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Jacaranda’s 81st Matron of Honour named

Debbie Bowling of South Grafton has been announced as the Matron of Honour for the 81st Jacaranda Festival.  Pic: Lynne Mowbray
Debbie Bowling of South Grafton has been announced as the Matron of Honour for the 81st Jacaranda Festival.
Pic: Lynne Mowbray
  Lynne Mowbray This year’s Jacaranda Festival Matron of Honour is Debbie Bowling of South Grafton. Debbie, who grew up in South Grafton, is married to Don and they have three children and five grandchildren. Growing up with (die-hard South Grafton Rebels supporter) Merv Farrell and wife Pat for parents, conversation around the family dinner table was always interesting and always centred around football. Debbie’s key occupation as a Nutri Metics Beauty Consultant has seen her conducting make up workshops for previous Jacaranda candidates as well as being a sponsor of the Jacaranda Festival and Grafton Show Girl with the donation of gift packs and workshops. She also assists her husband Don as office manager for their business Don Bowling Painting Contractor. Debbie has been an active volunteer within the community between 2001 and 2011and said that she was co-ordinator for the Look Good Feel Better program which is a cosmetic community service for women diagnosed with cancer, based at Grafton Hospital. “Since 2012 I have been a volunteer as a makeup facilitator and this year we are celebrating our 15 year milestone for running workshops in the Clarence Valley,” she said. In 2005 Debbie had first-hand involvement in the Jacaranda Festival experience when her daughter Kelly was crowned 2005 Jacaranda Princess and raised a massive $28,000 (the highest Jacaranda fundraiser ever). The community later nominated Kelly as the 2006 Clarence Valley Young Citizen of the Year. Debbie is honoured to have been chosen as this year’s Matron of Honour and is looking forward to her new role of nurturing and supporting the Jacaranda Queen Candidates. Since childhood Debbie has dreamt of one day becoming a Jacaranda Matron of honour and this year she has realised that dreams come true.