By CASEY NEILL
WELLSPRINGS for Women celebrated its 20th birthday with a tribute to its founder.
The Dandenong organisation’s staff, participants and friends gathered on 10 December to mark the milestone.
The event started with a tree planting in Halpin Way, named after Wellsprings founder Sister Ann Halpin, a Presentation Sister who died in 2009.
She opened Wellsprings in 1994 as a drop-in centre for women to meet in a homely environment.
It’s now open five days a week, and 15 staff plus more than 40 volunteers work to help more than 600 women each month from 50-plus different countries.
A graduation ceremony in the Dandenong Civic Square followed the planting.
City of Greater Dandenong Mayor Sean O’Reilly presented participation certificates to Wellsprings’ English and computer students, many refugees or asylum seekers.
The square’s big screen played a video about Wellsprings during the ceremony.
