On the 9th of March, the Bellingen Shire Youth Centre courtyard was named in honour of Marj Woodbury, a woman who worked tirelessly for the youth of her community for more than 20 years.
Marj moved to Bellingen as a young adult to be a nurse at the local hospital. In time she met and married the love of her life, Blue Woodbury — a marriage that produced nine daughters.
As well as being a dedicated and protective mother to her own children, Marj volunteered her time for the benefit of many other young people, becoming involved in the public school canteen, the uniform pool, fete committees, the mother’s club, and craft groups. She was also a life member of the Parents & Citizens Association and coached netball at the Bellingen Primary School. Marj also had a reputation as a legendary fundraiser.
As her own children began to leave home — a time when a lot of mothers returned to work — Marj identified a need for a safe meeting place for the young people of the community. With the help of a few other like-minded parents, and as a result of Marj’s conviction and persistence, The Bellingen Youth Club came into being.
Over the following 15 years, Marj was a stalwart of the Youth Club. She was an indefatigable organiser and fundraiser, providing games and activities for those who frequented the Club, which was situated in the supper room underneath the Memorial Hall.
Activities included regular discos at the Hall, bus trips to Coffs Harbour for roller-skating and ten-pin bowling, and visits to the Aquajet Leisure Park and the drive-in. Marj also helped local skaters to raise funds to contribute to building Bellingen’s first skate park and supported the formation of a kindy gym at the Memorial Hall.
In 1986, Marj was awarded Bellingen Shire’s Citizen of the Year for her efforts for the community. As founder of the original Belllingen Youth Club it is appropriate that the courtyard of the new Bellingen Shire Youth Centre (the ‘Hub’), which opened in mid-2012, has been dedicated to
her memory.
