Southern Rainbows

Founded 1967
President: Joan Carroll
Secretary: Margaret Fisher
Treasurer: Dawn Weir

This Auxiliary raises funds through Easter and Christmas raffles, plant stalls at the hospital’s Paddy’s Market, and a flower stall at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. They have also been involved in “Cuppa for Kids”.

2007 Report

The majority of the funds raised by Southern Rainbows were obtained from bag selling days in the hospital, and stalls over the year held at local shopping centres such as Waverley Gardens. These stalls give reasonable returns making it a worthwhile effort. We also held a stall at a community centre and at the Noble Park RSL, the market being a recent innovation by this organisation. Children’s clothing and knitted articles, and knee rugs are popular sellers. As you are aware, our group is now too small to arrange much larger, more lucrative fundraisers, but are quietly please we are still able to make a worthwhile contribution to the children. To conclude, I wish to pay tribute to our loved and respected President Joan Gainger who passed away on the 12^th of April. Joan gave 35 years service to the Royal Children’s Hospital and was a worthy recipient of the Living Treasure award.

2006 Report

This year has been rather quiet, but our usual workers and volunteers have been working hard. We have had stalls at the Dandenong market, Sandown Sumnation Festival, and a car boot sale at the Jan Wilson Community Centre, where we sold the auxiliary tote bags. We have also been able to sell the tote bags through people other than our members, also family connections and associates. The bags have been very well received.

We have had successful raffles, particularly at our Christmas luncheon and Easter. Our faithful band of pot washers are still active at the nursery. We also helped out at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.

During the year, we were sorry to lose one of our good workers, Diane, who moved to another district. She will be greatly missed but we will keep in touch with her. A big thank you to all our helpers, and the non members who do the lovely knitting of toys and the colourful rugs, which are given to Ward 5 West.

Thanks also to Margaret and Dawn for doing such a wonderful job as Secretary and Treasurer.

Sadly, we have had to say goodbye to one of our members Val Watson earlier this year. Val had been ill for sometime.

We would like to thank the City of Greater Dandenong for the use of our meeting venue.

2005 Report

This year has been rather quiet, but our usual workers and volunteers have been working hard. We have had stalls at the Dandenong Market, Sandown Sumnation Festival, Car Boot sale at the Jan Wilson Community Centre, where the hospital tote bags sold very well. We have also done extremely well selling bags through family connections and associates. The bags have been very well received.

We have had successful raffles particularly at our Christmas luncheon and Easter. Our faithful band of “pot washers” is still active at the nursery. We also helped out at the Melbourne Flower Show.

During the year we were sorry to lose one of our good workers, Diane, who moved to another district. She will be greatly missed but will keep in touch. A big thank you to all our helpers, and the non members who do the lovely knitting of toys, and the colourful rugs, which have been given to Ward 5.

Thanks also to Margaret and Dawn for doing such a wonderful job as Secretary and Treasurer. Also our Vice President Val Watson, a valued member who has been very ill - we wish her a speedy recovery.

We also wish to thank the City of Greater Dandenong, for the use of our meeting room as we celebrate our 39^th anniversary.

2004 Report

Last financial year we donated $1600 to The Royal Children's Hospital to purchase oximeters for Ward 5 West. Cathy Matthews, Unit Manager, asked if we could make bags to keep the 'lifting mats' tidy and at the ready. One of our members June responded and with donated material we were able to supply these and were much appreciated by all the staff.

Rugs which we presented to the Ward were crocheted by a non member who gets enjoyment out of making them. There are two other ladies who enjoy knitting and crocheting and have donated knitted toys, children's jumpers and beanie hats and other articles. We thank them for their support. Mention should also be made of two of our creative members June and Diane. Thankyou for your contributions.

We have had a few fundraising events such as a jewellery party, Oaks Day fun with a fancy hat parade, plant stalls at the hospital on Paddy's and Andy's Markets. Outings to the Tivoli Variety Show, Christmas lights with Lamble Tours which were fun incorporating a dinner in Williamstown and a wonderful display and pageantry at St Thomas' in Werribee. We had a table again at the Sumnation Festival at Sandown to promote the work of our organisation. WE also attend as many events as possible in the hospital. In the last year we have provided approximately 100 coffee mugs for visitors to the ward to use.

Due to the weather out pot washing volunteers were not required at the Nursery as often as before. We thank Scotsburn Nursery for their support of our Auxiliary enabling us to acquire much needed funds. We must not overlook the help we receive in transporting plants for sale, especially into the hospital, from husbands of members. namely Ralph Harrop and Daryl Maslen. Also a thankyou to Bruce Osborne for his donation of wooden birds with the whirly wings.

Thanks also to MJC and Partners for auditing our books each year. We thank the City of Greater Dandenong for accepting our application for funds to cover the rental of the meeting room each financial year.

A thankyou also to all our members for their contribution to the organisation, particularly the office bearers.

2003 Report

Once again another busy year of fundraising has flown by. Active members average about 10, and we continue to have lots of fun and work. We managed to have a very successful year. We sold tickets at the hospital and three local shopping centres for Christmas and Easter Raffles. Also two garden stalls were held in the hospital entrance and although the drought and water restrictions did have some impact, Scotsburn Nursery still support our cause very generously. Rewarding work for our happy group of “Pot Washers”.

Three members attended the Food Handling course.

Our thanks to Aggie Coyle for hosting our Garden Party on “Oaks Day”.

We welcomed two new members June and Diane, who have already been inducted as models for our recent fashion parade.

Once again the Christmas lunch at the hospital was very enjoyable.

Thank you to the City of Greater Dandenong for the use of the Civic Meeting Room.
A big thank you for all our willing helpers.

Southern Rainbows Auxiliary has raised money $6,728 for our general account.
This money goes towards the purchase of larger and more expensive medical equipment chosen by the Hospital.

Long Service Badges for 2003

35 years

Mrs. Dorrie Muir
Mrs. Gladys Wasley

30 years

Mrs. Dot Grieg

25 years

Mrs. Jean Perkins
Ms. Fay Gainger
Ms. Rhonda White

15 years

Mrs. Muriel Brundsen
Ms. Inga Coleman

10 years

Mrs. Joyce Egerton

Last Updated 02-Jun-2008. Authorised by: Sue Manson. Enquiries: Sue Manson.