Special Women’s Day event

By Jonathon Howard

COOLANGATTA/TWEED VIEW Club will host several outstanding local speakers for its annual International Women’s Day event at South Tweed Sports Club on Wednesday, March 8.

This year the event will feature four speakers including mountain climber Valerie Skinner, Cabarita Spirits Distillery owner Keri Agar, proud Mununjali teacher from Beaudesert Stacie Fogarty and Kim Toll from the Smith Family who will be accompanied by a Learning for Life student.

VIEW Club event coordinator Penny Thorpe said this special Women’s Day Event first started in 2011 and has gone from strength to strength.

“We are delighted to host these incredible women again this year,” she said.

“I’d like to encourage local women from all walks of life to join our celebration of International Women’s Day and be inspired by these leaders in their field.”

Renowned mountaineer Valerie Skinner has been climbing for the last 25 years and has reached the summit of more than 50 mountains in nine countries.

“I started climbing late in life — at age 55 — and although I had spent many winters over the years skiing in various countries around the world, it was not until we moved to France to live on a more permanent basis that I began to learn how beautiful the mountains can be during summer,” she said.

“I love the challenge of climbing at high altitude and on glaciers; and after my first experience on Mont Blanc, I always wanted to go higher and attempt more difficult climbs.

“I climbed Mont Blanc for the second time in 2001, but by a longer and a more challenging route.

“Last July, 2022, I continued to do some easy rock climbs in the Chamonix region with my guide and 91-year-old climbing partner from Paris.”

Ms Agar is an inspirational businesswoman who has blazed a trail for herself in the challenging world of spirit manufacturing.

On a flight to New Zealand with her head in the clouds dreaming about a beach side rum bar, Keri was struck by the idea that she could make rum.

“Cabarita’s hinterland is awash with sugarcane (rum’s base ingredient) and years of travelling had taught me the joys of the journey and not just the destination,” she said.

The next key speaker is Ms Fogarty who is a proud Aboriginal teacher, performer and artist from Beaudesert whose goal is to teach and inspire the next generation.

“I’m passionate about sharing my culture with the younger generation,” she said.

Ms Toll is a representative from The