Monday, November 6 marked the anniversary of the birth of the club in Taree, with the ladies celebrating the milestone on the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, November 4-5. 

True to style, it was not all ladies lunching and consuming cocktails. On Saturday they did what the Quota Taree ladies do best - provided an important and informative event for women.

The club hosted a special afternoon tea for the community on Saturday at Club Taree, with a panel of  local professionals providing insight into the far-reaching impacts of domestic violence.

Due credit goes to the club for getting the panel together at the last minute. Dr Angela Jay, who suffered a horrendous attack of domestic violence in which she nearly lost her life, was to be the guest speaker, but had to pull out.

To the rescue came the MidCoast Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Services, Catholic Care Domestic and Family Violence, regional domestic violence co-ordinator for Police Ruth Edwards, Samaritan’s Manning Great Lakes Homelessness Services and Taree Womens’ and Childrens’ Refuge, White Ribbon Ambassador and CEO of Club Taree Morgan Stewart, and Claire Welsh, a midwife at Port Macquarie Base Hospital who supported Dr Angela Jay through her trauma.

“They were so totally amazing in the way they rallied to support us,” said Taree Quota president, Jeanette Holland.

Jeanette reported there were approximately 60 people in the audience, who asked “very pertinent questions”.

The celebration proper took place at Club Taree on Sunday with a luncheon, where 95 past and present Quota members, some from as far away as Port Macquarie, Gloucester, Tweed Heads, Alstonville, and Orange, were in attendance.

Jeanette was full of praise for her fellow Quotarians for the work put into the event.

“Quota, of course, did the usual absolute excellence in decor, rose bowls and memorabilia,” she said.