Members of the Parkes Garden Club at the Australia Day award ceremony with other nominees (L-R) Harry Westcott (nominee), Pat Talbot (president), Norma Garment (secretary), Kris Szabo (committee member), Dawn Phipps (assistant treasurer) and the winner Sean James Cassidy (Art of Resilience).
After celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2019, the Parkes Garden Club had to be creative and flexible in 2020 with the challenges that the COVID pandemic presented.
The club was a nominee for the Community Event of the Year in the annual Australia Day awards for its inventive and supportive ways of keeping connected with members during the COVID lockdown and restrictions.
“COVID has tested us all this past year, and so our emphasis has been on keeping members informed, in touch and together as a community,” the club wrote in its submission for the award. “This has been achieved through the continuation of our monthly newsletter, which members said was a connection with others when they could not venture out.”
Club secretary Norma Garment said the easing of restrictions in July brought new challenges for meetings requiring a team effort from members to stay safe and abide by the rules, “and most importantly staying in touch and assisting each other during these challenging times”.
Despite the restrictions, the club managed to organise guest speakers, conduct a bonsai workshop and have a club ramble in September when members opened their gardens.
The club meets every second Saturday of the month. Contact Norma on 0409 622 888 for more information.