QCWA Annual Report 2018-2019

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

STATE ESSAY AND PUBLIC SPEAKING REPORT Beverley Hall How quickly time flies: it doesn’t feel like almost a year since we were attending the 2018 State Conference held in Brisbane at the Convention Centre! At the State finals we were entertained by three ladies, each representing their region. For the Northern Region, Mrs Robyn McFarlane with the topic ‘In my garden’ was the winner and I felt afterwards that her garden would be a great tourist attraction! Representing the Central Region, Ms Tamara Stephenson took up the baton at the last minute as her region’s winner was unable to attend due to ill health. Congratulations to Tamara for stepping up to the challenge to compete! (The protocol rules for Public Speaking do state that the regional runner-up has the right to compete when circumstances prevent the region winner from participating.) Representing Southern Region, Mrs Gail Neville also entertained us with the topic ‘In my garden’. (It would appear that each time Gail removed a weed from her garden she was somehow eliminating anyone who had annoyed her in any way!)

Winning Mrs McFarlane also livened up the morning session with her ‘waste-not-want-not’ approach to creating and beautifying her garden. Winner of the QCWA State Poetry award was Mrs Joyce Libke. There were nine entries in this section and the judges’ comments were that there was very little points difference between the winner and all entries. The Short Story/Essay section saw five competing. Again, there was very little points difference between the winning and other entries. Earlier in the year I was asked to provide a brief on Public Speaking and all other sections that come under the convenorship of Public Speaking. I did submit some recommendations to maybe assist in encouraging members to compete, and that Bush Poetry should become a State-level final contest to be judged at State Conference but, unfortunately, these ideas were not accepted. My principal disappointment for the year thus far has been the lack of support for our competitions at all levels. To all that have sent in entries for 2019: thank-you!

COMMITTEES

QCWA STATE ESSAY AND PUBLIC SPEAKING COMMITTEE

Receipts (Income)

Payments (Expenses)

Donations Received

475.00

Convenor Conference

626.44

Total

475.00

Total

626.44

Surplus / (Deficit)

-151.44

Reconciliation Opening Cash Book Bank Balance 1 July 2018

Bank Statement 30 June 2019

2,629.54

2,478.10

Plus Receipts (Income)

475.00

Less Payments (Expenses)

-626.44

Closing Cash Book Balance 30 June 2019

2,478.10

Balance

2,478.10

44