Women on a roll to help farmers

NOBLE PARK women are lending a hand to Victorian farmers hardest hit by the drought by donating hundreds of dollars of vital toiletries in handcrafted bags.
Up to 25 members of the Noble Park Country Women’s Association (CWA) have been collecting donations of toiletries from people over the past several months to send relief packages to farmers in Gippsland and near the Murray River where drought conditions are at their worst.
Volunteer Yvonne Smith said the ladies were outside Safeway supermarkets at Waverley Gardens and Parkmore shopping centres last month handing out leaflets explaining the cause. She said the CWA was overwhelmed by the response of generous shoppers who returned with a range of toiletries that eventually filled about seven supermarket trolleys.
In addition to Safeway’s generosity, Ms Smith said PZ Cussons in Dandenong had donated soaps and talcum powder, and the City of Greater Dandenong council had donated $450 with which the Noble Park CWA purchased more toiletries. The bundles of relief are then packaged in handmade bags crafted by the CWA volunteers.
Anyone who wishes to donate toiletries to the CWA cause can contact Yvonne Smith at the Noble Park CWA on 9547 7261.