Club Notes...

Drouin CWA

Fifteen members attended the October monthly meeting of the Drouin branch of the Country Women’s Association.

President Elva welcomed Marlene Vell, a member of the Harcourt branch who was visiting the area.

The secretary reported that letters acknowledging the $200 donation sent to each of the following had been received - Berry Street, Lifeline Gippsland, West Gippsland Healthcare Group, Gippsland Rotary Centenary House and the Fight Cancer Foundation.

A thankyou letter for knitted goods was received from Gippsland Anglicare.

The payments to the Association to support state projects, international projects sponsored by Associated Country Women of the World and financial and in kind support to local community organizations and events.

Members heard details of the Garden Expo at Lardner Park, where members helped serve the Devonshire Teas.

The final report from the international officer of the country of study Cameroon was heard.

Next year's country to be studied is Papua New Guinea.

Gippsland regional director of Gippsland Youth for Christ Chris Hobbs was most interesting and informative, telling all present about the variety of projects for young people this organisation implements and organises.

Members then voted to select Youth for Christ to be the 2016 group project.

The Quilt Handback event was a wonderful afternoon event with many guests in attendance who reminisced about this 1988 bi-centennial project.

In preparation for the branch annual meeting held yesterday, which was attended by the group president and secretary, office bearers were elected and appointed officers named so that the Latrobe Central group president can ratify these appointments.

The December monthly meeting will be held on Monday December 14 at 10am, after which the branch Christmas dinner will be held at “The Crossing” Drouin.

As well as catering for this function the organisation will receive a financial donation. As has been the practice in the past this donation is collected in lieu of the exchange of Christmas gifts.

If you are considering joining CWA, organisers say this day would be an enjoyable introduction to the camerardie and the satisfaction gained by working in a team to help those in your community and beyond in times of need.

For more information phone the secretary Yvonne on 5625 2080.

Warragul and District Garden Club

The October meeting was abuzz with flowers and bees.

The show bench had a large very colourful array of entries on display and guest speaker Bill Ringin had a frame of bees in a glass case for members to look at.

He explained the importance of bees in gardens and gave members a description of how a hive works.

Planting bee attracting plants such as Echium, Lavender, Salvias, Grevilleas and Banksias promote pollination of fruit trees and other plants in gardens.

Winner of the flower of the month was Ron Blair and Carol Burns staged the best exhibit.

The annual Iris competition was won by Ron Blair, second place went to Lois Saunders and third went to Carol Burns. The club congratulated all who entered.

The door prizes went to Irene Rolfe and Susan Johnson.

New club sponsor Kurinda Roses has extended an invitation to visit their nursery and garden to see their roses, which are now in full bloom.

The bus trip to the Werribee State rose gardens on Saturday still has vacancies. Cost is $30 ($25 members).

For further details and bookings phone Lois 5625 4007.

The next meeting on Monday, November 23 will be the club’s last for the year. It will be followed by Christmas lunch at the Black Tie. Cost is $35.

Members are urged to let Lois know prior to the date if you will be attending. Flower of the month for November is a container of Roses.

The meeting is held at the Senior Citizens Centre, Mason Street Warragul commencing 9.45am (doors open 9am).

New members welcome.

For more information phone Lois 5625 4007.

Strzelecki Bushwalking Club

Several members travelled to Daylesford on October 24 for the ‘Federation’ weekend. This annual event allows bushwalking clubs to gather together to meet, mingle and of course walk.

Twenty walks were on offer and on Saturday night there was a communal dinner and a guest speaker.

The weather was glorious, the bush very dry, but the walks were interesting with evidence of gold diggings on many.

Back on our side of the state, where it is a bit greener, the club walks will include a base camp weekend on the Mornington Peninsula and a seven-day hike on the Australian Alpine Walking Track from Dead Horse Gap to Kiandra.

The shorter Tuesday walk will start at O’Shea’s mill site near Erica.

For something a bit different a 5km obstacle course, the ‘Summit survivor’ will be held on November 15 and later in the month, a challenging walk at Mt Baw Baw is available.

Another easy grade walk on the Mirboo North Rail Trail will cap off the month.

The guest speaker at the club night tomorrow will tell members all about the birds of the Strezlecki Ranges.

People who would like to join club activities can phone Fran Miller on 5623 3093 or for more information visit the website www.sbwc.org.

Baw Baw Probus

Seventy-two members attended the October meeting and enjoyed a lighthearted talk from Michelle Foster from Alzheimer's Australia.

Michelle gave members some valuable information and stressed we all need to keep active in mind and body and to keep challenging ourselves.

A dozen or more members attended the cluster dinner and enjoyed a delicious meal with likeminded friends in Probus.

November sees a busload of Probians heading to the Port Of Sale for a cruise and lunch.

The next meeting is on today at 9.30am at the Masonic Hall, new members welcome.

Warragul Rangers Probus

Warragul Rangers Probus sent greetings to its members on the sick and recuperating list at its October meeting.

Speaker coordinator Russell Brown introduced Lauren from Australian Hearing to our members.

Lauren spoke of hearing loss of 60 per cent to our over 60 age group and gave hints on helping to look after our ears from very loud noise while working around machinery.

Several members took advantage of hearing tests after Lauren's talk.

The end-of-year lunch on Thursday, December 3 will be $30 a head with money to be paid by the November meeting.

It is time to start thinking about nominations for the 2016-2017 committee with several positions becoming vacant.

None of these positions are too onerous as help is always at hand with advice. Meetings are held in a very friendly atmosphere.

The next monthly meeting is on Thursday, November 26 at 10am at the Warragul Country Club.

Warragul evening branch of CWA

The Warragul evening branch members welcomed, with laughter, group president Gwen Dale and secretary Betty Bjorksten to its annual meeting.

Both women looked “royal” in their tiaras and furs.

Gwen took the chair for the election of 2015/16 office bearers. Glenda Jarred accepted the position of president, Gwen Mason secretary and Ann Davies the treasurer.

All other positions were filled quickly.

The group president reported that the Country of Study for 2016 will be Papua New Guinea. The Resource of the year is to be “chooks and eggs”.

The February group conference will be held at Rokeby with the new Neerim District branch as hostesses.

The competition on the day will be a “fun decorated bra”.

Money raised from the voting will go to the West Gippsland hospital cancer department.

As usual, members of the public queued for our hot scones, jam and cream made at the Drouin Lions Garden Expo.

Unfortunately the stoves in the kitchen are still very antiquated hence the long queues.

Members of the Toorak Rotary Club, who have partnered with audiologist Blamey Saunder and Better Hearing Australia, picked up the second hand hearing aids that members around the state have been collecting.

The hearing aids are specialist cleaned and reprogrammed.

People on low incomes and ineligible for government assistance can apply for these recycled aids from The Victorian Hearing Aid Bank.

The branch thanked member Margaret Sheppard and husband Bob for the chance to shop at their bag shop in Napier Street.

The next meeting is to be Christmas dinner at the Family Hotel in Drouin on November 17 at 6pm.

Homemade Kris Kringle gifts will be exchanged and members are reminded to bring along non-perishable goods for the usual Christmas hamper which will be contributed to the Warragul Gazette’s hamper for those less fortunate than ourselves.

No meeting is to be held in December but members will be back refreshed in January in readiness for the usual Ficifolia CWA Arts and Crafts Exhibition.

Warragul Stroke Support

The next meeting of the Warragul Stroke Support group is to be held today from 1pm to 3pm at Community House, 138 Normandy St Warragul.

The group have been invited to join the Cranbourne group for lunch on Sunday.

For details contact Jean on mobile 0400 342 291 or email jeandave05@yahoo.com. au.

For interested people the group will have a visit from a woman involved with Quilts of Valour.

She will be guest speaker on Tuesday December 8 and organisers say it is going to be very interesting.

Warragul Senior Citizens

The trip to Melbourne for a cruise and lunch at the casino proved very popular with 110 people enjoying the day out.

The club has another outing to Caribbean Gardens on Friday, November 27.

Cost is $25, pay on booking and bring your own lunch.

Bookings are essential with everyone welcome (you don’t need to be a member).

The club hope to get some games going in the New Year. The club desperately needs card players (500 and euchre), chess players and carpet bowlers. Learners are welcome.

For anyone interested games will be discussed at the general meeting on Tuesday, February 9 or phone Frank or Joan on 5623 1132 or 5623 1901.

The Christmas dinner will be held at Warragul Country Club on Sunday, December 13 at noon. The club will have hampers to raffle as usual.

Cost for the members only event is $20, to be paid on booking.

Anyone over 55 years can become a member for $2 per year, with new members always welcome.

Hoy will finish for the year on December 16 and resume January 4, 2016.

The clubrooms will be closed from December 23 and open again January 4.

The club wishes its members a happy and safe festive season.

Warragul Probus

The highlight of the October general meeting was the presentation of 11 OBE certificates to deserving members.

After the morning tea break, Alan Clarke and his Swinging Band had hands clapping and toes tapping as they entertained enthusiastic members.

The dine-out was a two-course seniors lunch at the Club Hotel in Warragul. Sixteen members enjoyed the food and pleasant company.

The monthly walk was along Tea Tree Rd to the aqua duct at Labertouche.

As they had hoped, the members saw plenty of wildflowers and a profusion of boronia, so they were not disappointed.

Several members attended the Combined Probus Club luncheon at Danny’s the Venue.

The key attraction of this annual event is the opportunity to meet and mingle with other Probus members in the area.

The next meeting will be held tomorrow at 9.45am at the Athenaeum Room, Warragul Sporting and Social Club.