March 26, 2014
A combined Blackbutt-Yarraman branch of the QCWA will spring back into life following a meeting held in Blackbutt this afternoon.
The meeting was originally planned for 12:30pm on the lawn of the town’s QCWA Rooms but had to be rescheduled to the nearby Blackbutt RSL at the last minute because of rain.
Twenty-two women from Blackbutt and Yarraman turned up to hear Zone 1 Vice-President Lois Thurecht and secretary Mollie Kratzmann briefly outline the history of the former QCWA Yarraman and Blackbutt branches, the values of the organisation, and the role the QCWA plays in the community.
Both the Yarraman and Blackbutt branches closed in 2010 when membership dwindled.
The Yarraman QCWA Rooms were later sold and the Blackbutt QCWA rooms are currently leased until 2016.
The passage of several years appears to have reignited interest in the group, and 19 of the attendees voted to re-form a combined Blackbutt-Yarraman branch.
Former Yarraman Community Council secretary Jan Bagdonas was elected president of the new branch, Margaret Moult, secretary; and Diann Squire, treasurer.
The new branch will hold its first meeting at the Blackbutt RSL rooms at the corner of Muir and Douglas streets next Thursday at 9:00am to begin planning meeting dates and activities.
A second meeting will now be held at the Murgon QCWA Rooms in Macalister Street next Wednesday, April 2, at 9:00am with the aim of finalising arrangements for re-opening a Murgon branch.
Lois and Mollie told southburnett.com.au this afternoon that both meetings had been very positive and “really heartening”.
“What really impressed us was that nearly all the people who turned up have never been in the QCWA before and nearly all of them were under 60,” Mollie said.
“They’ll bring fresh ideas and fresh enthusiasm to our network, and that’s a very good feeling.”
- Related article: Public Meetings To Look At QCWA Re-Openings
[Updated with corrections]
