Trauma teddies donated to hospital
Warragul Ranges Probus Club
With 2017 fast coming to a close, the Warragul Ranges Probus Club are preparing for the break-ups of various activity groups.
Most groups have Christmas-themed lunches or afternoon teas with the club Christmas lunch at the Country Club on Thursday, December 14 from 11.30am (cost $30 a head) to be paid by the November meeting.
An OBE birthday was celebrated by Colleen Pruser, and Audrey and Jim Hyde celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Congratulations from all.
The East Gippsland day trip is on Thursday, November 9 with the coach leaving Burke Street carpark at 9am.
The Guide Dog puppies are the recipients of 35 crocheted and knitted rugs for their transition from their mothers to new homes. All have been generously donated by members.
Some members attended the recent "Cluster" lunch which was a great success, with nearly 200 attendees.
The guest speaker was Judy Farmer who is the co-ordinator of the Friends of Drouin Trees, a very active group of Drouin residents who are collating a register of trees of various varieties in and around Drouin.
In the 1800s 12 sawmills operated in the vicinity of Drouin but luckily we have been left with pockets of natural bush with wonderful specimens of eucalypts and ferns.
Drouin streets have avenues of ficifolia, oaks and other species. Some areas have massive trees in the paddocks with enormous girths.
Ninety species of native birds have been recorded colonising many of these older and even dead trees in the area.
Judy told of many past residents who resided in Drouin - one being Antonio Debertoles who migrated from Austria and was a chairmaker (also known by this name as "the chairmaker") who made chairs with local timber and rushes, all without nails. Some of these chairs still survive today. Judy's motto - trees are genuine assets. Peter Myers presented Judy with a small gift with an acclamation from all present thanking her for her presentation.
The next meeting is on Thursday, November 23 at the Warragul Country Club at 10am.
CWA Warragul Evening branch
The Warragul Evening branch if the Country Women’s Association held the annual AGM and general meeting on the October 17 at CWA house.
Members welcomed group president, Mrs Isobel Simmons and group secretary, Mrs Judith Bishop.
Isobel informed members of the many activities the Victorian CWA has been involved with in the past year and what is in store for the new year. Isobel then took the chair for the AGM for the election of office bearers.
Members thanked outgoing president Mrs Glenda Jarred for all her work over the past year.
Mrs Ann Davies was re-elected as treasurer and Miss Janet MacDonald was re-elected as secretary.
The CWA allocated its donations for the past year helping local charities as well as the CWA welfare and emergency funds. These funds assist members and non-members in times of need.
Mrs Gwen Barton has donated to the CWA a wonderful collection of hand knitted garments for premature babies that have been sent on to Head Office in Melbourne for distribution. Both CWA members and the recipient families greatly appreciate these.
Throughout the past year the branch has collected and donated assorted reading glasses, hearing aides, knitted baby clothing, toddler’s jumpers, gloves, scarves and beanies that have been distributed among several charities locally and also Melbourne. If you have any of these items you wish to donate, please phone Janet on 5622 2454.
As the CWA do not meet in December, the branch is having its Christmas breakup on Tuesday November 20 at the Railway Hotel at 6pm for dinner.
Members are asked to bring a homemade Kris Kringle to share. The branch is also collecting non-perishable food items for the Gazette hamper for those less fortunate than ourselves. Please wear your Christmas bloom. Anyone wishing to join will be made most welcome at the November meeting or the next meeting to be held on January 16.
Strzelecki Bushwalking Club
The next club night for the Strzelecki Bushwalking Club will be on Wednesday November 8, starting at 7.30pm at the Scout Hall, Kitchener St, Trafalgar.
The speakers will be club members presenting some of their experiences doing extended walking holidays overseas. It should provide some inspiration and motivation to plan our holiday. All are welcome.
Some walks and other activities such as cycling, kayaking and skiing can be found on the website under newsletter and activities at www.sbwc.org.au.
Warragul Red Cross
The Christmas dinner coming up is early this year and will be held at a new time.
It will be held on Monday November 20 at noon at the Golf club. It is open to all Red Cross personnel. Please put your name down at the shop, or phone Shirley Grove on 5625 3022 if you plan to attend.
Branch fund raising continues with Bunnings barbecues.
The Victorian Division Annual meeting was held in Melbourne in October, and attended by hard working regional representative Helen.
Members also attend four meetings throughout the region, with the next being at Meeniyan.
Emergency services volunteers continue to meet regularly at the Moe library to train for the possibility of emergencies, and keep qualifications up to date. A family have recently been assisted with clothing following a house fire.
The Warragul Red Cross shop in Victoria St always welcomes donations of quality clothing and bric-a-brac. Please bring them to the front of the shop in business hours.
Purchasing or donating goods at the Red Cross shop raises much needed funds for the everyday work of Red Cross.
Red Cross is a diverse organisation, with many services, from patient transport, telecross, humanitarian aid in disasters, international humanitarian law, and tracing of people separated through war and more.
The current appeal running is for refugees fleeing Myanmar.
You can donate at the shop, or online at www.redcross.org.au and follow the links to find out more.
Red Cross members have been busy sewing up trauma teddies recently.
Many of these have been knitted by the Warragul Quilters group.
They had heard of the need for these to be distributed to children experiencing significant trauma.
Recently a presentation was made to the paediatric ward at West Gippsland hospital.
The emergency department is also supplied with teddies, and Eileen Preston has been delivering these, knitted by volunteers, for many years.
Trauma teddies can also be useful in doctors surgeries, and Red Cross Emergency Services always need a supply ready for disasters and activations, local and further afield.