Donations: Rochester flood recovery co-ordinator Tanya McDermott with Victorian CWA state president-elect Jennifer Nola and some of the winter-themed products that were available at Rochester Shire Hall during the CWA chat ‘n’ chew event on Friday and Saturday.
A call to arms by the executive of the Victorian Country Women’s Association had the desired effect when thousands of winter woollies, cakes and just about anything else that can be baked, cooked, crafted or crocheted was offered to the Rochester community at a two-day event in the shire hall.
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The CWA event was focused on helping improve conditions for vulnerable women, children and families in the town.
Victorian CWA state president-elect Jennifer Nola was the figure behind an extraordinary response that attracted members of clubs from as far afield as Geelong, Phillip Island, Horsham, Cranbourne, Essendon, Warrnambool, Marybourough and, closer to home, from Bendigo, Echuca and Shepparton.
Mrs Nola, who is from the tiny country town of Linton, just outside Ballarat, said she was inspired to help through a close friendship with Rochester’s Cheryl Schwab.
The self-confessed “country girl’’, who now lives in Essendon, said she had been closely following the situation at Rochester and had also been made aware of the devastation by her son.
“My son, James, volunteers with Life Saving Victoria and was in Rochester and Echuca during the floods helping people evacuate in the rescue boats,” she said.
Mrs Nola said state president Pam Mawson and executive director Lynne Jordan had been working closely with Rochester Community House flood recovery co-ordinator Tanya McDermott to make the event a reality.
Aside from the extraordinary range of hand-crafted and knitted goods, all offered to Rochester residents for free, there was also the traditional scones with jam and cream.
Hand massages were offered to participants as a means of relaxation, along with card-making, crochet and knitting lessons.
They also donated chemist and coffee shop vouchers to the community.
“We will be using some money from our emergency and welfare fund and other branches have contributed from their fundraising activities,” Mrs Nola said.
While aimed at providing an outlet for Rochester residents, Mrs Nola said the event had also provided a focus for the CWA members.
“This has given our members something to focus on. Since COVID, we haven’t done a lot of our normal events,” she said.
Mrs Nola’s awareness of the Rochester and Campaspe-wide devastation led her to make the decision to do her Christmas shopping in the area last year.
“I came up here post-pineapple (the adopted name of the October 2022 flood) to do my shopping and was talking to Tanya,” she said.
“That was when we decided to do something. CWA are not a first responder, we more do things down the track.
“The reality has hit home for many people six months after the event, so we decided to put the chat ’n’ chew event together.”
Mrs Nola said the signs were good early when, in the first 15 minutes on Friday, they had 20 people in the hall.
The kitchen team was about to start making more scones mid-morning on Friday because it had run out.
Event organisers even brought all the bread for their sandwiches from the bakery and other supplies required for the event in the town.
Social Issues Committee chair Sally Matthews and Community Support Committee chair Marilyn Tangey were pivotal to success, co-ordinating volunteers and donations for the event, which attracted 340 people to the three sessions.
On Saturday, several members were staying overnight and, as part of a global event, were completing a walk to recognise women who have to walk with water in overseas communities.
“We will do that around town and have a look at the state of things. Several members driving through town were saying the towns look okay,” Mrs Nola said.
“I told them once they looked through the windows of a few houses that opinion would change.”
Beanies, hand-knitted bed socks, scarves, fingerless gloves, teddies and some instructions on how to make the goods for themselves were available at the shire hall.
And Mrs Nola didn’t expect a lot to be left on the tables by the end of the two-day event.
“We are going through everything at a great rate of knots. The cakes, in particular, are flying out the door,” she said.
Mrs Nola and her CWA membership also enjoyed an evening at the Shamrock Hotel, where 12 members had a delicious dinner on Friday evening.
Campaspe Branch of the CWA will be holding its first meeting since the flood at the Rochester Cafe on May 16 at 1pm. All new members welcome.
For more information, phone Lucille on 0437 772 941 or Sally on 0487 170 126.
Special delivery: Bendigo-based state CWA community support chair Marilyn Tangey and social issues chair Sallyann Matthews, from Cowes, were among the members who attended the two-day chat ’n’ chew event at Rochester’s shire hall.
