FOR Rosemary Easton, retirement meant a new lease on life, and joining myriad community groups around Allora.

The former Warwick teacher said she'd never had much time to spend on such hobbies during her career.

But after decades dedicated to her job, she said she found it hard to settle down completely.

"I've lived in the area for 40-odd years and worked in Warwick for 30-plus years at Assumption College in teaching and administration,” Mrs Easton said.

"I stopped doing that in 2009 and went to West State School to do part-time work as a chaplain. I retired from chaplaincy in 2013 when I was 71.

"I'm now a friend of Rotary and I'm involved in the Book Club in Allora, the Rose City Writers' Group in Warwick and I'm a team leader for Days for Girls Allora.

"I'd never had the chance to be involved in other groups and it was a matter of finding a niche and this was something I knew I could do.”

Mrs Easton brought Days for Girls, an international charity initiative, to life in Allora in November 2014.

Members from around the district, including Clifton, Maryvale and Warwick, come together to sew reusable sanitary pads to be sent to communities overseas, where girls might otherwise miss out on schooling during menstruation.

"My friend had brought it up with me and I was thinking what the devil could I do,” Mrs Easton said.

"I felt it was something I could manage and I got talking with a few other ladies who were sold on the idea and then it began to grow.

"It's something I really like spending time with and I think a lot of women have a great deal of sympathy for what these girls go through.”

Yesterday marked International Older Persons Day, a United Nations initiative to recognise the vital role of older people in global communities.

Mrs Easton said the work she and others put into the Days for Girls cause was a shining example of the contribution older people such as she can make.

The Allora team has packed more than 650 kits this year, and plans to make 1000 more by year's end.

"We do have some younger members in their 20s but a lot of the older members have those skills there with sewing and can do it at home,” she said.

"Apart from helping out girls overseas I think it's also done a wonderful thing for the district.

"People are able to come in and socialise, even if they're not sewing, and a lot of our members have made new friends through the group.”

For more on Days for Girls, phone 46973474.