LAST week I had the pleasure of attending Forster Tuncurry Quota Club’s 2428 Woman of the Year Awards.
Judges had a tough time picking the eventual winner - Eve Bell from the Great Lakes Hospice - from five impressive nominees (see page 6). This was just one of many events held across the twin towns to mark International Women’s Day (March 8). At council chambers some inspirational women shared their stories over morning tea. Among them was Donna Muscardin who has been working with women in a variety of roles for the past 30 years. Donna was the first authorised nurse practitioner in Australia in sexual health and is a survivor of breast cancer. Also there to share her story was local social worker Anne Maxwell.
These women display the great diversity of female talent we have in the Great Lakes but one thing they all have in common is their busy schedules. One sentiment echoed over and over again was: “if you want something done, ask a busy woman to do it”.
Perhaps we could borrow from countries like Cambodia that enjoy a public holiday on International Women’s Day. Our busy female mayor Jan McWilliams assures me she’s on to it !
Janine Watson, editor