By Linda Nash*
The Inner Wheel Club of Pakenham hosted District A62’s Annual Friendship Day at Deep Creek Reserve’s function room on Saturday 5 March.
What a great day it was!
The theme for the day was Come to the Theatre.
As our district chairman Alwyn Williams reminded us during her address, the aim of Friendship Day is to celebrate our friendships and confirm our commitment to Inner Wheel.
As Alwyn is a member of the Inner Wheel Club of Pakenham, it became Pakenham’s opportunity to host this event.
The organising committee for the day was headed by immediate past president, Marlene Burhop, and she was ably assisted by Pakenham members Maureen Lindau (current president of Inner Wheel Club of Pakenham), Deb James, Helen van Diemen, Marcia Rook, Alma Elliott, Margaret McDonald and Sue Blenkhorn.
Many other club members had smaller roles and several of the members’ husbands helped make the props used for the theatre theme.
It was truly a labour of love. Deb James designed the set and props and the entrance to the function room and the room itself looked like something out of a theatre on Broadway. Such is the talent not only of Deb, but of the other members and helpers!
More than 110 Inner Wheel ladies gathered for a day of theatre and broadway. District A62 encompasses 11 Inner Wheel clubs at present and they were all represented at the Friendship Day.
Those clubs are Bairnsdale (a long drive!), Bayside, Berwick, Cranbourne, Latrobe, Moe, Narre Warren, Nepean, Pakenham – of course, Phillip Island and Warragul.
Two ladies were not from District A62, but from further afield.
One lady was from District A61’s Wandin Club and another, Poroochi Batliwala, was from the Inner Wheel Club of Downtown Poona in India.
How special to see her in her beautiful sari!
Poroochi is staying locally with her family at present.
The Australian Inner Wheel president, Lynne Davine and her secretary, Anne Wettenhall were also present.
As guests arrived at Deep Creek Reserve function room, they encountered a scene like something out of a Broadway theatre.
All Pakenham members were dressed in black and wearing red sashes embroidered in black with the word ‘Pakenham’.
This was the work of Alma Elliott.
Different members played different roles: box office attendant, roving reporter, and attendants to show guests along the red carpet, through the V.I.P. entrance and to their seats, just to name a few.
The tables were adorned with decorations worthy of a Broadway theatre complex and place mats illustrated Broadway musical shows.
The day was one of laughter, entertainment, fellowship and surprises.
There was animated chatting and rekindling of friendships post-Covid-19.
A very special entertainer was Year 12 student Lucy Da Silva who sang four songs chosen by her to fit in with our theme.
Her rendition pulled at the heart strings as she delivered a professional and polished performance.
What talent we have in our local area! Lucy’s grandmother, Lyn Westland, also had a singing career in her time and introduced us to Lucy via Lyn’s connection to Rotary and to some of our members.
Entertainment was also provided by three of the Inner Wheel Clubs; Cranbourne with a scene from Snow White, Bairnsdale dressed like musical theatre performers in My Fair Lady and Bayside with a dozen Charlie Chaplins!
A fantastic effort was put in by all those ladies.
At the end of the day, Berwick members thanked Pakenham for all their efforts, Maureen Lindau, president of the Inner Wheel Club of Pakenham thanked the Steering Committee for their hard work, and district chairman, Alwyn Williams, also thanked Pakenham for their efforts and closed the day in the spirit of friendship.
Anyone wishing to know more about the Inner Wheel Club of Pakenham and it’s work within the community, Australia, and internationally can contact the Pakenham Secretary by email at iiw.au.pakenham@gmail.com
*Linda Nash is a member of the Inner Wheel Club of Pakenham.
