By Victoria Stone-Meadows
The Cranbourne Day VIEW Club is looking for new members to get involved to not only create new friendships and learn new perspectives, but also to help educate disadvantaged Australian kids.
The VIEW club (Voice, Interests and Education of Women) is a female-only club that supports members by providing talks and seminars but also sponsors children through The Smith Family.
The club meets once a month for a seminar, with all manner of guest speakers and provides a space for women to learning something new and build long-lasting friendships.
The club has been operating for six years in the Cranbourne area, with about 50 members currently supporting seven students through The Smith Family but they are always on the lookout for more women to get involved.
“You are never too old to learn and there is always something new to learn,” Cranbourne VIEW Club president Trish Ransom said.
“To hear someone else’s point of view is very interesting and we have all manner of speakers from The Smith Family’s Learning for Life program to local MPs, authors, and everyone in between,” Ms Ransom said.
“That’s where the education is but just learning in general opens other avenues of interest.”
As well as the monthly lunches and speakers, the VIEW club raises money for The Smith Family to help disadvantaged Australian students through school.
At the core of the VIEW club is the belief that through continuing education and always being open to learning new things, members support those that need it most to gain a valuable education.
“Children are our future, so it’s important to all of us to educate and help as many as we can,” committee member Robin Van Elburg said.
The other major benefit the VIEW club committee pointed out was the friendships and camaraderie that has developed among the members.
“We start with new members by letting them know we are a friendship club because VIEW is a great way to make new friends if people are lonely,” Ms Ransom said.
“Anyone looking for something like that is welcome and raising money for The Smith Family program is a great initiative we embrace fully.”
“All newcomers are warmly welcomed as soon as you walk in the door, there is someone to greet you and know who you are, and then we really take the time to get to know each other.”
The Cranbourne VIEW club meets on the first Wednesday of the month at the Amstel Club in Cranbourne.
For more information about to the club or to become a member, contact Trish Ransom on 5995 7037 or cranbourneday.viewclub@gmail.com.
