International Women's Day (IWD) is marked every March 8 and this year has the theme of 'Choose to Challenge' with the idea that from challenge comes change.
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On Friday, March 12 Pambula Rotary will host the IWD lunch at the Merimbula RSL Club with guest speakers Dr Bernadette Boss, Zoe Joseph and Chelsy Atkins who will be in conversation with Sophie Longden, of ABC South East Radio.
Dr Boss is the National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention and is conducting an independent review of past Defence and veteran suicides.
Dr Boss has served as a Magistrate and Coroner of the Australian Capital Territory Magistrates Court since 2012. She holds a PhD from the University of Sydney and has practiced as a barrister in Australia and the UK, primarily in the areas of family law, criminal law, administrative law and human rights law.
Dr Boss also served in various command and staff roles in the ADF, primarily as a reservist, and was awarded a Conspicuous Service Cross. She also worked in the healthcare system as a nurse in the UK.
Member of the Pambula Rotary organising committee, Rebecca Fox said Dr Boss had broken through a lot of barriers in her career.
Zoe Joseph, a Bombala local has established a professional self-development business for women, S.H.E. Change which helps to support women. S.H.E. Change aims to help women "find peace rather than perfection".
Chelsy Atkins is an Indigenous singer who will be performing and will also be part of the conversation with Ms Longden.
Ms Fox said the 180 tickets allowed for the venue had been sold a couple of weeks ago.
One of the goals of the day was also to raise money for a portable bathroom and laundry pod which could be taken to Kiah for bushfire affected families still living without the facilities most take for granted.
She said Rotary had already received the promise of washers and dryers from several large organisations and now had to raise money for a pod.