BPW
NZ Club of the Year Award
The
Club of the Year Award is a new category
to the BPW NZ National Awards program, which
commenced at Conference 2007. Whilst NZ
have various Awards for particular excellence,
they do not have anything that recognizes
the club that best demonstrates commitment
to the BPW Aims. In meeting with clubs around
the country, Fay Gardiner (BPW NZ President)
felt that there was a general approval of
the idea to have a Club of the Year Award
for the club that best demonstrates the
Aims of BPW.
Longstanding
member, Audrey Harris, donated the BPW NZ
Club of the Year trophy. Audrey maintains
that a Club is “a group of people
with a common purpose. One of these people
takes the role of leadership. Throughout
the BPW Federations of the world, it is
the club that provides the essence, the
wisdom, the opportunities, the fun and the
fellowship”.
After
much soul-searching, meetings with artists
and crafts people, Audrey presented a beautifully
handcrafter trophy - a piece of kauri (wood/timber)
that had fallen and been buried for 30 or
40 thousand years in Northland. Audrey explained
that “the figure represents the Nile
River Goddess whose motto was Strength,
Triumph and Success. She is reminding us
to stand tall, with arms raised in a gesture
of self acceptance and certainty.
I
am strong. I will go on!
The
women depicted surrounding her are our club
members. The gum fragments depict the gems
of wisdom that emanate from their discussions
and deliberations.”
I was fortunate enough to spend some time
with Audrey and really felt that she had
an incredible sense of commitment for the
greater good of our organisation. One of
the great benefits of attending conference
is our ability to network and connect with
the matriarchs that make up BPW. I often
find that meal breaks provide the best opportunity
to network and seek out “gems of wisdom”
- sitting with members from other clubs
and making new friendships is part of the
process of personal growth for each and
every member – old or new .
Conference
brings us all together and can motivate
and inspire. As a collective we celebrate
and recognize outstanding achievements through
the presentation of Awards.
Conference also gives us all an opportunity
to network, to renew our enthusiasm and
form bonds of friendship.
I encourage
you all to endeavour to travel outside your
own club and try to find the time to attend
the next national conference in your county,
or take the opportunity to travel abroad
- it adds a whole new dimension to your
understanding of BPW.
Freda
Miriklis,
Executive Secretary BPW International
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