Fortnightly News 13/3/2026

Issue 5 of 2026 13 March 2026

DATES TO REMEMBER

Tuesday 17 March – Club Management Committee meeting

Monday 23 and Wednesday 25 March – Club Open days- see below

Fri-Sun 27-29 March 2026 – The Big Book Fair

BOOK FAIR

Can you help?

The Book Fair is only two weeks away. We are calling for volunteers to help set up and pack up. We do not need any more people during the Book Fair – volunteers have already been allocated for this time from the teams who have worked during the year on the organisation and preparation.

Setting up

Setting up will be on Thursday 26 March. It will commence at 10.00 am in both Hall 1 and Hall 2 and 11.30 am in the Anne Murray Room.

If you are available to help set up, even for a short time, please put your name down on the sheet at the office.

Trollies

We always need plenty of trollies for setting up. If you can lend one, please bring it along. Make sure you have your name on it.

Packing up

Packing up will be from 4 pm on Sunday 29 March. Those involved over the three days of the Book Fair are always exhausted by this time, so some fresh helpers are really needed. Hopefully with many hands it will only take about an hour and a half.

Parking for volunteers

Special areas in the car park will be set aside for volunteers. On arrival, please show your volunteer badge or tell the parking attendant that you are a volunteer and whether you are staying for the whole day or part day. You will then be assigned to the relevant area.

Spread the word

Have you taken posters and bookmarks to hand out? There are still plenty available so please do your bit.

WATERCOLOUR PAINTING ON WEDNESDAY GROUP

Members of the Club and visitors are invited to view the talented watercolour group’s latest exhibition now on display in the Club foyer and the sitting room in preparation for the Book Fair. A range of topics are covered from wildlife and seascapes to some landscapes featuring Autumn colours. The paintings make a lovely visual addition to any room.

During the Book Fair a selection of unframed works will be for sale as well as handpainted bookmarks and beautiful cards that make any occasion extra special.

BOOK FAIR CAFE

A reminder that we would welcome donations of cakes and slices to sell at the cafe. If these were already cut up ready to serve this will make it much easier for the workers in our very small kitchen space. No cream please, and some gluten-free offerings would be much appreciated too. The Club will open for Book Fair customers at 10 each morning, so if your donations could be delivered before then on either Friday, Saturday or Sunday that would be great.

…AND GOING FORWARD…

After ten years of leading the Book Fair Sub-Committee Judy Henderson will retire after this year’s Fair. In those ten years Judy has moved the Woden Seniors Book Fair from it’s small beginnings to what is now the Club’s very successful and very profitable annual Big Book Fair. During that time she has set up an organisation which has fully documented procedures and timelines and gathered a group of enthusiastic, talented, and knowledgeable group leaders and workers. In addition to being the Club’s major fund-raising activity, the Book Fair is a marvellous community service providing access to top quality books at an extremely affordable price to families and individuals in the Canberra area.

As a start to our search for the next Judy, this Judy has put together the following ‘job description’ and we are hoping that there may be one or more members who might be looking for an interesting, rewarding, and highly valued role.

Book Fair coordinator role

• In consultation with the Book Fair Sub Committee develop and manage the implementation of policy and plans relating to the operation on the Book Fair.

• Chair the Book Fair Sub‑Committee, guiding meetings, decisions, and communication.

• Liaise with external organisations to arrange assistance, equipment, and sponsorship.

• Monitor and manage stock levels before and during the Book Fair.

• Coordinate volunteers, including recruitment, scheduling, and support

We’d love to hear from you – Judy and I would be delighted to talk to you about what is involved.

OPEN DAYS

As mentioned earlier this year, we will be holding two Club “Open Days” during the period of COTA’s “Upstageing” Festival (last week in March) during which we can have members of the public see how talented, active and in fact fabulous our members are. COTA are publicising the events including ours which are being held across Canberra as part of the Festival. So, on Monday 23rd and Wednesday 25^th March, members of the public are invited to come along to the Club and see what we are all about. Naturally we will want people to see us in action, and you may well notice the odd visitor watching on while you are singing, dancing, doing some tai chi, playing table tennis, playing recorder, playing games or painting. A great opportunity to showcase our Club to a wider than usual audience and to confirm that indeed SENIORS ROCK!

… and serendipitously, for any visitors to hear about our Big Book Fair on 27-29 March…

Jenny Gregory

President

Woden Seniors Inc

PO Box 345, Woden ACT 2606 Tel: (02) 6282 2573

Email: president@wodenseniors.org.au

www.wodenseniors.org.au

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PS:

• A bank is a place that will lend you money, if you can prove that you don’t need it.

• A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station…

• Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won’t expect it back.

• If I agreed with you, we’d both be wrong.

• Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

• Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

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