DVAS 55th Anniversary Celebration

 On the 9th of August 2025 we celebrated our 55th birthday party at the Edendale farm. The 50th anniversary could not be held during COVID, so we were looking forward to honouring the next milestone.

It was great to see current and past members attending. Lots and lots of chatting, laughing and reminiscing took place. A beautiful light lunch was provided by Everyday Food. It was laid out with flowers and decorative elements so it looked just fabulous, almost too good to disturb. 

DVAS archive books with photos, records of events and memories of our history were displayed. Peter McGough, a past member, took over doing these books for a number of years. He kept them up until COVID began, then handed back to the committee to safely keep. A huge thank you goes to Peter and all past members who created the books and collected DVAS archives!

If any members would like to look at them, please contact the committee and we would be happy to make a time to meet with you. 

A past member Mary Lanfranchi donated a T-shirt from our 25th birthday celebration. Another past member donated a booklet she had made up of her time as a DVAS member from years ago. We would like to thank them for their wonderful contributions.

DVAS President Ellen Jenkins gave a lovely talk about the history of the society and presented Warwick Cheney and Linda MacAulay with Life Memberships. 

Unfortunately, Linda was away and couldn’t join us to receive her certificate. She is an award-winning artist who taught popular classes and workshops at DVAS. Linda's professional experience, deep knowledge of various mediums and passion for art are invaluable for the society.  We are looking forward to Linda sharing her knowledge with us.

Warwick became a member of the society in 1982 when we were at Greensborough Primary School and his contribution into the society, particularly as a Thursday Night Workshop convener, left a long-lasting legacy.

To mark the special occasion with a small gift that everyone could take home, DVAS-branded pens were made especially for the anniversary. They serve as both functional and a sentimental keepsake. Next time DVAS members are at the Homestead, please pick one up on the front desk of Room 1.

A big thank you to all who attended the celebration. We are looking forward to DVAS welcoming more members and contributing to the local community for many years to come!