Craft Show 2001


Arts and Crafts Show
October 2001


The 2001 Arts and Crafts Show will be held at the Cubby House over the weekend of 27th and 28th October. All money raised will be donated to Assistance Dogs For Independance.

Click to read about Assistance Dogs For Independance

The show will include sale of members work, turning demonstrations, an auction of donated craft items and a raffle. The raffle prizes are;
Raffle Prizes
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During September and October, members will be manning displays in major shopping centres to publicise the show and to sell raffle tickets.

Menai Shopping Centre Display
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Miranda Fair Shopping Centre Display
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An enormous amount of work went into setting things up on Friday. When people began to arrive for the official opening at 8pm, it was as though everything had been there for weeks. Local Members of Federal and State Parliaments, and great friends, Danna Vale and Barry Collier respectively, were on hand and it was lovely to see John and Judy Austen, organisers of the highly successful "Things of Wood" exhibition earlier in the year.

The weather throughout the weekend was spectacular and thanks to our advertising and promotion coupled with coverage on ABC radio, a constant stream of visitors attended and gave us their support.

The Assistance Dogs organisation was present throughout with volunteer trainers and helpers. Paralympic Gold Medalist Louise Sauvage was there signing autographs, holding a question and answer session and charming everone with her attitude to life and her sport. When asked if she had any thoughts of retirement, her answer was that her body would give up before her spirit did. A wonderful lady.

The work of the dogs was demonstated by Tanya and her dog Bonnie. Although severely disabled, Tanya is as sharp as a skew chisel and is studying at University as is Bonnie who attends with her. Tanya showed how Bonnie will bark on command if she needs help, retrieves dropped objects, opens and closes doors and even helps her with undressing. Tanya also explained the importance of the companionship that Bonnie provides. Final accounting has yet to be completed but the indication is that we have come close to the aim of raising $20,000, the cost of training one dog, to be formally handed over at our next Maxi Day.


The people who made the show the success it was are too many to name individually but full praise was bestowed on the project manager, Clive Cairns, by all involved for his energy and untiring attention to detail. Once again Southern Region members have demonstrated that 110% effort is not nearly good enough.

The Show
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At the Maxi Day on December 15th 2001, a cheque for $20,500 was handed over to Assistance Dogs For Independance. The handover was attended by Danna Vale MP, Federal Member of Parliament for Hughes and Minister for Veterans Affairs, and Barry Collier MP, State Member of Parliament for Miranda who congratulated the Region for the work that was put into the event by so many people who donated their time and expertise to help Assistance Dogs, an organisation who also give their time and expertise to help others. The Cheque was presented to Andrew Biggs, Chief Exectutive Officer of Assistance Dogs by Clive Cairns, project manager of the Charity Craft Show.

Cheque Handover
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Read the speech by Barry Collier about the event in the NSW Parliament
(Acrobat PDF file - 24kB)



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