Caloundra Evening VIEW Club

What We've Been Doing:

December 2022 Christmas

Caloundra Evening VIEW Club has enjoyed a wonderful year, so different to last year when many of our meetings and activities were curtailed because of Covid 19. Our membership is currently 117 and we support 12 Learning for Life students.  During the year regrettably we have lost several of our members, some through transfer to other VIEW clubs, but fortunately we have maintained our membership and welcomed many new Members.

Below: Sandra, Toni, Janette, Fleur, Dianne and Julie

Below: Janette, Sandra, Fleur, Sue, Wendy

Our main purpose is to support the education of disadvantaged children through primary, secondary & their tertiary studies in conjunction with The Smith Family.  Socially, we enjoy a monthly dinner meeting with an interesting guest speaker; movies followed by lunch; walks followed by breakfast; dinners and morning teas.  The friendships formed & the camaraderie within our club are other benefits we value.
We wish our Sunshine Coast Community a wonderful 2023.

Below: Carol and Fleur

Below: Valerie and Ruth

September 2022 Dinner Meeting

Below: Di and Vonda

Below: Di and Lee
 

Below: Elaine, Chris and Linda

August 2022 Caloundra Volunteers at Sunshine Coast Marathon

Each year Caloundra Evening VIEW Club volunteers approximately 20 members to assist with the Sunshine Coast Marathon held in August.

This year, on day one we folded 7000 T-shirts into sizes & categories and then on day two we met at Alexandra Headlands Surf Club for a light lunch followed by four hours of fairly intense work registering the runners/athletes and handing out appropriate merchandise. A marathon, half marathon,10 km,5km, and 2km runs were the options for the athletes, many of them having travelled from interstate for the event.

Desley Grainger is the powerhouse behind the organization of our involvement and has done a magnificent job for 14 years.  The members enjoy the day and our volunteering is rewarded for our Learning for Life students.

Celebrating 27 years in 2022 and The Smith Family's 100 Year Birthday

Caloundra VIEW Club is 27 years young in 2022 and even though some of our ladies relocate to other areas, we maintain a healthy membership of 112 enthusiastic members and proudly sponsor 12 children in the Learning for Life Program. We are passionate about the education and support of disadvantaged children as well as supporting Members of our Club.

As with every Club, COVID-19 has had an impact on activities but our committee has worked tirelessly within the health restrictions and guidelines to keep all Members safe, connected, and informed.

Each year substantial funds are raised with a Bunnings Sausage Sizzle as well as being involved in the registering process for athletes competing in the Sunshine Coast Marathon. Both of these activities are well supported by our members who thoroughly enjoy their involvement.

We have interesting and stimulating guest speakers at our monthly evening dinner meetings which are always well received. Caloundra Evening VIEW welcomes guests and new members. Besides the commitment to our Learning for Life students, Caloundra VIEW Club is a wonderful platform to meet like- minded people and enjoy the comradery of women.

100 Years of The Smith Family Crazy Spectacles:

Maria, Liz, Wendy,Beryl

 Forty members made an effort to decorate spectacles.

Desley and Wendy

 Jeanette created her glasses with VIEW colour purple

June 2022 Dinner Meeting

We were thrilled to hear the exploits of Vas Srinivasan from Angel Flight at our June dinner meeting. He was born in India and always had a fascination with flying. He is a very busy optometrist on the Coast and a family man but manages to find time to be involved with Angel Flight. He owns his own plane which he uses to transport country folk to medical appointments etc. Angel flight gets no Government funding and relies on public donations.  The pilots and planes are 100% voluntary with only fuel costs reimbursed. Our speaker was passionate about the service Angel flight provides and very happy to keep up his flying hours as well as providing a welcome and necessary service. It was interesting to hear there is another component to Angel flight and this is the need for volunteers with a vehicle to meet the plane at the airfield and transport patients to the medical facility or drive them from appointments back to the airfield. He was thanked by Linda Warner for his work and to take time out to enlighten us on Angel Flight.

Vice-President Bev welcoming new members, Diane, Alwynne and Ann

Linda thanking our guest speaker, Vas Srinivasan from Angel Flight

2022.06.Morning Tea to Meet VIEW National President Marg Woodhouse

Clubs from Bribie Island, Glasshouse, Kawana and Maroochydore were invited to this auspicious occasion which was well attended and enjoyed by all. Caloundra Power Boat Club offered the perfect setting with stunning views over the Pumicestone Passage with picture perfect weather prevailing. VIEW National Manager Maryanne Maher enlightened us with the history of The Smith Family, which is celebrating its 100th year this year and ran two videos which really demonstrated the positive outcomes offered to disadvantaged Australian children through financial and other supports. Life enhancing changes were demonstrated by children who would have otherwise not had new shoes, uniforms, backpacks, the ability to go on school excursions etc etc.  These children's lives have been turned around where they felt they were not outcasts but proudly a member of their school community.  They could concentrate on their studies and imagine a positive future for themselves.  Caloundra Evening VIEW supports 12 students, often starting in early primary school and going through to university. Besides the financial assistance, our members volunteer their time to mentor the children after school, assisting with homework & reading. our newly elected National Councillor, Marg Woodhouse, spoke of her journey in VIEW and is looking forward to her term in office.  It started, as it did for many of our members, with Marg relocating to another town and looking for friendship and to also contribute back to the community.  Like most of us, Marg realises if a child is able to get a sound education, he/she has the tools to achieve what they wish for their future. The Smith Family and VIEW tick those boxes. Our newly elected Zone Councillor Vonda Cannock also spoke of her journey with VIEW and we wish her luck in her new role. As part of The Smith's Family 100 year celebration, Australian VIEW Clubs are invited to participate in a Crazy Spectacle competition with four different categories— most colourful, most innovative, most humorous, and best group centred on 100 and using the VIEW colours of purple/teal. There is to be no limit to the creativity or bling and entries will be judged with the winners to be announced at the National Convention in Adelaide in September 2022. We had a surprisingly positive response at our last meeting, with approximately 40 members creating their spectacles. So besides the serious side of our club supporting our ‘Learning for Life’ students, we have a lot of fun, enjoying friendships and regular social outings.

Past National Councillor Margaret Elliot with Marg Woodhouse, VIEW National President

VIEW's newly elected National President Marg Woodhouse with Caloundra Evening VIEW Club Publicity Officer Wendy

Beryl (Secretary and Treasurer) and Diane (President)

 Elaine, Zone Councillor Vonda and Desley