Andrew Gee (Calare, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Today I recognise the Orange Girl Guides, who are celebrating their 100th birthday. I had the honour of attending the Orange Girl Guides centenary celebrations at the Orange Guide Hall recently. Girl Guides offer girls aged five to 17 access to a great variety of activities and the chance to develop skills which last a lifetime while making new friends and having a whole lot of fun. It was terrific to be joined by Senator Jacqui Lambie at this wonderful community celebration. To make it an even more special occasion, we recognised some incredible leaders within the organisation for their outstanding contributions to guiding. Congratulations to Kathryn Anderson on receiving her Banksia Award and to Jessica Keppie on receiving her Boronia Award. Congratulations also go to district manager Yvonne MacRae, known by her guiding name, Possum, and Judy Hansen, who both received Flowering Gum awards for service to guides. All of these awards are very high honours. Patron Shirley Evans cut the 100th birthday cake, and senior guides Siam Elkington, Lily Wright and Akasha-Rei Taylor did outstanding work assisting with the serving of the centenary lunch. I'm sure all members of this House join me in congratulating Possum and everyone who has contributed to the wonderful success of Orange Girl Guides through the generations. As Girl Guides Australia founder, Betty Clay, once said, 'A girl can do anything she sets her mind to.' Here's to another century of empowering young women.

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