Food bank praised

LAST Thursday, 18 February, the West Gippsland Group of the Country Women’s Association of Victoria held its annual general meeting and autumn conference at the Uniting Church Hall in James Street, Pakenham.
The West Gippsland Group consists of seven branches – Noble Park, Dandenong, Cranbourne, Berwick, Casey Dinner, Woorinyan and Pakenham – each having delegates representing their branches.
The Pakenham CWA was the host branch for the day and provided morning tea and lunch.
The meeting was opened by Cardinia Shire Council councillor Collin Ross of who spoke on the range of social issues on which the CWA was represented, the wonderful work the 4Cs Food Bank is doing for the community, of the population growth of Cardinia Shire and that six and a half families are moving into Pakenham daily.
Pene Oorloff, group president welcomed everyone to the 2010 annual meeting and during proceedings, Doreen Napier, CWA club committee chairman, declared executives positions open and called for nominations for group president and secretary.
One nomination from Chris Johnson of the Pakenham branch was accepted, Mrs Johnson was elected as group president and Eileen Denereaz as secretary for the 2010/2011 year.
Mrs Johnson and Mrs Denereaz will commence their positions following the CWA state conference being held in the Melbourne Town Hall on the 25-27 May.
The 2009/10 charity nominated was the Cardinia Combined Churches Caring of Pakenham.
Members brought non- perishable food and a car boot full was taken after the meeting to the 4Cs depot.
During the conference in the afternoon, secretary Gael Napier announced the five winners of the Ailsa Pekel Scholarship for secondary and tertiary students.
These were gratefully received by the recipients.
Club committee chairman Doreen Napier was a guest speaker and spoke of the excellent bed and breakfast facility at the CWA head office at Umina, 3 Lansell Road, Toorak, which can accommodate 45 people.
The bed and breakfast facility is also available to non-members.
Mrs Napier also spoke of the wonderful catering which the members do at the Royal Melbourne Show.
Volunteers come down from the country and city to provide meals for the exhibitors and visitors to the show.
A report was then given on the creative arts exhibition held at Cranbourne Public Hall in September.
The 2010 West Gippsland Group Creative Arts Exhibition will be held at the Cranbourne Public Hall on 30 September and 1 and 2 October with Cranbourne CWA hosting the event.
The West Gippsland CWA group picnic is being held at the Civic Park in Drouin on Monday 29 March and members will try to support traders who experienced the Black Saturday bushfires last year.
The nominated charity for 2010/2011 is the Ronald McDonald House for children and the seven branches will be working toward a good donation to be forthcoming at our next annual meeting.