PRESIDENT: Outgoing president Inga Irvine inducting Gail Coates as the 2012-2013 president. lm081112inner3
NEW MEMBERS: President Inga Irvine inducts new members Vanessa Glendinning and Lola Barker. lm081112inner2
GUEST SPEAKER: Jean Lawson from the Lithgow Cancer Support Group. lm081112inner1
GUESTS from Orange, Oberon, Bathurst and Lithgow celebrated the Inner Wheel Club of Lithgow’s 53rd changeover luncheon at the Black Gold Country Cabins and to raise their glasses to propose a toast to the success of International Inner Wheel.
“There are over 100,000 members world wide in over 100 countries,” District A50 council member Gabrielle Ironside said.
“Inner Wheel is one of the largest women’s organisation in the world.
“Members all over the world unite to support the three main objects of their organisation — friendship, personal service and international understanding.”
President Inga Irvine detailed in her annual report the activities the Lithgow club had enjoyed this year and the support they had been able to achieve within the local community, nationally and internationally.
Funds have been raised to support the District International Project, the Alola foundation in east Timor as well as the national project Cord Blood Research.
To date the Inner Wheel members in Australia have raised $1.675 million,” Inga said.
“Locally Lithgow club has supported the Christmas appeals of Christmas and Beyond, Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul, Careflight, Lithgow Cancer Support Group and two local schools for their annual prize giving.”
Inner Wheel also donated hand knitted knee rugs to the four local aged care facilities as well as Trauma Teddies to the Ambulance Service and Lithgow Hospital.
Guest speaker for the luncheon was Jean Lawson from Lithgow Cancer Support Group who explained they are a local group whose funds are only received by donation from the community.
Their aim is to help people with the costs of travelling for treatment as well ongoing emotional support during difficult times.
Two new members were inducted, Lola Barker and Vanessa Glendinning, and they are the first to be able to join under the new membership rules which were passed at the recent International Convention in Turkey.
Prior to this, membership was restricted to women with links to Inner Wheel or Rotary or as honorary members.
Now Inner Wheel is open to women who support the ideals of friendship and service that membership of Inner Wheel entails can be invited to join.
New president for 2012-2013 Gail Coates was inducted during the luncheon and although having served as president before, Gail is looking forward to the next 12 months of service to the club of which she has been a member for 46 years.
It was then time to introduce the new committee for the next 12 months which includes:
Kaye Preema (vice president), Inga Irvine (IMM past president), Sandra Mayne (secretary), Dawn Bower (treasurer), Kaye Preema (international service), Maureen Daskein (historian-club correspondent), Heather Kelly (social convenor), Elsie Gearside (attendance-members correspondent) and Patsy Mansell (editor-publicity officer).
