Geelong Day VIEW Club

The third Monday of each month is our Catch-up with a Cuppa day.

Interestingly this little ritual really took off during Covid, when no coffee shops were open and there were no meetings to attend. Our President, who found herself presiding over not much at all, began the amazingly successful Afternoon Teas via Zoom. As soon as our Members were free to meet their friends in person again scheduling regular catch-ups over a cuppa between each Club meeting was a no-brainer.

Our Cuppa Co-ordinators book a different venue in a different area of Geelong each month;  sometimes a nursery cafe, perhaps a seaside restaurant or a golf club. Is there downside to such a well attended activity? Yes - some sweet little cafes just aren't large enough.

Bunnings shoppers in Geelong had no excuse for lacking energy while our Mothers' Day Cake Stall was in progress. The tables were groaning from the weight of all those goodies.

There were slices galore, scones, cupcakes, muffins, fruit loaves, and lots of gluten free treats as well. It's highly likely some customers who claimed to be 'just buying this for mum' were stretching the truth a little.

With such amazing support from our wonderful Members both in the kitchen and staffing the stall a reasonable outcome was hoped for, but everyone was totally blown away by the result - just over $1,000!  A handy addition to this year's fundraising efforts.

Our beautiful Club celebrated its 17th birthday in May. With each passing year we seem to go from strength to strength and again had many visitors from other Clubs who attended to celebrate with us, together with one of our inaugural members.

There were numerous hampers as fabulous raffle prizes, a well stocked trading table, and one of our own amazing members volunteered to make cupcakes for everyone. She even claimed to have enjoyed the process! 

Our guest speaker was the delightful Diana Taylor, a well known local identity and high achiever who's also an author (The Playbook), lawyer (Diana Taylor Legal Consulting), and the daughter of one of our longstanding Club members.

Can't wait till we turn 18.

A few years ago, faced with a particularly chilly winter, our local Smith Family staff asked whether our Members would be interested in knitting enough beanies for them to give one to each preppy. VIEW Clubbers do love a challenge!

Each year since the wonderful knitters amongst us have knitted and purled their way to providing hundreds of beanies to keep little heads warm and cozy. Much of the yarn is donated and artistically combined to produce hats in stunning colour combinations.

Even The Smith Family staff couldn't help but try one or two beauties on when this year's final shipment of 150 beanies was delivered.

Knitting for next winter has already begun.

On a Thursday evening in December, another Bunnings Christmas Market stall. Tables laden with handmade gifts including crafts, cakes, biscuits and preserves. No sausages for this event but there were homemade sausage rolls. A total hit with evening shoppers.

 

For the first half of each year our members purchase toiletries, and meanwhile our sewers make colourful fabric bags. The project comes together in about September when the bags are packed with a selection of essentials and delivered to Meli for distribution to women (and a few men) in need.

The recipients have often had to leave an unsafe environment in a hurry, when toiletries can be frequently left behind. A longstanding initiative by our Club that continues to tug at our heartstrings.

Our green fingered ladies love putting together an amazing array of plants each October for our Annual Plant Sale.  And those without green fingers are always delighted to reap the benefits and purchase some bargains for their gardens.

This event was held in the outside courtyard, and we are grateful to staff at Eastern Hub for helping us to set up and advertising the event to patrons.

 

When a Member suggested collecting bottles etc to put through one of the new recycling stations in Geelong we all thought it sounded like a decent fundraising idea, but at 10 cents for each item no-one expected the amazing result produced so far - $1,500 and counting! And $1,500 = 15,000 items.

Stunning work ladies.