THE community-driven Penola Terra Rossa Country Women’s Association night group is celebrating its first year in the town, continuing to contribute, support and add to local events and fundraisers.
“It has been wonderful to be part of the new group as they are all amazing women and many friendships have been made,” Terra Rossa CWA night group member Anne Johnson said.
“We have enjoyed the connections we have made with the council and with the region’s community groups.”
Future plans the branch hopes to pursue include adding a new exhibition to next year’s Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival and introducing a unique community library to the town.
“Next year’s arts festival will see an array of portraits of influential women from Penola with the theme set as They Came for Love,” Ms Johnson said.
The portraits of the local women will be captured by photographer Christy Radford.
The group also developed the idea of adding a Tiny Library to the town square, which will be constructed and designed in conjunction with the Penola Men’s Shed.
“The Tiny Library will allow community members to borrow and swap books, with the CWA taking care of the books,” Ms Johnson said.
In support of Daffodil Day this week, the group met to plant daffodil buds, which will then be sold and the funds donated to cancer research.
“Each month, we hope to conduct an activity and over the past year these have included touring the Country Fire Service building and learning how to artistically transform a picture frame at Local Images,” Ms Johnson said.
Various catering functions the group were involved with include open garden events and providing supper at the Women’s Wellness Seminar in February.
“We have provided for three wakes, cooked soup for two events and attended the St Mary’s Wines open garden,” Ms Johnson said.
The branch was also successful this year in gaining a grant from the Stand Like Stone Foundation to purchase a new stove for their hall kitchen.
“In the future we will be continuing with our projects, give back to the community and celebrate women,” Ms Johnson said.
