By BRIDGET SCOTT
THE Berwick Country Women’s Association (CWA) celebrated a unique milestone last Thursday.
On 18 July, around 100 men and women gathered at St Andrew’s Uniting Church in Berwick to celebrate 80 years for the association.
State President of CWA Dorothy Coombe congratulated the group on their years of hard work and dedication.
“I am proud of the Berwick branch and what they are doing,” she said.
“Moving ahead in leaps and bounds.”
Member from the Berwick CWA Branch Carmel Ryan also spoke to the group, and ran through a brief history of the club.
She mentioned that 77 people signed up for the group on the first day of the Berwick CWA.
The first meeting was held in the Supper Room of the Soldiers Hall on 15 June, 1933.
During the 1940’s, the club supported a school for the Land Army, and also wrote to three branches in England.
After this, Ms Ryan presented members of the branch with certificates of service, which included some remarkable years for various members.
Kathleen Clarke and Marlies Heath were awarded with the most impressive certificates, which recognised 48 years of service to the Berwick CWA.
Other members awarded included Betty Hewlett for 39 years, Hilda Taylor for 36 years and Hilda Barry for 35 years.
The group also sung happy birthday on the day, and read through cards which had been sent from groups throughout Victoria, congratulating the Berwick CWA on the big achievement.
Local politicians as well as Cardinia Shire Mayor Brett Owen and City of Casey Mayor Amanda Stapledon attended the celebration.
“It’s fantastic for the women of Casey to have a networking opportunity such as this, where they can come together to share and learn from each other,” Cr Stapledon said.
“From arts and crafts and organising social events, to campaigning on issues of women’s rights, all the hard work you do enriches the lives of women and their families in our community.
“Casey would not be such a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family without the support and efforts of our community organisations and volunteers like yourselves.”
