TALK to many rural women and chances are they are a member of Women in Agriculture & Business or the South Australian Country Women's Association and, in many cases, both.
Between the two organisations there are close to 3000 members in SA with both providing a network for women of all ages in rural communities, and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for families and community organisations.
And despite many rural women now juggling careers with motherhood and helping on-farm, the organisations are thriving. In the past few years, five new WAB branches have been formed: Coorong, Mallee, Keith, Kapunda and an online branch were the first formed since the 1980s.
The SACWA is also breaking its traditional 'grey haired' stereotype and welcoming two new branches Sevenhill and the RiverGems, in the Riverland, formed by young women wanting to raise money for their local community.
The power of a group of women should never be underestimated with WAB and CWA standing side-by-side lobbying government on issues facing rural communities, such as the state of rural roads, changes to daylight saving and funding for rural health.
WAB has also recently championed the cause for improved food labelling laws of Australian- made products, and CWA has pushed for improving disability services for those in the country.
The success of both organisations can be traced to the dedicated hardworking hierarchy and, in recent times, it has been the women of the upper South East who have stepped up into these top positions.
In July, Rosalie Crocker, from Bordertown, handed over the reins to Keith's Julia Materne, and at WAB's annual general meeting, Adair Dunsford, from Keith, was replaced as state president by Padthaway's Jan Gregson.
It has been a significant commitment for them, with the SACWA president spending much of her week in Adelaide at the organisation's headquarters and travelling to the 130 branches across the State.
The role of WAB state president also involves extensive travel to 28 branches from Charlton, on the Eyre Peninsula, to Kalangadoo, in the lower South East.
For Julia, the role was a natural progression after a three-year term as state treasurer overseeing a $200,000 annual operational budget.
Julia's involvement with CWA goes back to 1975 when she joined the air branch that was aligned with the School of the Air, based at Port Augusta.
"We were living on stations in the north of SA and used to get on the radio for meetings after school," she said.
In 1998, when she moved to Keith with her husband Brian, she joined the local branch there and began to get involved in the area and then State activities.
She says the image of CWA has really changed in recent years, particularly with the assistance it gave to families during the drought distributing at least $500,000 in emergency drought aid.
"CWA was looked on as an organisation of knitters and cooks, but it is surprising how many of our members aren't," she said.
"Through the drought our image changed as people saw us doing more things in the community and, in the past 12 months, we have given flood relief. We also give urban aid to those in need in the cities who are referred to us by organisations such as Lifeline or Anglicare."
Rosalie Crocker, who has been a member of the Bordertown CWA branch for an incredible 51 years, has just completed a three-year term in the top job.
"Like many women, I joined CWA because my mother was a member. I was an only child living on a farm near Bordertown and we would only go there once a week," she said.
Rosalie was SACWA president for three years, from 2008 to 2011, taking it up as a "new challenge" but she has also held various officers in her local branch and been the state handicraft officer.
For Jan Gregson, it was a more rapid ascent, joining the Padthaway branch of WAB less than three years ago.
Jan was city born and bred, but she has spent much of her working life in country areas. She moved to the SE with her husband Colin for a 'tree change' retirement and within a year of joining WAB she was a SE regional councillor. She is committed to educating rural women about business and agriculture.
"I didn't have grandchildren or aged parents that depended on me, like some others, so I had the freedom to step-up," she said.
Her predecessor Adair Dunsford had been one of WAB's greatest ambassadors.
She was a member of the Wirrega branch since 1980 and the fourth member of the branch to step up as state president, in 2009.
"My philosophy has always been that if you have enjoyed something you need to give back," Adair said.
WAB has enhanced and enriched my life in so many ways."
*Full report in Stock Journal, October 13 issue.