ADFAS lifetime membership award for Rania Manchee | PHOTOS

By publicity officer

Narrabri resident Rania Manchee was the inspiration behind bringing the arts to the local district when she became ADFAS Narrabri inaugural chairperson in 1994.

Some of Rania’s committee are sadly no longer with us, and others have moved away from the area, but it was special to have original committee member Margot Leitch in the audience with us at the ADFAS arts lecture on Monday, September 12.

The original committee alongside Rania as chair were vice chair Judy Bell, treasurer Patsy Carberry, secretary Prim Winston-Smith, membership secretary Kay McDouall, and committee Margot Leitch, Annie Lampe, Pam Barrett, Judy Swallow, Helen de Frederick and Winifred Simshauser.

Rania went on to serve on the committee for a total of sixteen years – three years as chair, two years as secretary and the remaining as a committee member.

ADFAS Narrabri thoughts started surfacing for Rania after attending lectures as a member of ADFAS Scone for three years.

Rania thought we deserved a society of our own closer to home and wrote to the chair of the Association of ADFAS Mrs June Gardner-Brown, later travelling to Mrs Gardner-Brown’s home in Bowral to discuss procedures behind the formation of an ADFAS society.

Original committee member Margot Leitch, current chair of ADFAS Narrabri Elizabeth Campbell, lifetime membership recipient Rania Manchee and arts lecturer Kenneth Park. Original committee member Margot Leitch, current chair of ADFAS Narrabri Elizabeth Campbell, lifetime membership recipient Rania Manchee and arts lecturer Kenneth Park.

Ron Campey, Robert Guest, lecturer Kenneth Park and Gloria Campey. Ron Campey, Robert Guest, lecturer Kenneth Park and Gloria Campey.

Jocellin Jansson and Rebecca Deegan. Jocellin Jansson and Rebecca Deegan.

Carolyn Humphries and Carmel Sullivan (Moree). Carolyn Humphries and Carmel Sullivan (Moree).

Current ADFAS treasurer Nanette Watson, Rosemary Lampe, Lexie Killen and Ross Lampe. Current ADFAS treasurer Nanette Watson, Rosemary Lampe, Lexie Killen and Ross Lampe.

Maree and Paul Wilde (Moree) with Helen Bell. Maree and Paul Wilde (Moree) with Helen Bell.

Tim Logan and Helen Officer (Moree). Tim Logan and Helen Officer (Moree).

Rohan Boehm and Ian (Bones) Falkiner. Rohan Boehm and Ian (Bones) Falkiner.

Lecturer Kenneth Park, former chair Jenny Falkiner and Lee Estens (Moree). Lecturer Kenneth Park, former chair Jenny Falkiner and Lee Estens (Moree).

Former treasurer Jenny Grellman and husband John Grellman. Former treasurer Jenny Grellman and husband John Grellman.

Julie and Grahame Herbert with David and Diane Streeter. Julie and Grahame Herbert with David and Diane Streeter.

Andrew Paas with Tony Longworth. Andrew Paas with Tony Longworth.

Rania duly went ahead to launch an ADFAS steering committee for Narrabri in July 1993.

A letter was sent out to prospective members on August 9, 1993, and by October 13, just two months later, 81 members had already joined.

A further 24 members joined by the end of the year.

Approval to become a fully-fledged society was granted by the Association of ADFAS in November 1993.

With a second-hand projector, the committee launched their first lecture in March 1994 at the Narrabri West school hall with lecturer Edward Saunders.

The topic was The Treasures of St Petersburg, perfectly coinciding with the topic of Monday night’s talk, The Tale of Two Cities, Moscow and St Petersburg, with lecturer Kenneth Park.

It was an absolute honour to present Rania with a lifetime membership award.

In Rania’s opening speech at the first event in March 1994, she had expressed a wish to give us “many years of happy and interesting lectures”.

Rania has certainly given us that, and ADFAS members and friends express their appreciation for her hard work and dedication to the development of this regional arts venture all those years ago, culminating in the successful organisation it is today.