Elaine Mooney is a member of the Canberra club, and joined in 1970. Elaine professional life was as a solicitor. Whilst she has held many positions at her club and region level. Elaine was President of the Federation from 1990 - 1992, Elaine reflects on her time as President of the South West Pacific and the expansion of clubs.
My Federation Presidency was in the years 1990 to 1992 - thirty vears ago how time flies!
The 1992 Federation Conference was held in Canberra with the theme "Communicatian is the key" and was well attended.
One of the main aims during my term of office was to create an efficient headquarters office with full time staff as our headquartes officer, who had not been in the position very long, had resigned and it was some time since Randwick Club member the late Irene Kennedy had lookked after the office on a part time basis.
Mrs Irma Reid was appointed Executive Officer in November 1990 and with training by Irene Kennedy, organised new systems which worked very efficiently. A new photocopier was purchased and volunteer members assisted with the mailing to clubs which were established on a regular monthly basis and the headquarters shop was created and grew repidly.
The other main aim was to increase membeship both within the existing clubs and the charter of new Clubs.
Eight new cluhs were chartered or ready to charter (Business on Collins was chartered just as the new biennium commenced). this club was the first to target young women in the Melbourne City CBD and it was hoped that others would follow in all the Australian capital cities. At the end of the term a number of other new clubs were in the embryonic stage. Membership had increased from approximately 3500 to almost 3850.
The highlight so far as charters were concerned was the entry of Soroptimism into Malaysia with the chartering of Kuala Lumper on 10 December 1991. This brought to eight the number of countries in which Soroptimism existed. Arrangements were proceeding for the formation of clubs in the Solomon Islands and Indonesia.
I enjoyed travelling to all ends of the Federation to charter Clubs and attend region functions and meet members. Likewise, I enjoyed travelling internationally for Board Meetings and conventions and attendance at the United Nations organisation in New York and thereafter to travelling with Past President the late Pat Strickland to visit overseas clubs.
In short I had an exciting, if challenging, term of office for which I am grateful. We were not then in the computer age and I will always remember the stacks of paper and numbereous telephone calls which arrived at my home daily.
Elaine Mooney.
Here we see many past federation presidents assembled in the previous HQ office in York street prior to the move to our current HQ offices.