A gift in each box

Kerryn Suttie, Merryl Krumins, Jenny Cacic, Pamela Burns and Bev Owen at the VIEW Club Box Auction. 151612 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

VIEW Club Berwick members got arty in the name of charity.
The club of 33 women raised more than $400 for The Smith Family, with bids of just $15 for creatively wrapped gifts.
Auctioneer on the day Patricia Woodruff said some of the ladies brought more than one gift to the club’s annual ‘Box Auction’.
“We buy presents of $10 and package them in beautifully wrapped gift boxes to be auctioned,” Ms Woodruff said.
“We sponsor three young people as part of The Smith Family ‘Learning for Life’ program, which supports the education of disadvantaged Australian children.”
The club is unaware of the children they sponsor but Ms Woodruff said that does not stop them.
“VIEW stands for voice, interests and education of women and we are the leading volunteer organisation and support network which empowers women to have their voices heard,” she said.
“We have already made donations to The Smith Family this year and once we have hit $600 it will go toward one of the children we sponsor,” she said.