Two Parkes organisations made sure Christmas came early for Ronald McDonald House in Orange when they handed over a generous donation of hand-made quilts, rugs, various other items, as well as a big cheque on Tuesday.
The cooler weather outside served as a reminder just how important a special blanket is for comfort especially during times of trauma and stress, as 45 families from Parkes have experienced since the opening of the facility in Orange in 2015.

The Parkes College for Seniors and Currajong Disability Services handed over bags of hand-made items to Executive Officer of the Ronald McDonald House, Rebecca Walsh. “These donations are vital for us,” said Rebecca. “Something small means an enormous amount, whether it is a face washer or knitted booties for a new born baby.” She said with these donations they were able to provide a baby bag to a new mother for instance.

According to Rebecca of the 310 families who had stayed at the house since its opening in 2015, 45 families came from Parkes and they had stayed for 323 nights. It is a matter of pure joy for members of the Parkes College for Seniors who have made between 100 and 150 blankets per year for the past 11 years to donate to the Orange based facility. This is in addition to countless face washers, baby clothes and various other items they also make every year.

The active group of women also raised $2,295,40 this year to hand over to Rebecca. “It is good fun as we sit together to make these items at our knit and crochet morning. We just love it!” said one member. Some of the members made as many as eight blankets this year.

Currajong Disability Services joined the ‘campaign’ this year by donating handmade quilts. “We received sewing machines as a donation and decided to start a weekly sewing group,” said Deitre Jackson. With the help of volunteer Kerrie Churchill, who taught and guided the group, they had made enough quilts to donate to the hospital and
Ronald McDonald House. Some of the six permanent members of the group, who met weekly, had never sewn before. They also made bathroom bags.

This festive season will be filled to the brim with things to do, see and enjoy across the Parkes Shire. Christmas events will kick off today with the Parkes Christmas Parade, followed by Sparkle in the Park UpMarkets and outdoor movie The Santa Clause 2 in Cooke Park.

As the sun sets, the Parkes CBD will be ignited with the Sparkles illuminations across buildings and streetscapes. Peak Hill will also be celebrating the festive season today at the annual Meet You Up The Street Festival – with street stalls, music, shopping and family fun. (See page 9 for more detail on this festival.)

The Parkes Shire will be Jingle Bell Rockin’ at this year’s Carols. Everyone is invited to sing along in Parkes and Bogan Gate on Sunday, 10th December. For all the details, check out our events page on www.parkes.nsw.gov.au.

Residents and visitors are encouraged to fill their stockings locally this Christmas for a chance to win a $5,000 travel package to a destination of your choice as part of the Shop Parkes + WIN campaign. Shoppers can enter by simply making a purchase and filling out a Shop Parkes entry form at any participating business until Sunday, 31st December. Follow Shop Parkes on Facebook and Instagram for lots of special offers and gift ideas this Christmas.

The lucky winner will be drawn on Friday, 5th January 2018. Help make Parkes sparkle! Local businesses are encouraged to deck out their shop fronts during the festive season. The most creative CBD Christmas window display will be awarded a marketing package valued at $500 for the 2018 Christmas Shopping campaign. The winner will be
announced on the Shop Parkes Facebook page on Friday, 5th January 2018.

#VisitParkes #ItAllAddsUp #ShopParkes #Christmas

The awards keep on rolling in for the Parkes Shire Council with three received in one week! The Parkes Elvis Festival won gold, an engineering cadet of the Council was awarded a medal and the Council was recognised for operational efficiencies at the Australian Airport Association Industry Awards ceremony.

The Parkes Elvis Festival won its second consecutive Gold Award at the annual NSW Tourism Awards in Sydney last week. The 2017 Festival was named winner of the Festivals and Events category. Festival Director Cathy Treasure said it was a testament to the Festival’s ongoing success and recognition for its contribution to tourism in NSW for the past 25 years.

“It’s exciting for all those involved, especially as we prepare to deliver the 2018 Festival in just six weeks’ time.” Parkes Elvis Festival was one of eight finalists in the Festivals and Events category, taking home the title ahead of the Orange F.O.O.D Week, Canowindra Balloon Challenge, Australian Celtic Festival, Byron Writers Festival, Deni Ute Muster, Eat the Street and Splendour in the Grass.

On an individual level it was a great night for Parkes Shire Council’s engineering cadet Cate Fennell who was awarded the G A Taylor medal for best paper at the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA) NSW State Conference. She did a presentation on ‘What makes an Engineer today?’ Cate identified the barriers that limit students from entering a career in engineering and the need to change the way the profession is depicted to school students in order to address the major skills shortage in the industry.

Parkes Shire Council’s General Manager, Kent Boyd said: “Cate is a fantastic role model, not only for young women, but for all youth considering a career in engineering. “Cate strives to break down the barriers that limit young people from entering the industry and challenge the traditional representations of engineers.”

Cate will go on to represent the State at the National IPWEA Conference in 2019. The third award was received at the Australian Airport Association (AAA) Industry Awards ceremony in Adelaide last week when Parkes Shire Council was recognised for achieving excellence within Australia’ airport industry.

Parkes was awarded joint winner in the Airport Innovation and Excellence – Operations category, for its Aerodrome Reporting Officer Network Forum; an initiative established with Dubbo, Orange and Scone. Chair of the Parkes Regional Airport Committee, Parkes Shire Councillor Alan Ward said: “This award recognises the fantastic work of our airport operational staff.” The Aerodrome Reporting Officer Network Forum was established in 2016 to enhance the productivity of the regional airports involved.

The forums are conducted every six months to identify and address challenges experienced in the regional aviation industry, share knowledge, promote professional growth of operational staff, and to ensure a safe environment for airport staff, visitors, passengers, contractors and airlines.

For the past 40 years Neighbourhood Central has played a pivotal role in the Parkes community. During that time many people have benefited from the services provided. Starting in March 1977 as the Parkes and District Neighbourhood and Community Information Centre Inc, this not-for-profit, incorporated, community-based organisation was formed to provide a variety of support services to people living in the Central West.

From the very first days, there has been a clear focus on the needs of the residents of Parkes and the surrounding areas. Initially, a band of volunteers, under the direction of Wendy Orr, a Parkes Health Commission Social Worker, allowed the centre to expand quickly. A successful funding grant of $7,000 enabled Ivy Rooke to be appointed as the first Coordinator in 1978.

During the 1980’s the centre continued to expand with services such as Aged Support, Housebound Library and a community bus.

In November 1986, Parkes Shire Council provided the permanent, and present-day premises at the old Goobang Shire Building at 80-82 Currajong Street. The centre continued to evolve into the 1990’s with the addition of the Home and Community Care programs. In 1995 a $400,000 expansion to the building was completed.

The past 20 years has seen many more changes, including the opening of offices in Forbes and Condobolin, as well as a community hub at Peak Hill. A re-branding of the organisation occurred in 2015 to reflect the expanding area of service.

“Over the past 40 years we have been dedicated to providing quality services in a professional and consistent manner to meet the needs of our clients,” said Executive Officer, Pam Symonds. Our services now cover the Parkes, Lachlan and Forbes local government areas with two of our current programs covering the whole Central West region.”

From a voluntary management committee in 1977, Neighbourhood Central is now governed by a voluntary board and a fulltime management team. Employing over 30 staff, 130 volunteers and providing over 25 different services, Neighbourhood Central has stamped its mark indelibly on the community of Parkes and beyond.

Eating cake is one of life’s pleasures many of us enjoy, but have you ever thought of reading a cake? Parkes’ exceptional sugarcraft artist Kath Swansbra has created one of the most interesting projects of her 30-year life as a cake decorator by telling a remarkable story of French-Australian relations.

Based on Derek Guille’s book, ‘The Promise’, the cake tells the story of the World War 1 battle of Villers-Brettenoux where 1,200 Australians died saving the village. The French have never forgotten the sacrifice – the Australian flag still flies over Villers-Bretonneux and a plaque tells the story of 1918. After the war, money donated from Victoria students paid for the rebuilding of the village school which was renamed ‘Victoria School’.

“I had visited Villers Brettenoux but I didn’t know… that 100 years later the children and families of Victoria school in Villers-Brettenoux raised about $20,000 and donated it to Strathaven in Victoria following the 2009 bushfires,” said Kath.

When the Telopea Park School in Canberra asked Kath to make a raffle cake for their annual La Grande Fête, Kath’s research inspired her to make something more. “This story is so important to be taught to children as it promotes goodwill and friendship and the give and takes in society—something that I think we are losing in modern society.

After three months of research, planning and creating, the masterpiece telling the story in both English and French, was not raffled at last week’s fete, but will be kept in the school library.

By Maggi Barnard

Performing in the Sydney Opera House must be the pinnacle for many artists, but to get the opportunity when you are still a child trumps most people’s dreams. This special honour will be the privilege for 19 members of the Parkes Public School (PPS) choir on Tuesday when they will perform as part of a combined choir of 700 NSW primary students.

“We are all pretty excited,” said Colleen Leonard, the PPS teacher leading the choir. “For some of our members it will be their first time, while a few went last year as well when we also took part.”

The Festival of Choral Music is an annual showcase of NSW public school students in a combined choir at the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House. This concert is one of a series of four managed by the Arts Unit of the NSW Department of Education.

The PPS choir successfully auditioned for this event at the end of last year. They have been diligently practising at lunchtimes and before school to learn a repertoire of 12 songs, which were specially composed and arranged to sing as part of the combined choir with other students.

During the year the conductor for the concert John Benson visited the school to assist the students with their musical training. According to Colleen there will not be much time for sightseeing in Sydney as they will spend most of Tuesday in rehearsals.

By Maggi Barnard

McPhersons Parts & Services received the top honour at the first sell out business awards event in years at the Parkes Services Club last Friday. More than 200 people looked their best at The Henrys with David Thompson and his team from McPhersons not only winning Business of the Year, but also Excellence in Manufacturing, Agribusiness, Industrial and Trade and Business Leader.

“I am very proud of my staff for their support and assistance, and the farming community,” said a beaming David.
Another two businesses appeared on stage twice with K&H Geotechnical Services taking out the Excellence in Professional Services and Excellence in Business awards, while La Bella Medispa won Excellence in Personal & Lifestyle Services and Excellence in Small Business. Other winners were: Start Up Superstar – Elk Films; Excellence in Social Enterprise – Meals on Wheels Parkes; Excellence in Hospitality – The Railway Hotel Parkes; Excellence in Retail – Parkes Pharmacy; Young Entrepreneur – Steph Hughes from Hughes & Co Lawyers & Conveyancing; and the Ken Birch Memorial Trophy – Ian & Judy Chambers (accepted by Dave and Tracey Chambers).

Before handing over the Business of the Year award, Minister for Small Business Michael McCormack congratulated the Parkes Chamber of Commerce on a fantastic event and said: “Research has shown that if you are a member of a chamber your business will do better as you get all the right information and have networking opportunities.”

By Maggi Barnard

A major project of the Parkes Shire Council won a top award in Sydney last week. The Parkes Integrated Water Infrastructure Renewal Project won the Water Management category at the Local Government NSW Excellence in the Environment Awards.

The awards, which were hosted by radio presenter Adam Spencer, recognise outstanding achievements by local government in managing and protecting the environment. Council’s Integrated Water Infrastructure Renewal Project represents a raft of improvements across the town’s entire water cycle with the aim to provide the region
with a safe and secure water supply into the future.

The project includes necessary upgrades to the town’s raw water supply infrastructure, as well as the construction of a new Water Treatment Plant and a new Sewage Treatment Plant. The final stage will involve the establishment of a Water Recycling Scheme, which will provide an additional drought proof water source for municipal irrigation.

Andrew Francis, Director of Infrastructure, said the win recognised Council’s efforts to provide the residents of Parkes and Peak Hill with best practice water and sewage services, and would support future population growth and economic development within the region.

“Council strives to be a leader in sustainability,” he said, “this not only includes ensuring the security of our water supply in a changing climate, but also ensuring our infrastructure is resource and energy efficient, which is not only good for our environment, but is also cost effective.”

It’s official! Nineteen locals from the Parkes Shire will be part of 3,800 batonbearers who will carry the Queen’s Baton during the 100-day countdown to the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games next year. The 19 locals are a good representation of our community and includes several sporting heroes. They are Rebeckah Auld, Peter Bristol, Frances Dixon, Amanda Draper, Barry Garment, Darrin Gibson, Michael Greenwood, Nicayden Greenwood, Danielle
Hoskins (living in Condobolin), Kenneth Keith, Timothy Keith, Helen Magill, Maureen Massey, Lauren Neilsen (living in Forbes), Richard Rice, Cato Rutherford (living in Blakehurst), Victoria Simpson, Barbara Weaver and Scott Westcott (living in Adamstown).

Parkes Shire Council’s General Manager, Kent Boyd said: “We are immensely proud to be represented by these 19 local legends. Their selection is recognition of their achievements, dedication and contributions they make to our community.” For tennis coach Helen Magill it will be the second time to be part of such an exceptional event. She carried the Olympic Torch for the Sydney 2000 games in Parkes. “It was an amazing experience that galvanised our whole community to celebrate the Games, so hopefully the Queens Baton Relay will be an occasion just as memorable for the whole Parkes Shire.” Helen said it was a huge honour to have been asked to participate as a batonbearer.

Parkes is one of eight overnight stops in NSW, and the baton will reach the town on Monday, 29th January 2018. The batonbearers will take more than a million steps collectively across Australia to bring it to its final destination at the Opening Ceremony on 4th April 2018. Each batonbearer will carry the baton for approximately 200 metres.

The baton starts its Australian journey on 25th December. It will travel through every state and territory covering 40,000km. Since its launch from Buckingham Palace on 13th March, the baton has gone across Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas and Europe. It is in Malaysia currently and will visit the remaining 15 Commonwealth nations in Asia and Oceania before arriving in Australia.

Dianne Green not only works as a McGrath Breast Care Nurse, but for the past ten years she has organised an annual charity event to raise funds for a cause affecting thousands of Australians.

The welcome rain on Sunday did not stop more than 50 people from attending the Parkes Mini Field of Women at Lions Park to show support for the women and men who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in our local community.

“The numbers were only slightly down from last year, but we still raised $440.60 with donations and merchandise sales,” said Dianne. The support was great and everybody was happy for the rain.” Dianne has put on the event in October every year since 2007 with the help of her family. She explains that while she gets paid to do her day job, the annual event is something she does out of her own pocket and in her personal time. “This is something from me in support of everyone affected.”

All funds raised will go to Breast Cancer Network Australia, a not-for-profit organisation that supports Australians affected by breast cancer through support, information, treatment and care appropriate to their needs.

The event includes pink lady silhouettes placed on the lawn as a symbolic gesture to those diagnosed with breast cancer and all those around them. People attending are invited to write a message of support or remembrance. Forty-eight Australians are diagnosed with breast cancer every day.

By Maggi Barnard