Eighteen months ago, the Wagga Women’s Shed was little more than the dream of founder Kerrie Luff.
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When Ms Luff began the group, she had no idea it would expand to have a permanent home in Beckwith Street, where 250 members would gather to learn fresh skills and form new friendships.
Now imagine the heartache of those women who this week discovered their premises had been broken into for the second time.
While the vandals didn’t actually make it inside, they did substantial damage to the outside area, with a furniture ruined and gazebo being ripped apart.
Without the gazebo, shed members are limited in the outdoor activities they can do.
The damage inflicted on this community group illustrates the absolute pointlessness of vandalism.
The value of the women’s shed is not going to be counted in terms of what “treasures” are stashed away in its cupboards.
Instead, the value is in the friendship and opportunities to learn new skills and hobbies that it offers to members.
In the busy modern world, it is too easy for people to feel isolated from their communities. Groups like the Wagga Women’s Shed do something meaningful in overcoming this.
Last month, Ms Luff spoke to The Daily Advertiser about the success of the shed, and she spoke about watching members grow in confidence, make friends, learn new skills and just have fun.
The group exists only to help others and to give back to the community, which is the antithesis of petty crime like vandalism and theft.
No doubt Ms Luff and the dedicated members of the Women’s Shed will find a way to get a new gazebo for their premises and to repair the other damage.
Their amazing can-do attitude has taken them from nothing to an amazing, thriving and happy organisation, and they will overcome this setback.
It is just frustrating that they have to overcome it. They certainly can get past this nasty, heartless kind of crime, but we all wish they didn’t have to try.