After a massive 62 years known as the Parkes Quota Club, members have decided to branch out on their own and become the Parkes QUE Club.
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Quota is an international service organisation that provides basic needs to women, children, the deaf, and hard of hearing in communities around the world.
It may be the end of an era but members want to focus their services and fundraising efforts more locally and are committed to servicing the Parkes Shire community, which is where their fundraising money is donated.
Changing its name to the Parkes QUE Club Inc - the QUE represents Quality, Understanding, and Empathy.
And with the Department of Fair Trading approving the name change in October this year, the club is all systems go.
"Although our name has changed, our mission is still the same," publicity officer Lynn Rogers said.
"We are a not-for-profit incorporated association 'empowering women and children, the deaf, hard-of-hearing, and speech impaired in our local community'."
The club's Open Gardens event that takes place in October was another wonderful social and fundraising success, netting about $8500. Most of these funds were donated to Parkes Early Childhood Centre (PECC), Peak Hill Central School, and Pink Up Parkes in November.
"PECC received our $4000 donation which is used to screen speech and hearing of children three years and over," Lynn said.
"We have been giving these funds to PECC for over 10 years now and are thrilled to continue our partnership with them in this essential work."
Colette Genet-Marks from PECC said the invaluable support from Parkes QUE Club allows them to screen about 180 children each year and then implement speech and language programs for children in their care.
Peak Hill Central School was the recipient of $2400 which covers the cost of a Red-Cat sound field hearing system.
"This system allows everything said by a teacher to be delivered clearly and consistently to students," principal Darren Hamilton said.
Lynn said over the past few years the club has provided 26 of these sound field hearing systems to schools in Parkes and Peak Hill.
"These systems improve the hearing of all children in the classroom. If children can hear, they can concentrate, and their learning is greatly improved," she said.
"We [also] put together basic necessity packs for women and children and these are distributed to Centacare, for women's refuge, and to several police stations in the local area command, for domestic violence.
"Creative women in our club make personal hygiene kits for 'Days for Girls' and these have been sent to East Timor, Zambia, Uganda and Nepal.
"Our club remains strong with 53 members who are all committed to service work in the Parkes Shire. Our fundraising activities include open gardens, race-meeting catering for the Parkes Jockey Club, Melbourne Cup lunch - in conjunction with the Parkes Services Club - and more."
The club's International Women's Day lunch is already being organised for March 8, 2020 with the theme #EachforEqual. Tickets will be available at Absolutely Hair in Clarinda Street.
People can follow the club on Facebook at Parkes Que Club Inc and they can be contacted at parkesqueclub@gmail.com.
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