By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
INNER Wheel Cranbourne is delivering close to $8000 to local charities this Christmas, but that annual boost for aid organisations might all be over in 2017.
President of Cranbourne’s Inner Wheel Charmaine Skewes said she was concerned for the longevity of the women’s friendship group.
“We are struggling to get members and when our doors shut, there’ll be no more fund-raising from us for Cranbourne,” Ms Skewes said.
Delivering much-needed money to the Cranbourne Information and Support Service (CISS) each year along with two or three other chosen charities, Ms Skewes said the rewarding results would be sorely missed in the community.
“This year we are giving $4000 to CISS, $2000 to the WAYSS Women’s Refuge and $1000 to Who Cares We do for Christmas toys for needy children,” she said.
“Every year at Christmas time we empty our bank account for community not-for-profit organisations like the soup bus, respite for full time carers and school children in need of uniforms and books.”
Ms Skewes is confident the group which has been operating in Cranbourne for more than 20 years will continue next year but said without a president and secretary willing to put in the time the group will be forced to stop in 2017.
“We have 32 members and we meet once a month to discuss what we’ll do and who we’ll help, but we also have guest speakers – it’s a great friendship club because we all look after each other,” she said.
“All sorts of people are in Inner Wheel and of all ages, there is no status symbol and we are not religious, but we do need new committee members.”
