Mixed emotions as members call time after 20 years
By Sonia Isaacs
AFTER almost 21 years, the delightful ladies of the Glasshouse Country View club have called it a day.
Around 20 members gathered for a final celebratory lunch at the Glasshouse Country RSL sub branch on Wednesday March 20, where the group reminisced about the highlights and social gatherings enjoyed over the years.
Zone Councillor Vonda Cannock shared the impressive final fundraising figure of $81,855, which the members had raised over the last 20 years in support of the Smith Family Charity.
Vonda gave a heartfelt and appreciative speech thanking the tireless efforts of the committee members, and club president, Sandra Harding, acknowledged the mixed emotions of hosting the final club gathering.
Launching in June 2003, at the then Beerwah RSL Club, the social and fundraising group started with 30 original members, nine of whom were still members at its close.
The club lunch venue moved to Glasshouse Sports Club in 2004 where many lunches and parties and social events were held for many years until the restrictions of COVID in 2020. During these years, the club flourished, with member numbers regularly sitting at 50 and well attended functions easily doubling these numbers in guest attendance.
During this time, Margaret Donoghoe was an instrumental part of running the club, holding the Presidency from 2004 and continuing in this role or otherwise serving on the committee for the best part of 15 years.
Current committee member Janet Kitchin said post-COVID, the club had unfortunately struggled to form a committee.
“We have not been able to attract many new members to the club of late; some members have moved away or found themselves otherwise committed with family and unable to continue with the club. Sadly too, some have passed,” Janet said.
The club’s oldest member, Val Burrell, died in January 2016, a few months short of her 100th birthday.
Every month the club organised an outing and lunch (most with a guest speaker) and at each gathering funds were raised for the Smith Family Charity and Learning for Life Program. In May 2008, the local View Club were able to take on their own student, and the club supported five disadvantaged students in the community until 2023.
Over the last year, the club has dropped support back to four students, and although the club has now wound up, these students will continue to be supported for another year.
As well as raising funds for the Smith Family Charity, the ladies also collected items of stationary throughout the year to be distributed for needy students in the local community. Maudeen Craigy made hundreds of library bags for this initiative.
The club had a reputation for friendliness and rollicking fun parties, which brought additional guests including many from other View Clubs.
Member De Burrows regularly ran bus trips to the Brisbane warehouses, which were very popular, and the club also held several fashion parades. Members would open their homes for functions and fundraising events including Melbourne Cup lunches, soup and movie mornings and high teas.
Over the years the club has hosted many special gatherings, including a beach party, winter wonderland, ‘Baubles Bangles & Beads’, high morning tea, ‘Making a Spectacle’ – to name a few. Outings were also a lot of fun including days out on the Mary Valley Rattler, trips to the Silent Movie Theatre in Pomona, walking in the Glasshouse Mountains, the Caboolture Historic Village, the lighthouse at Caloundra, community arts centre at Bribie Island, Brisbane’s Roma Park, picnics and games mornings in the parks, fish and chips by the beach, sausage sizzles, visits to the local recycle centre – just to name a few.
Some of the ladies will now look to join other View Clubs within the Zone or local social clubs. It has been apparent that many great friendships have formed through the club and many happy occasions and memories shared. Appreciation was extended to everyone who contributed to the success of this club over the years.