Jade Jungwirth
A group of local women has spent endless hours making hand-crafted Christmas wreaths to place around the townships of Castlemaine and Maldon.
Seventy-three-year-old Lana Osterfield organised the wreath-making efforts, using vines pruned from her ornamental grapevine, with eight other retired crafters.
“The council had approached a group of craft people to make decorations last year, but that was in October, which didn’t leave enough time,” Lana said.
“The old, tatty decorations were used instead and a lot of people complained about it.
“So I started writing to the council from January this year to see if we could get some assistance and funding to help make the decorations.”
After attending the council’s budget meeting and multiple emails back and forth, Lana was introduced to a council liaison person and given $150 for the project.
“Peanuts really,” Lana said. “I alone have spent more than $150 and the women have all donated their time and a lot of their own money.
“The council did come to the party and found gold stars and sticky labels, so I was able to have Christmas in Maldon written on 10 of the wreaths and the rest say Christmas in Castlemaine,” Lana said.
Lana grew up in Bendigo before going to work in Melbourne in the print industry, moving to Castlemaine 17 years ago. She told the Express that she grew up making her own clothes and had always enjoyed doing ‘arty’ things.
“I wanted to put a little bit of magic in Castlemaine as it was getting a bit flat. It’s a bit sad that only a small number of people turned up to help,” Lana said.
“This is a town that has so many crafty people, surely people can do something to help. The volunteers making the wreaths are all over 70, with some in their 80s.”
Lana has never been married and doesn’t have any kids but she feels strongly that children need fantasy and that Christmas is about seeing the wonder in the children.
“Watching a small child’s eyes go wow when they see Santa or something magical is absolutely gorgeous and so special,” Lana said.
“Children want to believe in the fantasy – it’s magical.”
Anyone interested in making decorations for next year or accessing some of Lana’s vines for projects in June and July can contact Lana at: osterfieldlana@gmail.com.
