QCWA Annual Report 2018-2019

Annual Report 2018–2019 • The Queensland Country Women’s Association

STATE VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT CENTRAL REGION Jan Street (July–October 2018)

STATE VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT CENTRAL REGION Marina Taylor

Life does get easier as I only have to do ‘half a report’ this time and it is definitely my last report! July 2018 was an extremely busy month with all the annual meetings. I was fortunate enough to attend all meetings of the Burnett Division and I sincerely thank Tamara for her transportation. All meetings were a credit to the members and all halls were very well presented. I made another trip to Longreach in August to meet up with all the branches and I chaired their Annual Meetings. The eight Central Western Division Branches were all coping well under extreme hardships and all branch positions were being filled. On 27 August I flew to Canberra with my other executive colleagues to represent Queensland at the Country Women of Australia Conference . This was an enjoyable experience to meet and learn of the good work that the CWA of A is doing in our country. There was a lot of interest in the work that Queensland was doing with the Public Rural Crisis Funding and our Country Kitchen program — in fact, ladies were requesting recipes and all available information! September was occupied with many meetings, especially with local politicians to gain more help and recognition. Also, preparations were being made for the forthcoming State Conference in October. In this position there is so much communicating and travelling to keep in touch with all members that it is hard to put it all on paper but I would like to thank all members and friends for my four years of representing the QCWA as your State Vice-President Central Region, and I wish Marina Taylor, the new State V-P Central Region, all the best and hope she enjoys all the challenges and the friendship of this wonderful Association.

The annual meeting that is the heart of our State Conference is, for me, a great event and I love every minute of it … the formality and the thrust of resolutions, and the guest speakers. The 2018 Conference had me anxious and excited as I had been informed that my nomination for the Central Region Vice-President had been successful and life for me was about to become a whole lot busier: there was a great unknown adventure about to unwind. The adventure became even more mysterious and challenging as a new State President, State International Officer and Southern Region State Vice-President came on board with me (our Northern State Vice-President must have wondered what on earth she was in for!) Gladly, only two of us were new chums on the block. Post-Conference, Council was very busy, and it didn’t slow down in days following our first SEB meeting. The new State President began as she meant to continue, and we have not stopped the forward march to invigorate and push this Association into the future! During Conference I had a message that there was interest in starting a new branch in Yeppoon; this started a chain of events that led to a busy two months of campaigning — and that led to 50 or so ladies coming together in February to discuss the possibility; they are a happy group and having fun — the first new group in Central Region for some time. Amongst Division meetings, a prom dress I had to sew, a wonderful Melbourne Cup function for my Branch and a trip to Yeppoon to investigate possibilities, followed by a trip to Maryborough to check out the Brolga Theatre and Convention Centre for Conference and the Expo, November 2018 disappeared …. In December I was back in Brisbane for our SEB meeting for five days and for me it was home (food, food and more food: I love Christmas!). January is usually a ‘QCWA quiet time’ but I still managed a trip to Yeppoon, visited Capricornia Division and met up with Country Kitchens Rachel … new experiences: fantastic! At month’s end it was back to Brisbane for the Committees Meeting and then our first SEB meetings for the New Year — with the added privilege of a morning tea with our Patron, Mrs Kaye de Jersey.

STATEWIDE

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