FUNDRAISING QUEEN DOES HER BIT
SELF-confessed party animal Verna Teddy Garlick is a spruiking queen.
She won’t let you walk past her fundraising table without charismatically convincing you to donate to the farmers. She is a saleswoman at heart and a persuasive one at that.
She has raised more than $5000 for farmers in need.
The Southport RSL gave Verna, 89 years young, the goahead to set up in the lobby to raise money for the struggling farmers and she ran with it, even giving out free hugs for donations.
And she raised a lot. A Verna hug is priceless.
“I eyeballed them and guilted them into it and then I gave them a hug. We all win,” she said.
In only three hours, Verna made $900.
“One man came over and gave me $50, then he returned later and gave me another $50 and it was a stretch for him to give that. People can be so generous.
“I just kept taking my bucket around.”
Verna used to run her own hair salon at Dubbo and cut the hair of farmers and their wives while business on farms was thriving back in the day.
“I know how tough it is out there now. I will just do my bit to help.”
Using her attention-grabbing sales technique, Verna used to sell showbags at various regional shows.
She has also worked on cruise ships headed for Alaska, run a successful fashion business and designed lace and satin diamante headbands that trended at retailer David Jones.
That was in between living in Canada and studying psychology. And she has translated her many varied life skills to benefit her recent fundraising efforts.
“It (fundraising) is all about speaking up and making contact,’’ she said.
“It’s about connecting with people, to be a good social citizen.”
Verna has recently undergone a surgical procedure but it won’t be long before she is back up and about dancing, entertaining those around her, spruiking for the greater good and being a great friend to everyone who has had the pleasure of meeting her.
Nothing can keep a good girl like Verna down. She’s already planning her next venture, so stay tuned.
IT (FUNDRAISING) IS ALL ABOUT SPEAKING UP AND MAKING CONTACT … IT’S ABOUT CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE, TO BE A GOOD SOCIAL CITIZEN