Gawler Girl Guide Sophie Marafioti and guest speaker Joanne Robertson celebrating what it means to be a woman at Nixon’s Function Centre on Friday morning during Gawler’s International Women’s Day Breakfast. PHOTO: Sara Gilligan
MORE determined than ever to achieve their final goal, record numbers returned to Nixon’s Function Centre on Friday morning for Gawler’s International Women’s Day Breakfast.
The event marked a call to action for accelerating women’s equality, with this year’s theme ‘I choose to challenge’ promoting a gender-equal world.
Gawler Zonta president and IWD committee member Pam Young praised the event’s attendance.
“The turnout has been absolutely delightful. We actually even had some requests, so we could have sold more tickets, but we had to turn people away,” she said.
“The aim of the breakfast is to celebrate International Women’s Day (Monday, March 8) and the wonderful women we have in the Gawler community.
“Nixon’s does a fantastic job and it looks like everyone has had a really happy time.
“It is just the best to stand together and sing I Am Woman, which has become a standard item of our breakfast.
“You can see the look on everyone’s faces, including the men – they had a good time singing that song too.”
Local Girl Guides kicked-off the event with a flag ceremony before assisting with a raffle.
Occupational therapist Joanne Robertson – former Gawler Girl Guide and Gawler High student, turned local businesswoman – was the event’s key guest speaker.
Having spent a year in Fiji as a volunteer occupational therapist, to today running a Gawler-based group therapy business, Ms Robertson spoke about challenges she had overcome to get where she is today.
Gawler & District College’s Grace Mulyka and Chelsea Briggs, Trinity College’s Naomi Przibilla and Eto Mabele, along with Xavier College’s Andrea Borrowdale and Georgia Condon were each awarded IWD scholarships.
Gawler Mayor Karen Redman encouraged the crowd to continue calling out bad behaviour.
“We must continue to support each other,” she said.
The Pleasin’ Choir performed Bread and Roses and Don’t Be Too Polite Girls before a strong finish with ‘I Am Woman’.
“It’s important to get women together to remember that we have to keep striving for equality,” Mrs Young told The Bunyip.
“We are lucky, but there is a lot of work to be done around the world and also in our own backyard.
“We mustn’t rest on our laurels.”
