Around 100 Macleay women came together today to celebrate International Women's day (IWD) 2019 at Riverside Park.
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The annual morning tea held to recognise women in the community who have gone above and beyond is organised by Kempsey Families Inc.
Kemspey Familes Inc CEO June Wilson said the morning tea and the Women of the Macleay Awards are an opportunity to honour local women who have made a positive difference to the lives of many through volunteering, strong leadership or advocating for change.
"It's great to celebrate women in the community who have overcome adversity and make a difference in the local community," she said.
The morning tea is a free event, making it inclusive of everyone in the community.
"We want to be able to include the whole community," Ms Wilson said.
"It's a time to reflect on women who touch our lives."
This year there were two recipients of Macleay Woman of the Year and one for Young Woman of the Macleay.
Genevieve Furber - Woman of the Macleay
- Genevieve is the founding member of Macleay Living Sustainably
- In 2017 after becoming a mother for the first time, Genevieve initiated a regular get together for young mothers to share ways for living more sustainably
- She is a passionate change maker who has brought young mums and people from all walks of life together to work towards positive change for the community and the environment
- She is a passionate nurse who dedicates hours of her time to volunteering and helping others
Mary-Lou Buck - Woman of the Macleay
- Mary-Lou is a Dunghutti Elder who has been actively involved to make Kemspey a better place to live for many years
- She has been recognised at local, state, national and international level for Aboriginal rights in education, health, justice, cultural heritage and native title over the pas 45 years with a strong focus on Dunghutti heritage
Ramona Masters - Young Woman of the Macleay
- Ramona runs the Kemspey Youth Inclusion Committee, facilitates youth programs at schools and employment agencies
- She has spoken to state ministers and involved in panels regarding youth homelessness issues
- Ramona is also going to climb to Mount Everest base camp in six weeks to help raise money for youth homelessness on the Mid North Coast
The event was held at the future site in Riverside Park of an artistic bench seat that will reflect the inspiring stories of the women of the Macleay Valley for many years to come.
The seat will be designed by local mosaic artist, Francessca O’Donnell, and has received support from Kempsey Shire Council and the Macleay Valley Business Women’s Network.
This year's theme for IWD is #Balanceforbetter and the initiative is aimed at gender equality, a greater awareness of discrimination and a celebration of women's achievements.
It is estimated that gender equality across the world will take over two centuries, 217 years to be exact, according to data from the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report.
On International Women’s Day, women across the world come together to force the world to recognise these inequalities – while also celebrating the achievements of women who have overcome these barriers.
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