By Casey Neill
Jean Taylor has been a Country Women’s Association member since she was 22 years old.
The 70-year-old joined the Campaspe branch when she lived in Rochester, in country Victoria.
“My mother always belonged,” she said.
“I was asked to join and I was really quite delighted.
“I first looked at joining the choir, but I was really interested in joining the other activities as well.
“That was before my daughter was born.
“When we moved down here 34 years ago I joined up with Noble Park.”
The Springvale South resident and fellow branch members Penny Oorloff and Margaret ‘Peggy’ Cox were recognised for their long service at a lunch at Berwick’s Sage at Parkhill on Monday 31 October.
Ms Taylor said she enjoyed the companionship, friendship and working for the community.
“I really like joining in everything, but I do like the craft work,” she said.
“We do assist the local special schools with blankets and knitting and painting smocks – anything that we can help them with.
“That’s all made by us, we don’t just go out and buy them.”
The group meets twice a month and has just over 30 members, ranging in age from 57 to 90 years.
“I have learnt so much craft work and become confident about doing lots of things,” Ms Taylor said.
“It is a big part of my life.
“There’s something in the diary at least every week.
“I was group president a couple of years ago.
“I attended head office three or four times a year as well, so I extended friendships across the state.”
Ms Oorloff, 68, lives in Springvale and joined because her neighbour refused to share her linen craft skills.
“She said ‘no, come along to the CWA and they’ll teach you!’,” she laughed.
That was in 1968.
“The Noble Park branch is the most absolutely fabulous group of ladies,” she said.
“I’ve learnt so much.
“I wasn’t a very upfront person, I was very timid and shy.
“I’ve stood up and spoken in front of hundreds of people.”
“You have to pay mega dollars to get these kinds of skills.
“I learnt how to make scones, decent scones, finally!
“I’m still working on sponge cake.”
Ms Cox, 84, came to Australia as a 10-pound-Pom from England.
“It took three weeks. I rowed all the way here!” she joked.
“When I first got here by boat I went to Noble Park, looked over my back fence and it was market gardens,” she said.
“Parkmore Shopping Centre wasn’t there.
“I had a dunny in the back yard. It was an unmade road.”
She found friendship in her new home through the CWA.
“It’s for company and friends,” she said.
Ms Cox, who now lives at Park Glen Retirement Village in Keysborough, has used the knitting skills she learnt through CWA to make clothing for her children and 10 grandsons.
The group welcomes new members and donations of craft materials.
Call 9547 7261 for more information.
