Life members thanked for service

LAST Thursday proved to be a special occasion for two key members of one of the region’s Country Women’s Association groups.

The Bacchus Marsh branch gathered at its base at the Darley Civic and Community Hub to present branch president June Webb and catering convenor Karin Wilson with life memberships.

Ms Webb, who joined the organisation almost 40 years ago, said it is an honour for both of them to achieve the status.

“It’s fantastic,” she said. “We’ve both worked so hard at this. We haven’t stopped in 20 years.

“How I joined was I went to church when we first moved here, and a little old lady asked me to join her at CWA. That was Sylvia Palmer, a real dynamo in the CWA who did over 50 years.”

Both Ms Webb and Ms Wilson were honoured during the branch’s belated service award ceremony in September.

The former was recognised for 10 and 20 years with the organisation while the latter received acknowledgment for her two decades of involvement.

Ms Wilson has been with the CWA for about 50 years, and was previously involved with the Castlemaine branch.

A highlight for both of them in their time with the local group has been overhauling and maintaining Pioneer Women’s Avenue of Honour, with a memorial project completed around 2008, which was accompanied with the creation of a book in 2015.

“We were president and secretary then,” Ms Webb said. “So, we ran the committee that went and did that, and then we brought out the book. That was a lot of work and definitely a highlight.”

Ms Wilson said it is the friendships she has enjoyed the most about her time with the local branch.

“It’s being with the ladies all the time,” she said.

“I’ve had a wonderful time here. I enjoyed CWA up at Castlemaine where I was group president but I haven’t done that here.”