Quota Care Bears bring smiles to Proserpine Hospital

 Last Tuesday a very special delivery was dropped off to the Proserpine Hospital.

Eighty-year-old Dorothy Wilkes has been knitting 'Quota care bears' which she donates to the hospital for a while now, however a recent donation of supplies from a fellow community member ensured the next delivery would come on time.

 After reading an article about Dorothy and her daughter Anne Lowbridge donating the care bears, published in the Guardian in July, Geoff Hunter of Geoff Hunter Coaches wanted to help them out in any way possible.

 "Stuffing is the most expensive, which is what Geoff donated to make the bears," Anne said.

 Geoff said Dorothy and Anne, a Quota service committee member, are working wonders with their quest to make the bears.

 "It's a contribution to the community, and it does a good thing for the hospital," Geoff said.

 After busily knitting 20 colourful teddy bears and six pairs of comfortable bed socks, Anne and Dorothy kindly donated the goods to the Proserpine Hospital last week.

 Proserpine Hospital facility manager and director of nursing Nicole Young said the community has always been very generous to the hospital.

 "It's wonderful. Anything that makes the children more comfortable helps us to treat them better," Ms Young said, "and the children can take them into day surgery to make them feel more comfortable."

 Dorothy said she enjoys making the bears, opting for brightly coloured wool for them and the darker coloured wool for bed socks.

 "I've done so many bears, I don't need a pattern anymore," she joked, "and I'm up to my ears in wool."

 Each care bear is creatively wrapped and include a nice 'get-well' message. If you would like to make a donation, please call Anne on 4945 1884.

Whitsunday community garden launched

 Four organisations, comprising Get Set for Work, Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA), Quota International of Whitsunday and TAFE, have come together to establish a community garden, located at the Cannonvale campus of TAFE.

 Get Set for Work Co-ordinator Kerrie McCallum-Coles said an important focus of the project was helping the youth of the region, with six people from Get Set for Work and seven from the National Green Jobs Core currently taking part.

 “With this particular group of people we’re trying to give them some work ethics, life experience, basic employability skills, and we’re also exposing them to local businesses and employment organisations in the region that might hopefully lead to future job opportunities,” she said.

 “We’re targeting people who need a chance to show they can do something. It’s the teamwork that’s going to be one of the biggest things they’ll get out of this. Also we’re going to be beautifying the grounds of the TAFE and in particular the restaurant,” she said.

 Horticulture teacher Penny Taylor said her students would be able to maintain the garden, learning along the way.

 “For both horticulture and hospitality students this garden is going to be an educational tool,” she said.

 Stakeholders in the community garden project met last Wednesday to pour over the new plans for a green space, which will CVA Regional Manager Caitlin Davies says will be user-friendly, easy to maintain and “adaptable according to the materials that we receive through donations”.

 Ms Davies said the design now before the team incorporated bird and herb gardens along with native and bush tucker plants.

 “We’ve got grand plans but it really depends on what we get – what local businesses feel they can donate to support the youth of the region,” she said.

 Ms Davies said materials such as mulch, soil, compost, pavers or river pebbles and plants were particularly welcome.

 “We welcome any donations and we’re aiming to use as many recyclable materials as possible to make this even more ‘earth’ friendly,” she said.

 Sienna Duffy, who will be participating in the program through Get Set for Work said she was very much looking forward to making the garden grow.

 “I love that it’s outdoors – it’s a moveable project, and hopefully something that will help me get a job or traineeship from” she said.

 The group will work on the garden throughout November, meeting every Tuesday for five weeks.

Proud moment for Quota of Whitsunday at Kuffs launch

 An idea that started from a conversation in a bathroom in the Orient some 18 months ago came to fruition on the Cannonvale foreshore on Saturday afternoon with the official forming of a vivacious new youth club for the Whitsundays.

 Kuffs, which stands for Kids United for Friendship and Service, and comes under the Quota Whitsundays’ umbrella, is Kerrie McCallum-Coles’ baby and on Saturday afternoon she was glowing with delight for her newly formed group.

 "This turnout out today and the number of kids that we have now is well above my expectations and exceeds anything I dreamed of," she said.

 "I have fallen off the mountain a few times in the past 18 months but I got back into it and here we are today, with 15 members, which exceeds all of my expectations."

 Quota Club International President Chris Tracey-Patte and several more dignataries were all on hand to witness the momentous occasion, which has attracted the attention of quota clubs worldwide. In a speech in front of the gathering crowd, Ms Tracey-Patte congratulated Ms McCallum-Coles on her new ideas and enthusiasm and welcomed all the new members to the fold.

 "I look forward to hearing about your successes and also to seeing you at our world conferences in the future," Ms Tracey-Patte said.

 Quota Whitsunday member Margaret Roberts made a delicious cake to mark the occasion, which was officially cut after the ceremony.

Quota to launch new community garden project

 Quota International of Whitsunday Inc is about to launch another ambitious community project, this time in collaboration with Conservation Volunteers Australia.

 The new “care and share garden project” is currently in a developmental phase, but the seed germinating among members of the two organisations is sure to grow nothing but success.

 While a venue for the garden has yet to be determined, the project will be targeting at-risk and vulnerable youth, with plans to incorporate native, bush tucker and edible gardens into the overall result.

 Regional manager for Conservation Volunteers Australia Caitlin Davies said she was very much looking forward to seeing the project progress.

 “We’re fairly new to the region so we’re really excited to become a part of the community,” Ms Davies said.

 Quota Whitsunday President Kerrie McCallum-Coles said this promises to be a true community project, for the community, by the community.

 “This project will bring together individuals, organisations and local businesses who care for the environment, care for their community and care enough about the Whitsunday region to share their skills and knowledge, share their time to help others and ultimately share what they create with everyone,” Ms Mcallum-Coles said.

 The project will require the donation of materials including soils, mulches, plants and tools. For more information or to become involved, contact Kerrie McCallum-Coles on 0409 222 548.

Whitsunday women form new Quota club

A group of passionate, young Whitsunday women will make history on October 8 when their group is chartered to become the very first group of its kind in the nation.

Officially called the Quota International of Whitsunday Coast, a group of some 15 community spirited women put their heads together some weeks ago to form what is arguably the very first “all young members' club” in Australia.

Group president Amanda Porter said the newly formed group was hoping to attract a few more professional, young women in their 20s and mid 30s who were interested in the social aspect as much as the charitable side of the organisation.

“Many of us did a fair bit of community work in high school … but it’s really just about young people who are looking for a good social networking opportunity and those who are passionate about their community,” Ms Porter said.

Only weeks old and the women are bursting with ideas to raise money including bake-offs, fashion parades, trivia nights and a booze cruise.

“Already we have a couple of projects we’d like to work towards including raising some money for youth space, put some more playground equipment around and deck out the green room at the hospital with a bit more stuff,” she said.

Veteran Quotarian and president of Quota International Whitsunday Jeanette Gray said the local Quotarians were actually world leaders in starting new clubs.

“There have been eight new clubs chartered internationally in the past 18 months …. Two of them are in this district. “All young people looking for professional development experience, the opportunity to travel and meet people should get involved,” she said.

Get Set for Work in the Whitsundays

 A one-week work experience stint with Whitsunday Gold Coffee was so successful for 16-year-old Conan Walker, he was asked to return for more.

 The Year 10 student from Proserpine State High School was placed with Whitsunday Gold Coffee through the organisation ‘Get Set for Work’, whose co-ordinator is also Quota of Whitsunday president Kerrie McCallum-Coles. Ms McCallum-Coles says ‘get set for work’, which is funded by the Queensland government’s “skilling Queenslanders for work” initiative, is about helping young people who are “disengaged” and possibly won’t finish Year 12.

 “The key is finding the right mentor for them,” she said, adding that Whitsunday Gold Coffee had been particularly supportive in this role.

 Sales and Marketing Manager for Whitsunday Gold Coffee Ali Simpson said having Conan at the company and participating in the program had been an “honour”.

 “It’s a privilege to be a support to young people. To help them get back on track is our role, we believe.” 

 Ms Simpson also said the older generations could sometimes be a little harsh in judgement of today’s youth.

 “It’s funny how we’ve all forgotten what we were like between 15 and 18! We all have selective memory,” she said.

 Conan Walker said he had benefited greatly from his time at Whitsunday Gold Coffee.

 “I’ve learned a lot of new stuff. It’s been really good. I didn’t know much about Whitsunday Gold Coffee before this, but it’s such a beautiful place,” he said.

 Get set for work is seeking more local businesses to help make this program a success. For more information contact Kerrie McCallum-Coles on 0419 796 773.

Quota says Whitsunday Coffee is Gold

 The Quota International of Whitsunday club, held a social function at Whitsunday Gold Coffee (WGC) last Saturday, in what Quota Whitsunday president Kerrie McCallum-Coles says will be a series of events supporting local businesses.

 “The club is supporting new businesses in the region by coming along and holding social functions,” Ms McCallum-Coles said, adding that WGC had also supported Quota by helping out at a recent conference.

 Ms McCallum Coles said particularly in times like these, shopping locally and supporting local businesses was incredibly important.

 “I think organisations like ours can help to promote local businesses like this. WGC is a particularly good one for our tourism too. One day hopefully everyone in the Whitsundays will be using WGC in their restaurants and cafes.”

 Sales and marketing manager for WGC Ali Simpson said she was pleased to host Quota Whitsunday with the coffee farm proving the ideal function centre.

 “There’s plenty of room for adults as well as children. It’s nice to have that alcohol free zone where everyone can come together as a club and include children,” Ms Simpson said.

 Ms Simpson said WGC had also put in a bid for the Whitsunday region’s farmers’ market location.

 “We’re centrally located between all of the interested centres,” she said.

 Quotarians and their families enjoyed a coffee plantation tour and afternoon tea, which Ms McCallum Coles described as “Very informative”.

 “I’d definitely recommend it as a visitor experience,” she said.

Quota Whitsunday Wedding Expo a success

Brides, bouquets and all things beautiful were on show at the Quota International of Whitsunday annual Whitsunday Wedding Expo held at the Reef Gateway on Sunday.

A promising number of locals turned out to the fundraising expo to take in the 26 exhibitors, live music and wedding fashion show finale featuring everything plus more for the bride-to-be.

Organiser Margaret Roberts said the expo was a one-stop shop experience for those organising a wedding with each year’s event attracting great crowds and exhibitors.

"There's a wonderful range of exhibitors," Ms Roberts said.

Festivities included welcoming music by violinist Gemma Latter and Corinne Hendrikse-Vinci "wowing the crowds" with her performance.

Many of the Quota ladies themselves also took part in the fashion parade, modelling various mother-of-the-bride outfits before the wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses were paraded on the catwalk.

Each year the Whitsunday Wedding Expo raises money for local charities, however this year's charity has yet to be decided.

"It's one of our bigger events which generates a great amount of money," Ms Roberts said.

"We are thrilled with the support."

Quota Care Bears

 Eighty-year-old Dorothy Wilkes makes many people smile. Dorothy, from Mt Julian, is the talent behind the ‘Quota care bears’, donated to children at Proserpine Hospital.

 Dorothy’s daughter and Quota service committee member Anne Lowbridge says the care bear project was originally established as a service to the community over 20 years ago.

 “Before Mum came on board the club took turns knitting, stuffing, sewing up and wrapping the bears, but eventually Quota had so many projects and fundraisers we were getting short of time to do bears,” Ms Lowbridge said.

 Enter Dorothy, whose previous experience includes knitting baby clothing and ladieswear for firms in Australia and the UK.

 “I’ve always been a knitter and I love doing the bears. I try to make them all a bit different,” she said.

 Each bear takes about eight hours to make and is gift-wrapped with a get-well message. The children keep their bears and Dorothy says their feedback has been very positive.

 “It really makes it worthwhile.”

 President of Quota International of Whitsunday Kerrie McCallum Coles said Dorothy’s care bears are “wonderful”.

 “You’re never to old (or too young) to volunteer and help out,” she said.

 In recognition of her efforts Dorothy has been ‘adopted’ by Quota and attends many of the service organisation’s events.

 “Not everybody my age gets to be an adopted Quota grandmother, but more people could get involved. Age is no barrier,” Dorothy said.

 Donations of new wool and stuffing for care bears would be appreciated. For more information contact Anne Lowbridge on 4945 1884.

Whitsundays Chef de Quota program wins international accolades

 The Chef de Quota program devised by Quota International of Whitsunday has been declared one of the top five winners in the Quota International ‘Quota Cares Month Awards Competition’.

 Quota International president Gwenn Jackson said the hearing and speech and disadvantaged women and children committees who served as judges, all agreed the project was an outstanding example of Quota’s service and caring and one from which all Quotarians could benefit and learn.

 President of Quota Whitsunday Kerrie McCallum Coles said this was a “pretty awesome” result.

 “It was so successful we’ve been asked to run it again. It’s not going to be a one-off,” Ms McCallum-Coles said.

 Service director Jill Farinelli, who ran the program in March, said other Quota clubs would now be able to use the project as a model.

 “Basically, Quota International thinks this is a project that would work in a lot of communities. We’re hoping to have a manual so people can pick up and run with it,” Ms Farinelli said.

 “This really worked here and it was fun. It engaged a lot of the community. Three out of the ten (participating) students got jobs from it. So many people benefited and the kids really grew in confidence,” she said.

 Ms Farinelli said the collaborative idea for Chef de Quota originally stemmed from the popularity of the Masterchef series.

 “We went on the back of the interest in cooking. It ticked a lot of boxes. The kids enjoyed it and they could eat the fruits of their labour. A lot of the basic skills are things that will stay with them for life.

 “We were just blown away with how well it worked.”

 The Whitsunday Chef de Quota program will now feature on the Quota International website as a pilot for other clubs. It will be honoured at the Quota Convention in Honululu, Hawaii in 2012.

Quota welcomes new KUFFS club for kids

 Juniors of the Whitsundays now have a new club, thanks to Quota International of Whitsunday. The junior Quota club ‘Kids United for Friendship and Service’ (KUFFS) held its inaugural meeting on Saturday June 18 with an initial eight members eager to find out more.

 President of Quota Whitsunday Kerrie McCallum-Coles said she toyed with the idea of a junior Quota for about 12 months.

 “Quota International has approximately 50 JQ clubs around the world, but there are only about two in Australia.

 “After the success of our award winning project Chef de Quota and my work as the co-ordinator for ‘Get Set For Work’ at the Proserpine State High School, I have come to realise there is a real need for some sort of group to be formed where kids that don’t belong to sporting or dance clubs or other organisations can come together for friendship and service within our community,” Ms McCallum-Coles said.

 “KUFFS can offer these kids a social outlet, an opportunity to contribute and open many doors into our community, to enhance their prospects for future employment and give them the ability to make a difference.

 “These are the volunteers of the future,” she said.

 KUFFS will meet for lawn bowls and a sausage sizzle at the Airlie Beach Bowls Club, this Friday, July 1, at 5pm. Thereafter meetings will be held fortnightly at the Macdonalds in Cannonvale, with the next meeting scheduled for Saturday July 16 at 9.30am.

 Ms McCallum-Coles said KUFFS would be looking for new members and a sponsor.

 For more information contact Kerrie McCallum-Coles on 0409 222 548.