CWA members see arts success

FOR the next twelve months, one of the aggregate trophies from the Country Women’s Association of Victoria’s Creative Arts Exhibition will be displayed at a local group’s homebase.

The win was given to members of the Scarsdale CWA who, with 21 women in the group, took the prize in the 17 to 31 members category.

Six members contributed 41 works out of 1400 overall entries, including Anne Wilson who said it was a wonderful first-time win for the club.

“It was amazing,” she said. “Everyone in the CWA community were very pleased for us. I think we had 19 awards out of what we’d submitted.

“When you think of a state competition, you never think your entries will be good enough so this was our first year going in and stepping out of our comfort zone.

“Hopefully, this will be the beginning of more to come.”

The Scarsdale members took eight 1st places, seven 2nd place, and five 3rd place awards during the event which occurred late last month at the St Arnaud Town Hall.

Entries ranged from needlework, knitted items, and patchworks, to preserves, and cookery.

The top spot follows group and solo aggregate awards for Scarsdale at CWA Victoria’s regional exhibition in May as well as giving the best state report during the organisation’s conference in Melbourne in June.

Ms Wilson said the trophy adds to an overwhelming year for the club and will be a boost for their continued development.

“Because membership is growing across the state, the fact we’re blossoming in our little area, it gives everyone a good feeling,” she said.

“This is an incentive for the younger new members but also for the older women who’ve been guiding us and showing us how to do things.

“This gives them a lot of reward. We’ve got a student studying agriculture and professional women in their 30s. It’s a really diverse group and not all crafts and cooking.”

The trophy will be housed at the Woady Yaloak Recreation Reserve until the next annual Creative Arts Exhibition.