On Thursday 10 September Forbes View Club hosted members from Parkes, Eugowra and Warren at our 57th birthday function. Over fifty View members attended the lunch which was addressed by Lorraine Falkiner-Smith from Warren. Lorraine is the View Clubs of Australia Zone Counsellor for our area. To start the meeting, Loris Molloy, student liaison officer, gave a detailed profile of one of the nine students Forbes View Club supports through the Smith Family Learning for Life program. This student has been sponsored by Forbes View since 2019 and is now in Year 9. Each year View Club receives an updated profile about our students. This student has shown an ever-increasing interest in helping people or animals, to wanting to be a vet or doctor, working with zoo animals and then working with monkeys, to wanting be a famous actor. On the profile is a space for parent comments. This student’s parent has commented, “Thank you so much, your support has helped so much. Reading and writing has improved … she is learning to play the flute … it has helped get the school things she needs … we are so grateful”. After a tasty barramundi lunch, Lorraine Falkiner-Smith addressed the meeting outlining a brief history of how View Club came into existence. From a few businessmen visiting an orphanage with some Christmas gifts, it has grown into an important organisation. The Smith Family, supporting the education of students. View Clubs Australia sponsor more than 1,890 students to improve their education so they can make a better life for themselves and break that cycle of poverty. Lorraine mentioned some of the notable women who have supported View by being the Patron of the Club. Linda Hurley was our first patron who then passed the baton to the Governor General, Sam Mostyn AC. She went on to talk about her role as zone counsellor which involves travelling to all clubs in the region to support the important charitable work being done by so many women. She listens to the concerns of members and reports to View head office so those making policies and decisions hear from the grass roots members about their concerns and issues. Lorraine explained the many and varied activities View Clubs across the zone are involved in and how it supports women by giving them a voice that is heard. Heather Mackinnon thanked Lorraine for her visit and all the work she does for View. Forbes View will be holding a Bunnings BBQ on 10 October so hope to see lots of customers. View members are reminded the next meeting will be on 8 October and should contact their committee member to RSVP by Friday 2 October.
