Events

Young Leaders Weekend • CWA Branch Launches 2011 Calendar

Successful 86th State Conference held in Geraldton

The 86th Annual State Conference of the Association was held in the Batavia Hall of the Geraldton Grammar School from 12th to 15th July 2010. State President, Mrs Alice Adamson chaired the Conference which was attended by delegates from 116 branches as well as observers.
The Hon James Chown MLC, Member for Agricultural Region (representing the Premier) officially opened the Conference on Monday night. This Conference was an historic occasion as it was the first time the State Management Committee had been elected by the whole membership.

During the Official Opening the following awards were presented:
• CWA Young Volunteer of the Year Award: State President, Mrs Alice Adamson presented the CWA Young Volunteer Award to Candice Snitch from Cookernup. Candice was nominated by Yarloop branch.
• Clarice Rudduck Memorial Award for community service won jointly by Western Suburbs and Koorunga Branches.
• CWA Community Grants of $5000.00 each were made to Northampton and Koorda.

A highlight of the evening was the conferring of Honorary Life Membership on Pam Batten (Yuna Branch), the highest award of the Association.

On Tuesday morning an Ecumenical Service was held. Reverend Trevor Waters made thecall to worship, Dean Jeremy Rice delivered the Homily with the theme “A Fresh Start”, Pastor Dieter Dell’Antonio lead the prayers and the blessing of Conference was made by Father Brenton Taylor.

Cr Ian Carpenter, Mayor of the City of Geraldton/Greenough held a Civic Reception for representatives of the Association on Tuesday evening.

Motions carried during State Conference included support of the annual University of Western Australia Rural Education Field Trip with a donation of $1500.00. This would assist with the cost of transport to enable pre-service teachers’ participation in Education Field Trips. The Field Trips provide diverse experiences including time on a pastoral station, School of the Air and at District High Schools. Sixty six percent of the pre-service teachers undertaking the Field Trips over the past four years have indicated they would apply for a rural or remote position as a new graduate.

A motion submitted by Boyanup Branch was carried, proposing a state wide fundraising event in 2010-2011 in the form of a five kilometre “girl power” walkathon. Funds raised will be shared between the Country Women’s Association of WA and the Diabetes Research Foundation of
Western Australia (Inc).

A beautifully illustrated calendar, entitled They Bloom Again, was launched during the Conference. The calendar featured members of Yuna Branch photographed among wildflowers of the area. Proceeds of the calendar will be shared by CWA and the McGrath Foundation. Copies of the calendar will be available from the Association’s Showroom in West Perth. Cost $10.00.

Delegates were privileged to have Sue Middleton, National winner of the 2010 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) Rural Women’s Award, address them under the theme Rural Communities – Strategies for Turbulent Times. Sue made recommendations on ways to respond to the changes/challenges faced by rural communities.

A challenging and enlightening symposium on Alcohol Abuse in the Community was facilitated by Jo Prendergast with speakers Constable Dan Ryan (Mullewa); Dr Murray James - Wallace, GP; Julian Krieg (Wheatbelt Men’s Health); Elizabeth Szczepanska, (Psychologist) and
Mitchell Dobbie (Regional of the Manager Midwest Alcohol & Drug Service).
A social highlight of the week was a friendship dinner attended by 270 members, partners and friends and representatives of the sponsors of the Conference. It was a fun-filled evening allowing delegates to socialise and relax after the business of the Conference.

Ms Rosemary Mills (Cunneata Branch of CWA) addressed Conference as a mental health consumer and a Bi-Polar sufferer. Rosemary acknowledged the generous support given her by the Association which enabled her to attend a Conference in the United States of America and to study and compare mental health services available there with services in Western Australia.
Members of the new State Management Committee were announced:
• State President, Maggie Donaldson
• State Treasurer, Heather Allen
• Ordinary Members: Elva Rolinson, Pam Batten, Sue Dunne, Sara Kenny, Lesley Langley,
Vivienne Rowney, Sally Nicholl, Reina Field.

Entertainment throughout the week highlighted the wealth of talented people from the region. Men’s tours were organised for partners of delegates and a tour of the City was well supported by those attending the Conference after its close.

The organising Committee, Yuna Branch, was congratulated and thanked by the State President for their endeavours and diligence in presenting a well organised and enjoyable Conference.

Three of the State Presidents who have chaired a Geraldton State Conference cut the beautifully decorated cake. They were assisted by members who have attended all five State Conferences that have been held in Geraldton since the first in 1960.

New State President Maggie Donaldson (left) carries the State Banner following the closure of conference, assisted by retiring State President Alice Adamson.

Young Leaders Weekend

An annual event on the CWA calendar is the Young Leaders’ Weekend. Held in May this year, it was attended by 13 young people. The chosen venue was Manjedal, the Scout Association’s outdoor activities centre in Byford. CWA members, Helen Armstrong, Annette
Howard and Helen Moore were the organisers of the event.

After a brief “getting-to-know-you” session, participants and leaders headed for the archery range. As the morning progressed skills improved, and the firing line was shifted further from the target. There were a number of “bulls’ eyes” along the way.

The afternoon’s activity was a crate climb. An upside-down milk crate formed the base and then a second was placed on top. Toes were inserted into the hand-hold spaces and another crate was handed up to the climber. Slowly and carefully, the stack increased until
the pull of gravity won. The record for the activity was 15 crates – amazingly high! A safety rope ensured a controlled trip back to the ground. (Providing your “buddy” was paying attention to the task!)

Teamwork activities proved to be lots of fun after dinner, with groups tackling the challenge of making a shelter to accommodate them all, using only newspaper and masking tape. A group effort to move a raw egg across the room using strings and rubber bands seemed
doomed, but we are happy to report that there were no tragedies, and the eggs were able to be consumed at breakfast.

On Sunday morning, the 240 metre aerial runway above the treetops and across a valley provided a huge challenge for most of the participants. Helen Moore’s experience as a School Nurse enabled her to encourage some of the timid ones into taking the plunge, and
once they braved the first crossing, they were lining up to experience the thrill again and again.

A short session on the low ropes’ course on the way back to base proved the effectiveness of teamwork, as it was impossible to complete the course alone.

While the format and venue were quite different from previous years, the basic skills taughtwere the same – communication, goal setting and teamwork. Participants all agreed that they had taken part in a great weekend.

CWA Branch Launches 2011 Calendar

Very tastefully done! Awesome! Terrific! A wonderful mixture of humour, good judgement, industry and beautiful wildflowers!

These were some of the comments following the launch of the Yuna CWA calendar. The 2011
calendar is a fundraiser initiated by branch members in the small community of Yuna.

Twelve enthusiastic and courageous CWA members of varying ages are featured in one of “those calendars”. The tasteful and discreet photos have been taken in the natural beauty of the bush and the funds raised are for a “Blooming Good Cause”!

Funds raised from the sale of the calendar will be distributed equally between the Country Women’s Association of WA and the McGrath Foundation.

The calendar was launched at the Country Women’s Association State Conference in Geraldton on the 13th July by the Geraldton based McGrath Foundation Breast care nurse.

The calendar is dedicated to the resilience of country women and the ability of women facing adversity to deal with any issue, whilst supporting each other.

A new Breast Screen Clinic is to be built in Bunbury. Breast Screen WA will be having a permanent van parked in the SJOG Hospital carpark for a couple of years until the fixed clinic is built.

Mrs Maggie Donaldson, Country Women’s Association of WA State President said “ I encourage all women in the region to come along and make use of this excellent service”.

Calendars can be purchased for $10.00 from the State Office or by emailing
battenpj@bigpond.net.au