2006 - president Mr. Stanko Bilic and the tireless executive members and social club managers, Mr. Marinko Jurjevic and Mr. Ivica Culina. These gentlemen were the reason why the clubroom renovations, construction of the beer garden and superb management of the social club took place, along with all the funding necessary.

They and all the sponsors did the hard yards last year to ensure the renovations were done, giving the social club the facelift it deserved. This gave the later voted in Melbourne Croatia Social Club committee the kick-start it needed to continue the hard work.

It was stated in the above mentioned article that MCSC plans to renovate the Batcave. This work was to be done early this year as a continuation of last years renovations with the vision of Mr. Bilic (now president of MKSC), Mr. Tomas (chairman of MKSC) and Mr. Culina (MCSC) when a large sum of money from Melbourne Knights Soccer Club donators was to be poured into renovations of the Batcave for the financial benefit of both Melbourne Knights and Melbourne Croatia, under a youth policy put in place by the young committee at Melbourne Knights.

This was knocked back by a Save the Land spokesman who allegedly stated that the youth were the root of financial problems at the club.

This brings me to the point of my letter. Reading the future goals and plans of the Melbourne Croatia Social Club, and seeing recent advertisements on recent events, one thing becomes clear; there is no social youth policy in place whatsoever at the club.

Since the 'one event a month' subcommittee came to a halt in late 2006 after only one event, and HASK Melbourne has been forced to find a new home at the Italian Social Club of Werribee, there has been little for the youth to be entertained with at the social club and nothing done to ensure the youth stay put.

This is a far cry from what was achieved and set up with last year's Melbourne Knights committee, of which Mr. Zilic and Mr. Culina were a part of. A relationship begun in early 2006 with HASK Melbourne and a permanent home for their events and football meant the 'Knights Preseason Disco', 'Somers Street Shield', 'Pre-Tournament Amateur Triple Header' which also dubbed for a youth night in the social club, and 'Summer Shindig' which brought down Brisbane Croatia and filled both the Social Club and Beer garden had filled the club with punters aged between 16 and 30 on a day when the Knights weren't playing.

The growing relationship between HASK and MKSC boards, meant bringing strong youth orientated clubs such as Melbourne Tornado, Gospic Bears and more importantly the amateur clubs from Dinamo, HNK Mostar and HNK Vukovar down to Somers Street for social events, something not seen in years.

The clubrooms were full of young Croats and finally the under 35s were starting to outnumber the over 35s. HASK's Croatian Women's Cup and Sub-Committee Croktoberfest were proof needed that the youth of both genders, both in a sports and social sense were being looked after down at the Somers Street complex.

Since the newly formed Melbourne Croatia Social Club board of directors has come in, and more recently outlined in the press conference speaking of the role MCSC plays in the community and club, it is quite clear the youth is no longer a priority.

The fact HASK is no longer based at Somers Street and no events have been done by HASK nor the sub committee in recent times is testament to the policies made public by MCSC in Mr. Loncaric and his excellent article.

I only hope the board of directors at Melbourne Croatia Social Club come to their senses before it is well and truly too late, and that our 'stara izreka' is correct... 'Na mladima svijet ostaje!'

(name and details supplied)

Melbourne, VIC