It all began in 1967 with a knock on the door, Mrs Schmidt opened it and was surprised to see a bunch of flowers  with a woman’s  friendly face poking out. “It was Kath Mitchell, a woman I’d never met before, who was a stanch member of the Red Cross,” says Mrs Schmidt. 

“She’d come to welcome me. And I thought it was wonderful because my husband and I had just come from Victoria to Bundarra  and I knew nobody.”

Touched by this random act of kindness, a friendship blossomed between the two women who joined together in a mission to help the Red Cross in its humanitarian efforts.

Of course, the ground for Mrs Schmidt’s recruitment to the Red Cross was fertile.  As a child at school, she remembers collecting wool and knitting scarves for the Red Cross. Prior to coming to Bundarra,Mrs Schmidt had worked as a nurse and her own mother had belonged to the organisation.

And so began 50 years of servitude. 

“We did lots of things together,” she says. “There were Melbourne Cup parties, stalls at election days and so many fundraisers.

“We all became great friends and we had a great social life while raising funds.

“My favorite memory was during the first year when the Red Cross members convened in Bundarra for the regional conference. It was a big fair, and I remember the politicians and so many people.”

A highlight in her life, Mrs Schmidt tallies that she got out of the charity as much as she put into it and feels very grateful for the past 50 years.

“One of the biggest changes is the fact that most women today work, and the younger people don’t take part so much,” she says.

“Since Colleen Nancarrow became president  though, the group has strengthened,” Mrs Schmidt says, brightening up a little. “That Nancarrow brings a bit of life into it!” 

Apart from her work with the Red Cross, Mrs Schmidt is known for her award-winning artworks. Surprisingly she started painting when she was 60 years of age. 

“A friend invited me to an art workshop run by Neil Lawrence and I laughed,” she says.

“Then I thought that maybe the friend really needed me to go so I went purely for her. 

“I went to the class and it ‘rocked me’. My friend died soon after, but she left me this legacy. And I still paint.”  

As for the Red Cross, that’s not going to stop any time soon either.