The Echuca branch of the largest women’s voluntary service organisation in the world will soon host a special get-together.
The Inner Wheel Club of Echuca has invited members and guests along to a ‘cuppa for a cause’ at the Echuca Library meeting room on Monday, June 24.
While the club helps out with various local charities when they can, funds raised from this event will go towards Echuca Neighbourhood House, which offers courses and programs for people to help them attain higher education and/or employment.
“We’ve seen the Neighbourhood House has been short on funds, so we’d like to help out,” Inner Wheel Club of Echuca president Di Owen said.
“We’re just asking people to rock up and have morning tea with us for $10 – we’ll have a raffle and lucky door prizes.
“We’re doing the food and coffee ourselves, there’s some nice homemade goodies. Our ladies are good cooks and that’s how they were brought up.”
Ms Owen said that since the pandemic, fundraising activities have become more difficult for the club, but they have still managed to raise money for the Echuca Parkinson’s Support Group and the Nanneella pre-school to help with toys and equipment after the devastating floods.
The club is required to split its fundraising efforts between local, national and international charities, with any surplus funds used for supplies at their monthly meetings.
“It’s a friendship group and we try to do stuff for the communities – we might go to member’s house, or a club and have a lunch and we have an outing once a month for members’ birthdays like in Girgarre or Gunbower,” Ms Owen said.
The Inner Wheel was originally formed in Manchester, England in 1924 as a way for women to help their husbands who were in men-only Rotary Clubs. The first Inner Wheel meeting in Australia was held in Ballarat in 1931, and the Echuca Club was founded in 1985.
The Inner Wheel now has more than 100,000 members spreading across 103 countries. Its aim is to promote true friendship, encourage the ideals of personal service and to foster international understanding.
Inner Wheel members make firm and lasting friendships with like-minded women and meet in Echuca on the first Monday of every month, with speakers and activities that promote service and friendship.
The ‘cuppa for a cause’ day runs between 10am – 1pm at the Echuca Library meeting room on Monday, June 24.
Inquiries about the event and about joining the club can be made to club secretary Lyn Stansbury on 0418 502 799 or club president Di Owen on 0408 543 938.
Information about the Inner Wheel Club of Echuca can be found here and to follow the Wheel’s national Facebook page click here.