Upwey-Tecoma Bowls Club is joining forces with five local women to host a Barefoot Bowls evening on Friday, 7 November, from 6pm to 9pm as part of a charity fundraiser for the Catherine Hamlin Fistula Foundation in Ethiopia.
Bowls Club president Andrew Walters said the club believed it was important to support the local community, and by coming to Barefoot Bowls, people new to the game could have fun and help others.
“There’s nothing better than coming down to the Club to roll on a warm Friday evening with friends, family, or colleagues, with the bar open and the barbecue sizzling, and at just $10 a ticket, you can support the Hamlin Foundation,” he said.
Started by Australian gynaecologists, Catherine and Reg Hamlin, the Hamlin Foundation has treated more than 70,000 women for the childbirth injury, fistula, and set up an extensive healthcare network in Ethiopia.
In September, Dandenong Ranges women Kathryn Eames, Katerina Volny, Marlies Bakker, Bec McBride and Judy Friguglietti took part in the Foundation’s inaugural Hamlin Barefoot Walk fundraiser, walking 25km from Safety Beach to Rye.
“25km is the average distance that Ethiopian women walk to a medical clinic. Most of us haven’t walked barefoot since we were kids, so we did some practice in the forest at Kallista and got some funny looks from fellow walkers,” Ms Friguglietti said.
“Walking 25km barefoot on the sand was a challenge, but we managed to raise $1500 in donations, which is the cost of one operation to cure a woman of fistula and transform her life.”
“We’re very grateful to Upwey-Tecoma Bowls Club for supporting the cause in a different type of barefoot, Barefoot Bowls, and one of their members has donated a $500 voucher from Dulux Paints as a raffle prize, so we’re looking forward to a great evening.”
Tickets can be purchased at the door from 6pm, or you can book by contacting the Upwey-Tecoma Bowls Club on (03) 9754 3144.
