I would like to share my observations after attending the special general meeting called by the Warwick Show & Rodeo Society Inc on Tuesday night, June 5. The reason for this meeting was to explain to members and the community why the management committee saw fit to disband the volunteer members of the Ladies Auxiliary.
They stated that it had been ongoing for over eight months. One of their reasons given to the meeting was the Ladies Auxiliary were not making enough money, yet a former treasurer presented figures that showed over the last eight years they had raised an average profit of $20,000 per year. When is $20,000 not enough? Not a reason to disband the Ladies Auxiliary. Another reason was that their office staff were being abused? Still not enough of a reason for this drastic step. Then, someone put something on Facebook about the office staff. Still not enough of a reason. At no time did they consider consulting the Ladies Auxiliairy to try and sort out the problem. None of the aforesaid reasons were deemed serious enough by the Management Committee to disband the Ladies Auxiliary.
It was only at a Management meeting on March 13, 2012 when the office staff bullied the members with the option that they both would be resigning if the Management Committee didn’t get rid of the Ladies Auxiliary, that they took action.
From where I sat, this, and only this, ultimatum just days out from the commencement of the 2012 Warwick Show was the real reason for their decision to disband this hard working band of volunteers, yet at no time did the Management Committee ever submit this as a reason for their decision.
In my opinion, the volunteer members of the Ladies Auxiliary have been very shabbily treated by the Management Committee of the Warwick Show and Rodeo Society Incorporated.
Fair Go, Warwick.
Name and address
withheld
