The 99th Annual Conference of the Country Women’s Association of NSW in Bega in early May was a HUGE success for CWA members and the community of Bega Valley. Over 400 CWA members visited our beautiful region for a week, staying in local accommodation and eating in local restaurants and cafes. Helen Galton, President of the local organising committee said “We are so proud of successfully delivering the CWA of NSW State Conference in Bega and would like to thank our whole community for their support throughout the Conference.”
At the Bega Conference, the Cow Cake Decoration Competition First Prize winner was Miranda Shearer of Bega Branch, who won $50 and a cookbook. Nelleke Gorton a member of the local organising committee for Bega State Conference, said “The judge loved the whimsical feel about it”. Another gorgeous entry in the cow cake decorating competition, a Holstein frolicking in green pasture, was made by Ann Holub, President Cobargo CWA Branch.
The Conference Cow Sculpture competition for schools, $500 First Prize was won by Tathra Public School with their cow Daisy, the ‘Cow with Attitude’! The other schools who entered the cow sculpture competition included Bodalla Public, Candelo Public, Central Tilba Public, Eden Public and Tanja Public. Lynn Lawson, Secretary of local CWA conference organising committee said “All cows in the competition showed a lot of imagination and sense of fun. They were a credit to the students who made them. The CWA visitors from around the state voted for all the cows, with the winning cow Daisy from Tathra Public School receiving the most votes.”
CWA members attended an Ecumenical Service at the Bega Showground Pavilion. During the service $943 was collected and will be donated to the Women’s Resource Centre in Bega. The Bega CWA Branch supports the Women’s Resource Centre in Bega, a community service which aims to combat gender-based violence and inequality.
Handicraft was the BIG winner for the Far South Coast Group, who won First Prize with 724 points, retaining the State Handicrafts Exhibition Cup. Marion Cullen of Narooma Branch won First Prize with her Top Ten Item in Section 1, Myreshka, a style of Ukrainian drawn thread work embroidery. Marion Cullen also won First Prize with her Knee or Cot Rug sewn using natural fibres in Land Section 3, and First Prize in Land Section 17 Dressmaking Garment made from mixed fibres. Another First Prize winner in the Top Ten Item Section 1 was Stephanie Stanhope from Bega Branch and President of CWA of NSW, with her Aran knitting. Narooma CWA Branch won First Prize in Section C, the Branch challenge to make four aprons.
Far South Coast Group CWA Land Cookery competition also had State winners. Alison Jenkins, Treasurer of Pambula-Merimbula Branch and Treasurer for local organising committee for Bega State Conference, won first prize for her Banana Bread. Nelleke Gorton, President Bega Branch and member of local organising conference committee, won Second Prize with her decorated 21st Birthday Cake and Third Prize with her Steamed Fruit Pudding. Debbie Fisher, of Cobargo Branch and the Far South Coast Group Cookery Officer, won Third Prize for her Wagon Wheel Slice.
The Bega CWA State Conference local organising committee would like to acknowledge and thank all the local businesses and community organisations for their support. The conference committee would particularly like to thank Pambula and Bega branches of Bendigo Bank, who were a key financial supporter and hosted a ‘Welcome to Bega’ Reception at the Civic Centre for visiting CWA officials. Committee Treasurer Alison Jenkins said “The generous support of our local Bendigo Bank branches in Pambula and Bega was gratefully received and was a wonderful community partnership.”
Bega Betta Home Living donated a Kitchen Aid for CWA conference raffle, which was won by a thrilled Rikki Bryan of Central Tilba. Georgies Fine Jewellery in Bega, Merimbula, Narooma and Batemans Bay, donated a Pandora bracelet with charms. These prizes, enabled CWA members to sell enough raffle tickets to help finance the CWA Conference in Bega.
This week 17-23 May in National Volunteer Week, the local organising committee would like to broadly thank all the volunteers who contributed to making our CWA State Conference in Bega a success. Thank you to CWA Far South Coast Group volunteers, Tathra Lions for their heavy lifting, Bega Rotary for use of their 101 trestle tables, Four Winds for loan of their stage, Cobargo Scouts who managed the parking, Bega Guides for helping with recycling, and all the other community volunteers.
Above: Tathra Public School students Noah, Sam and Grace with Daisy their winning ‘Cow with Attitude’
Above: Nelleke Gorton President of Bega CWA and Annette Kennewell President Tilba CWA presenting a cheque for $943 to Jane Hughes for the Women’s Resource Centre in Bega
