Change Choices and Challenges

What a brilliant theme for all Women of View. Today I am speaking about Change on behalf of my club Ulladulla Evening. I would like to acknowledge and thank Pam Humphries for the information she sought on the early history of the club.

CHANGE: Meaning, the fact of becoming different, to replace with exchange for another. Whatever changes have been made they have been replaced with an even greater idea. Women throughout history have helped bring about many changes. Eve changed Adam's mind, he thought he was being strong, however when she tempted him with that delicious apple he soon changed his mind.

During my 19 years as a member of View I have experienced many changes. I feel the greatest changes the members bring about for the good of all fellow Australians, is when our strong voice is heard through the resolutions that are passed during convention. That is real change, especially when one of our resolutions is passed through the upper house in parliament. We, women of VIEW have had a helping hand in changing the law or setting a new standard for an existing law.

What would the small group of men who called themselves the Smith Family, think about the number of women now working for the charity they founded? They were wise men who asked for the help of a group of women to form a committee for their welfare cause and change the path of history.

The Ulladulla Evening View Club evolved 14 years ago, due to the professional women in town wanting to be a part of View. They wanted a change from Day View to Evening View. Today, as from the beginning there are between 50 and 60 members. We have a strong representation of the Teaching Profession; the other members are from various occupations and business.

The early days saw lots of fund raising activities, fancy dress, crafts, picnics, movies and fashion parades. New Years Day barbecues at Joan McMullen's and show and Tell at Ellen Mison's.

The venue also was changed on four occasions. First the meeting was held at Hackett's restaurant at Milton, then at the Plaza upstairs, then Ulladulla Bowling Club upstairs and presently at the Hilltop Golf Club.

Due to the busy lives of the working women, the fund raising activities were often supported by the same few. In 2002 the members decided to levy the dinner charge by $5. That way all members had the chance to contribute. The trading table and a raffle at the birthday and Christmas were the other way used for fund raising.

The members responded well to the change, during 2002-3 the members were encouraged to bring a Friend. With up to an extra 15 guests the funds were raised.

During that period the club had craft afternoons making rugs for the Smith Family. This was supported by only a few as the professional people found it hard to attend.

Another change was needed.

ZONE CONFERENCE - 2006

As the saying goes there are only 3 things in life you can be sure of - death, taxes & change. We do not have a choice as to when these things will happen but what is important is how we take on the challenge of dealing with them when they do. The changes I have seen in my lifetime have been some of the greatest changes the world has seen & we have all survived those changes by taking up the challenges they presented to us at the time. Not all people have embraced those changes but, guess what? they happened anyway.

In order to have changes accepted without too much grief is the challenge of keeping the reasons for the changes clear & precise. Don't cloud the issues with too many choices but ensure that the outcome of the changes will hopefully benefit the majority.

At our 2004 Zone Conferences we, the women of VIEW, challenged The Smith Family to communicate with us to keep us more informed of the partnership they share with us. All the monies & donations in kind that we make are solely for The Smith Family to use in their welfare & learning for life programs. Unfortunately, when changes happened last year with The Smith Family closing the welfare outlet in our area, they were not clear or precise with how that information was given to us. This lack of communication resulted in distress among our Clubs which would not have happened had they written to each Club with information of what they still wanted us to donate & where they would like it to be sent. Their lack of advisement of the changes would have saved much angst. I trust that The Smith Family will take up a fresh challenge of a more professional communications system with us in the future.

On the other hand I congratulate the Smith Family on their Learning for Life enterprise. The Smith Family took on a huge challenge with this wonderful program & because they gave us a clear & precise picture of how they intended the program to work we have taken up the challenge with gusto. Our Club has been involved with this program for over 4 years with our own students as well as contributing to the Zone's students. What really sold me on this program was the challenge undertaken by the Smith Family to give financial assistance & educational support to these students & their families but keeping their identities anonymous. I believe that this one single element is the most important ingredient of such a great enterprise. I salute The Smith Family for the way they have taken up this challenge of protecting these children's identity - well done.

By taking up challenges in our lives we grow & make our lives interesting. What a dull life we would lead if someone didn't challenge us from time to tame. It is not the number of challenges we face that will enrich us but how well we accept them & use them for the greater good of mankind.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

The greatest impact of change has come from the directives of National Council. As the Welfare policies of the Smith Family have changed with the needs of the Welfare recipients, so too the View directives have changed to suit the needs of the Smith Family. The inception of, The Learning for Life came about through the welfare recipients themselves. They were asking for change as they recognised the need for education for their children and so on through the next generation. Many welfare recipients wanted to break the poverty cycle. The LFL programme is growing very fast and I guess the aim would be to have it available in all schools for all students that are in need. This has been a big change for all View Clubs and at times hard for the older members to accept.

The Smith Family will always have a welfare programme available for those who need goods in kind or financial help. The main focus for this distribution is now being conducted from the Villawood Centre. Many View members have been reluctant to change to this idea especially with the local centres of the Smith Family closing their door. We still need more education ourselves on LFL so eventually all View Clubs will support this great scheme.

The greatest changes are usually seen and heard when attending convention. I remember in the early years of View when all Conventions were held in Sydney at the Wentworth Hotel. As View clubs grew and clubs opened interstate Sydney Convention was linked with Brisbane, the big screen was put up and we waved to all our friends enjoying Convention in Brisbane. A big change was needed here. Now we all get the chance to travel, if you haven't been before, change your way of thinking and join about 12 hundred women in Geelong Victoria in September. This is when you change your mind about the capabilities of the wonderful women of VIEW.

With change, we have a choice, and with a choice we are challenged, what will be your change, choice and challenge for 2006.

Remember Ladies It is a women's prerogative to change her mind. With our voice our education our interest in women's rights I am sure we can handle any change that comes our way.

Thankyou.