Four groups have been nominated for the Community Group of the Year award with the winner to be announced as part of Australia Day celebrations in Cook Park on Friday morning.
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ORANGE WOMEN’S SHED
With 50 active members the Orange Women’s Shed has become empowered in more ways than one.
Many members are widows who have learned to undertake household repairs and improvements previously done by their husband or a family member.
Learning to use power tools and hand tools they have participated in the Waste to Art program for the past three years, won awards for creative inspiration and contributed and cut rosemary for the 2016 Anzac Day ceremony.
They won the Luminosity sculpture prize in 2017 and have linked workshops with Year 12 Anson Street School students and Clancy Weston Aged Care facility.
And they have created a shared vegetable garden.
FRIENDS ASSISTING THE COMMUNITY
Just four of the eight women who united during their own encounters with cancer in 1990 to create a fund-raising group for Orange hospital are still involved.
Their skills at creating craft products has led to about $200,000 being raised and donated to the hospital to buy vital machines, monitors and equipment.
The work is sold at the Cook Park Guildry, stalls, parties and private orders.
PAY IT FORWARD
It has been a hectic 12 months for this group, led by Karlie Irwin, who opened and now operate a crisis accommodation centre to help people in need.
They also operated the Pay It Forward Community Shed in Glenroi which provided the needy with food, clothing, furniture, accommodation, property maintenance and a lot more.
ORANGE LIONS CLUB
The Orange Lions Club raised about $75,000 for the community in 2017.
The 33 members ran the Orange Camel Races, manned the gates at Central West rugby union games, organised parking at the New Year’s Eve fireworks display, joined the Central West Charity Tractor Trek, ran a Christmas raffle and sold Christmas cakes.
President Kevin Fahy said the biggest event was the camel races which was a three-day exercise.