Peninsula women form Lantern club

A group of five women from around the Peninsula have started a fundraising group for the Royal Institute of Deaf and Blind Children.

The five women have formed the inaugural Gosford Lantern Club along with four other Central Coast residents looking to help raise money for the national charity.

Daley's Point resident Ms Maria Bennett has been named president of the club while Ms Faye Austin of Woy Woy will undertake the role of publicity officer.

Fellow Peninsula residents Ms Deirdre Ritchie of Umina, Ms Mandy Harris of Pearl Beach and Ms Helen Riddle of Blackwall have also put their hands up to help out.

The group held its first meeting on March 18 and have agreed to meet regularly on the third Thursday of every month from 10am at the Henry Kendall Room at the Central Coast Leagues Club.

The ladies' first fundraising project will be to come up with ideas to help the institute celebrate its 150th anniversary later this year.

National lantern club coordinator Ms Erin Adams said the Royal Institute of Deaf and Blind Children relied heavily on the dedication and support of local Lantern clubs.

"She said Australia's oldest charity for deaf and blind children was calling on local residents to join the new Gosford Lantern Club.

"The number of children and families we support in the Gosford area is increasing so we feel it's about time to introduce a new Lantern Club in your Central Coast area," Ms Adams said.

"Lantern Clubs take part in a wide range of fund raising activities such as cake stalls, coach trips, raffles, opera concerts and much more."

Founding lantern clubs in support of the institute were established in 1964 at Randwick, Ashfield, Parramatta and Auburn and have grown in numbers reaching 23 clubs in total across NSW.

During the past 46 years, membership has grown to 1100 and funds raised have reached more than $12 million to help support deaf children and blind children and their families.

The Gosford Lantern Club's next meeting will be held on Thursday, April 15.

For more information, phone 9872 0326.

Press release, 22 Mar 2010 Bernadette Zebec, Royal Institute of Deaf and Blind Children