QCWA donates over 1000 handmade items to Wishlist
QCWA’s Sharon Tilly (centre) proudly presents over 1,000 handmade craft items to Wishlist representatives Kerri Cavanagh and Brendon Hogan, bringing comfort and joy to patients across the Sunshine Coast.
By Cameron Outridge
Queensland Country Women’s Association (QCWA) Nambour and North Coast Division handed over more than 1000 handmade craft items to Wishlist representatives during their Annual Meeting on Friday, August 30. The items, lovingly crafted by QCWA members, were presented to Wishlist Donations Officer Kerri Cavanagh and Wishlist Foundation Managing Director Brendon Hogan.
QCWA’s Wishlist Coordinator Sharon Tilly expressed her deep passion for the Wishlist Foundation and pride in the contributions made by QCWA members. “I am so passionate about the Wishlist Foundation and happy that, through the QCWA, we have donated over 1000 handmade craft items made by our members, directly to the cause needed in our community,” Sharon said.
She also highlighted the remarkable achievements of the project over the past three years. “Today, our total donation is 7725 craft items, which have been given as gifts of love to children, women, and families in traumatic and anxious situations. It’s wonderful, knowing we can make a difference to someone, and my goal is to reach 10,000 items.”
The QCWA’s contribution is part of the Nambour and North Coast Division’s Divisional Project, supported by 11 branches and over 250 members. Each handmade item, whether a rug, toy, or quilt, represents the care and comfort the association aims to provide to those in need within the community.
Wishlist Donations Coordinator Kerri Cavanagh expressed her gratitude and emphasised the profound impact these handmade items had on patients and their families. “These items are handmade with love, and they support patients and families in ways that other items just can’t. As I mentioned to Sharon recently, some people don’t have the family support that many of us grew up with. A simple handmade rug might be something they’ve never seen before, and it becomes a treasured item,” Kerri said.
“It’s not just children who benefit; these gifts reach elderly people, young adults, and even adolescent mental health patients. The reach is far and wide.”
General Manager of the Wishlist Foundation Sunshine Coast University Hospital Brendon Hogan acknowledged the value of the gifts and said they would be distributed across Caloundra, Maleny, Nambour, Sunshine Coast University, and Gympie hospitals. He noted that the handmade toys and craft items were greatly appreciated by a wide range of patients and supporters.