Rosie Thompson - the Founder of Chicksatlunch - welcomes you to this website.
'Chicks' get together for lunch once a month (at the Southport Yacht Club) for friendship and to raise much needed funds for the Animal Welfare League of Queensland.
Rosie moved to the Gold Coast from the Blue Mountains of New South Wales in 2000 and at first didn't know anyone here. When she did begin to make new friends she found that, despite everyone's best efforts, the promises to 'do lunch' were sometimes overlooked and, as days turned into weeks Rosie decided to do something about this.
Rosie moved to the Gold Coast from the Blue Mountains of New South Wales in 2000 and at first didn't know anyone here. When she did begin to make new friends she found that, despite everyone's best efforts, the promises to 'do lunch' were sometimes overlooked and, as days turned into weeks Rosie decided to do something about this.
Chicks@Lunch was started as Rosie's attempt to bring her own friends together for lunch and to also welcome many more ladies who may be new to the Coast and in need of companionship.
Chicks@Lunch obviously fills a need and in February 2006, the group reached the function room's capacity of 180. Chicks@Lunch continues to attract these numbers to date.
Chicks@Lunch supports the Animal Welfare League of Queensland Inc. which is a non-profit charitable organisation dependent upon donations and the fundraising efforts of individuals and groups such as ours.
Chicks@Lunch sister group "White Sunnies" founded by Jax Norris meets monthly with a group of 50 ladies who 'do lunch' at a different restaurant each month. Attendance capped at 50 therefore bookings are essential.
ABOUT MISS WALLIE
Ms Wallie’s Legacy - Rosie Thompson, founder of Animal Welfare League fundraising group Chicks@Lunch, recently lost her beloved dog, a poodle named Ms Wallie, aged 13½. Ms Wallie developed a brain tumour in 2008 and was on chemotherapy for five months. Rosie says the veterinary care Ms Wallie received was next to none and the poodle did rally for a time, but succumbed one year after diagnosis.
Rosie is devastated by Ms Wallie’s death and wants to tell the story of her legacy. Originally from NSW, Rosie moved several times in and around Sydney and the Blue Mountains in order to find the best living arrangements for herself and Ms Wallie, as pets are not always accepted in accommodation. In 1999, they moved to the Gold Coast, though Rosie knew no one here. Gradually, through Rosie’s initiative, a small group of women started a friendship group at the Southport Yacht Club.
Rosie then approached the Animal Welfare League to ask if they would accept her as a fundraiser for the AWL shelter. Now, eight years after the launch of Chicks@Lunch, which had its beginnings in the friendship group, and a membership nearing 200, close to $200,000 has been raised through monthly luncheons and other functions. Thousands of animals have also been saved and much has been donated to the AWL Op Shop.
Rosie credits Ms Wallie with the success of Chicks and the possibility of the Roosters group, as Rosie would have stayed in Sydney if it hadn’t been for her treasured poodle.
