Joc (Region President S.I. Victoria ) writes: "What a great time we had on Thursday night, a beautifully warm day 23 and no hot north wind, leading to a balmy Melbourne evening.

"Margaret & John Stableford arrived amid hugs and hello's, 30 others also arrived (some like Gene & Eric Crutch & Margaret Morgan all the way from Geelong), others scattered all around Melbourne's suburbs.

"It was just wonderful, no shortage of talk, laughter and friendship.  I made just a tiny little speech welcoming Margaret & John to Melbourne and then said that without Soroptimisim no one present would have known each other.  What a simply fantastic thought, 30 odd people all friends because of of Soroptimist International!  The Soroptimisters were all chatting (probably about Cricket) and also circulating, as well as making sure that our glasses were refilled!!  The Sorops were getting louder and laughter ringing out as the evening progressed."   On the Photo below: Shirley Reynolds (PPresident Victoria Region), Ella Gordon (SI Waverley, Hon Life Member, Victoria Region and a font of Soropt Knowledge) & John Stableford.  Kay writes:"When the Chatline was in its infancy Ella became a member indirectly as I used to read the messages on to tape each day for her to overcome her sight problem."

Joc continues her description of the evening: "Our house backs on to a public park & just before M & J arrived I went out and nicked a few pieces of the most fantastic flowering gum, there is a huge line of them all around the park - so I thought that the local council wouldn't mind if some were given to our visitors.  For those of you who don't know what a huge red flowering gum tree looks like in full bloom, believe me it is just beautiful. 

"Jim Drysdale husband of our Region IPP Kay, had his digital camera and was busy all night.

"Margaret presented us with 2 wonderful booklets that SI Harrogate has published, on growing older written by children and on remembrances of being young by older people.  It is just wonderful - congratulations Harrogate.  Also, we are the proud owners of a Soroptimist Beanie Bear which we shall raffle for our International Project of Limbs for Life, and a Cyberfriends badge.

Photos below left: Libby Neal (SI Brighton) & Kay Drysdale (IPP SI VIC Region) and
Below on the Right: Margot Lucas (SI Berwick, Past Secretary SI Vic) & May Callister (non-Soroptimist friend of Kay, a quilter who helped with the SI Vic Quilt)

      















Jim Drysdale sent more photos and explained:

On the left:
"Joc presenting a bunch of our Australian Eucalyptus tree flowers commonly known as 'Flowering Gum' to Margaret with John looking on and Margaret Morgan enjoying the fun."

Below:Chatliner Liz Hyde (SI Deakin)

Below: Maggie (Margaret) Mitchell (SI Business on Collins) and Margaret Butler (SI Berwick)

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