Mudgee's CWA Evening branch are the first members of the local community to have donated a cheque to the Mudgee Rotary Club's Louisa Lawson bronze sculpture project.
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The unexpected check of $2,000 is the first of many to come, with Mudgee Rotary currently in the process of setting up an online donation system.
"I went to a CWA meeting to tell them what was happening because we thought they would be naturally interested. The donation was unexpected, but welcome," Mudgee Rotary's director of projects, Chris Stephens, said.
"This is a timely and important project, one which Mudgee Evening Branch of CWA fully endorse. We congratulate the Rotary Club of Mudgee for their initiative and as a sign of our support, we are pleased to be able to contribute $2000.00 to the project," Mudgee CWA Evening Branch secretary, Barbara Hale, said.
At the present time, the maquette has been completed with fundraising the next step in seeing the piece placed in public.
Once cast in bronze, the 430mm high model will be positioned in a prominent position in the Mudgee township to recognise Ms Lawson who, in her time, challenged and changed the situation for women around Australia, including being a driving force in seeing women equip with the right to vote in 1902.
Louisa is also remembered as the activist who argued for and achieved a range of social reforms during the late 1800's and early twentieth century.
The sculpture will depict a youthful Louisa Lawson pensive and composed, sculptured sitting on books that highlight her many achievements and echo, for her, the importance of the written word.
The final cost of the sculpture will come to $100,000, and Stephens said it's a project the entire community should support.
"At the end of the day, we'll have a magnificent work of art and we'll have recognised an unsung Aussie woman, a Mudgee girl at that," Chris said.
"Poet, publisher and social justice campaigner, this daughter of Mudgee deserves to be remembered and celebrated in her hometown. Now, Rotary Mudgee is making this a reality."
The piece is designed and created by Mudgee sculptor, Margot Stephens.
Council voted to support the placement of the statue at their February 2021 meeting.
If you'd like to help fund this project, call Chris Stephens on 0411205633 or email to Rotary Club Of Mudgee mudgee.rotary@outlook.com.
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