SI Australia AGM – May 2011

[Show as slideshow]

About 80 members from across Australia gathered in the Alzheimer’s Headquarters in Adelaide on Saturday 14th May for the SI Australia AGM. Of the 83 clubs in Australia, 78 were represented by Delegates or Proxies, which was a great turnout.

National Representative (NR) Catherine Evans chaired the meeting, which included her committee of Region Presidents from all but Victoria, who was unable to attend due to family ill health.

The NR reported on her activities for the past 12 months and the importance of her attendance at Alliance meetings where SI joins other women’s NGO’s in order to have a stronger voice. She reported that common projects across all Australian clubs would seem to be those focusing IWD and White Ribbon Day. Continuing to liaise with groups arranging these events is encouraged.

Incoming NR-Elect Annette Korzeba was introduced to those present and she expressed her intention to have good two-way communication with Regions when she takes office in May 2012.
An exciting moment was when Western Australia was presented with a Region Extension Certificate for raising our overall membership within the Region.

All clubs will be encouraged to participate in an Australia-wide project advocating for free Bone Densitometry to be available to all women at Menopause should they wish it. With a new Petition coming out very soon, Regions were asked to appoint a “leader” to coordinate collecting this as well as lobbying of local Federal Politicians.

As with all Soroptimist meetings, there is always good company, good food and good fun. This meeting was no exception and so after some hard wordsmithing all day on Saturday, 66 people went to dinner at Glenelg that night, and over 40 traveled to the Barossa on Sunday to sample the delights of the wineries there.

Berenice Ritchie
President, Region of Western Australia
20 May 2011