General Interest Archives - Page 120 of 352

30th Anniversary Fever Starts For Elvis

September 16, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

The 30th anniversary Feature Concert Series has Dean Z and Victor Trevino Jr. (inset) performing combined and separate shows at the Parkes Elvis Festival next year.

The build-up to celebrate 30 years of rockin’ and rollin’ at the Parkes Elvis Festival started this week with ticket sales going crazy from the very first day.

The official launch of the program planned for Monday had to be postponed because of the official mourning period for the Queen, but Festival Director Tiffany Steel said locals could look forward to a program sprinkled with things from the past 30 years, plus some new events.

She did not want to give away too much until the launch early next month but said: “We are bringing back the original minister who did the very first gospel service, as well as the Elvis Tribute Artist.”

Tiffany said with the special anniversary they wanted locals to think about having their holiday at home. “Invite your friends and family to come and stay with you, or consider doing home hosting. We have a great program lined up and we really want the community to get out and experience the festival and show off our town.”

As the festival will be back to its summer spot from 4th to 8th January, the Blue Hawaii theme lends itself to some great dressing up ideas. The 2023 program features plenty of Blue Hawaii-themed events, plus some new and adventurous ones. The Parkes PCYC will be offering Climb Me a Mountain Rock Climbing, while the thrill-seeking fans of The King can skydive over Parkes decked out in their finest Elvis costume. The Feature Concert Series has two artists with Dean Z returning for his fourth time and newly crowned world’s best Elvis Tribute Artists Victor Trevino Jr.

Fans of Daddy Cool and Mondo Rock will rejoice to hear that Ross Wilson will be inducted to the Wall of Fame and perform a special concert on the opening day of the festival.

Tickets to all Parkes Elvis Festival shows are available online at www.parkeselvisfestival.com.au

‘Stellarphant’ Is Funny And Witty

September 16, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

The performance of Stellarphant by Meerkat Productions in Parkes last week with students from the Parkes Christian School.

Parkes students were treated to a wonderful show last week when Meerkat Productions was in town with a dramatisation of one of the shortlisted Book Week books.

Parkes Shire Library hosted Meerkat Productions for the eighth time for their performance of Stellarphant by James Foley. The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) shortlisted book is a powerful story about following your dreams despite overwhelming obstacles.

Students and staff from Parkes Christian School were invited to join in the interactive show at the Cooke Park Pavilion with Meerkat Productions performers, Debbie and Abby.

Students commented after the show saying: “I liked how well they acted and how inclusive they were.” Another one said: “It was funny and witty and I loved the audience’s involvement.”

Meerkat Productions, an Australian theatre company, is owned and operated by qualified teachers who specialise in adapting children’s literature for the stage.

Eating For Healthy Eyes

September 16, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

We have all heard the adage that carrots are good for our eyes but why is that exactly and what other foods can improve the health of our eyes?

Carrots are high in beta carotene that our bodies can convert to vitamin A which is important for the light detecting cells of our retina.

Other important nutrients for our eyes are the antioxidants Lutein and Zeaxanthin which naturally occur in our retina as well as Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Zinc. These antioxidants may help protect against free radical damage in diseases like age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.

You will be able to get a good supply all of these in your diet if you incorporate dark green vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli and peas; bright coloured vegetables like corn, capsicum, sweet potato, squash; fruits like oranges, grapes, kiwifruit and berries and healthy nuts and seeds like almonds, sunflower seeds and peanut butter. Finally, red meat, whole grains, baked beans and eggs will assist with getting your zinc quota.

Omega 3 fatty acids have shown in some studies to help with dry eyes. This may be because omega 3 fatty acids decrease inflammation and improve the makeup of our tears. If you suffer with dry eye disease, try to incorporate non fried, cold water fatty fish like salmon, tuna or sardines two to four times per week. Choosing grass fed over grain fed meat sources will also increase omega 3 intake.

Good nutrition at all ages is important for overall health and wellbeing including that of our eyes. Come in and see one of our optometrists if you have any concerns about your eye health. Contact us at Eyecare Plus Parkes, 267A Clarinda Street or call us on 6863 5577.

School Zone Safety Upgrades In Parkes Shire

September 16, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

Parkes Shire Council has been successful in securing $169,000 to improve road safety around four local schools in the shire through the School Zone Infrastructure Sub Program.

The program is focused around improving safety around schools either through capital works upgrades and new installations or retrofitting of existing infrastructure.

Work at Parkes East Public are complete where a new footpath and ramps were installed on the eastern side of Thornbury Street from Want Street to Orange Street. The total cost was $81,000.

Tullamore will see new signage installed on their existing crossing and installation of a concrete footpath from the school gate to the crossing at a cost of $8,500.

Parkes High School works are partially completed, including the installation of a new pedestrian refuge, realignment of existing ramps, updated line marking and updated signage. Future works will include the construction of an additional pram ramp.

The total cost will be $62,000. A total of $17,500 was allocated to Parkes Public School with works on Bushman Street partially completed, including updated line marking, updated signage and the removal of an obstructive tree to increase sight distance. Future works include an additional handrail and concreting of existing medians.

Locals Mourn Passing Of Queen Elizabeth II

September 16, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

PURPLE HONOUR… The Forbes Town Hall was lit up in purple last Friday to honour the life of Queen Elizabeth II. Right: Flags at the Parkes Shire Library were lowered to half-mast as a mark of respect. The Australian Government has an online condolence book at www.pmc.gov.au.

Residents of the Forbes and Parkes Shires have been saddened by the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II since the announcement of the news by Buckingham Palace last Friday.

“My sympathies to everyone since the passing of our beautiful Queen,” said Forbes Shire Mayor Phyllis Miller. “Personally, I do not know life without her as our Queen, like many in our community. Her 70 years of selfless service was an inspiration.”

Mayor of Parkes Shire Ken Keith said: “On behalf of my fellow Councillors, Council staff and the residents of the Parkes Shire, I extend my deepest sympathies to His Majesty King Charles III, the Royal family, and all those mourning the loss of Queen Elizabeth II.

“Queen Elizabeth II’s reign was the longest of any British monarch, and over her seven decades on the throne, she proved to be a rare and reassuring constant amidst a period of extraordinary change,” said Ken.

Flags at both Councils were lowered to half-mast last Friday as a mark of respect. The Queen visited Australia 16 times, which included 12 visits to NSW visiting Bathurst, Broken Hill, Dubbo, Katoomba, Lismore, Lithgow, Wagga Wagga and Wollongong.

The Prime Minister announced a one-off public holiday on Thursday, 22nd September as a national day of mourning to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The Forbes Shire Council will be holding a short service for the public on the day at 10:30am to lay wreaths and flowers and observe a minute’s silence at 11am.

Humanitarian Of The Year Award For Parkes Businesswoman

September 9, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

HUMAN KINDNESS… Parkes businesswoman Rebecca Miller received the Humanitarian of the Year Award for her outstanding fundraising efforts for charities through the Ripple of Kindness Project.

Parkes businesswoman Rebecca Miller has been named Humanitarian of the Year in recognition of her outstanding philanthropic contribution.

The owner of La Bella Medispa received the award at the annual Australian Beauty Industry Awards held in Sydney last month.

Rebecca created The Ripple of Kindness Project in 2018 and has since raised almost $150,000 for various charities.

“This is a very humbling acknowledgement, but the real heroes are the three amazing humans, Margie, Lilly, and Connie, who are the reason why I started The Ripple of Kindness Project, and I would like to dedicate this award to them,” said Rebecca at the awards night.

Rebecca’s first project was raising money and awareness for cancer charities by shaving her head when a close friend Margie Burns was diagnosed with invasive Lobular Carcinoma, an aggressive type of breast cancer. Rebecca raised $25,000 for Parkes CanAssist and Love Your Sister. “I was honestly so blown away by the support,” said Rebecca.

“What really touched me was the response from so many women who have been affected by breast cancer and who shared their stories with me.”

Rebecca’s second project was a 355km run from Parkes to the Westmead Children’s Hospital raising funds for The Bandage Bear Foundation, Carrie’s Beanies for Brain Cancer, The Leukaemia Foundation and CanAssist.

She was inspired by Lilly Wyburn, a Parkes girl who battled leukaemia from the age of two and at only 8.5 years old lost her battle in November 2017. “Lilly touched so many lives in her short time on earth. Throughout the run, I wore a very special necklace that Lilly’s mum, Jodie, gave me. This really helped me to get through this massive challenge”.

After two years of training and planning and COVID-19 delays, Rebecca completed her run on the 18th of April 2021 in nine days, which is just shy of a marathon a day, raising almost $105,000.

In March this year Rebecca saw the struggles her beauty industry community was facing after the challenges of droughts, bushfires, COVID-19 shutdowns and flooding. Rebecca raised almost $9,000 to support salon owners impacted by the floods to help rebuild their salons so they could continue to support themselves, their families, and their team’s families.

“When you give back to other people and your community, it reminds you what you’re made for. Focusing on the needs of others has a way of motivating you to do more than you thought possible. You feel the benefits immediately. You become more productive. You find creative solutions to problems. You find strength when you’re exhausted. That’s because life supports that which improves the quality of life. When we contribute to our community, we become part of something that is bigger than ourselves,” said Rebecca.

The Australian Beauty Industry Awards were launched in 2011 nationally and are judged by an independent panel of judges, media, PR and business specialists.

Books And Information Always Available At Parkes Library

September 9, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

The Parkes Shire Library staff are usually easy to find unless they are all dressed up in their Where’s Wally costumes as they did recently for Book Week. They are (L-R) Kerryn Jones, Debbie Gould, Benson O’Connell, Georgie Price, Emma Brown, Jenny Short and Roxanne Gallacher.

The Parkes Shire Library is moving with the times and continuously improve its range of services to give members many different opportunities to access books, information and activities. “When we close the doors, we are still there!”

Here is an update of what is on offer:

Online books: The library has changed to a new service called BorrowBox that is very user friendly with access to audio and ebooks, and emagazines to be added soon. Readers can personalise their profile, change the font size to give you more control of how you would like to read, plus books will be recommended. Download the app on your device, select Parkes Library, enter your member number and password.

Storytime on Tuesday from 10:30 – 11:30am, and Rhyme Time on Thursday from 10:30 – 11:15am during school terms. Book at the library.

Marramarra Makerspace is open to the public (children and adults) on Monday and Wednesday from 2 – 5:30pm. A creative outlet with lots on offer: 3-D printer and scanner, laser cutter, sewing machines, overlocker, arts and crafts. If you would like to learn how to use any of the equipment, let Roxanne know at the library.

The Local and Family History Group meets on the first Wednesday of the month from 3 – 4pm at the library. Ancestry.com is available at all the libraries in the Parkes Shire for research on family history.

Databases: World Book Online has lots of educational activities for kids, teacher resources and ideas; Gale has resources for learning and research and is particularly good for medical research; Beamafilm for movies and TV series, Indyreads has a large collection of ebook and audio book titles.

If you need help to access any of these resources online, feel free to ask a library staff member. The services are available to library members for free, and joining the library is also free.

Love Your Leftovers

September 9, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

IMAGE SOURCE: http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.nsw.gov.au/

‘Love Your Leftovers’ is an exciting initiative by NetWaste Councils Forbes, Parkes, Bathurst, Blayney, Cabonne and Orange, to help tackle the food waste crisis.

The aim is to create a ‘Love Your Leftovers’ online recipe book that is inspired by the community for the community.

The councils are calling on individuals, local schools, community groups and businesses to get involved by sharing their favourite leftovers-inspired recipes, plus any tips and ideas about practical ways to reduce food waste.

Once completed, the online recipe book will be free to download and will be a valuable tool in helping residents find inspiration and ideas to reduce food waste and transform leftovers into nutritious, delicious dishes. If you have a great recipe idea, or even some practical ideas on reducing food waste, you can submit your recipe or idea by completing the entry form at https://app.box.com/s/idto8g3jejsnjz3r4dn0e5akwwp8sk76 and emailing it to netwaste.loveyourleftovers@envirocom.com.au

Recipe submissions should focus on using up pantry staples and leftovers. Meal ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts and snacks are welcome!

Submissions close on Friday, 25th November. For more information go to netwaste. loveyourleftovers@envirocom.com.au

FOOD WASTE FACTS

• Food waste costs the Australian economy $36.6 billion annually
• The average Australian household throws away $2,500 worth of food every year – that’s equivalent to one in five shopping bags
• The top five most wasted foods in Australia are vegetables, bread, fruit, bagged salad and leftovers
• When food waste rots in a landfill, it generates harmful greenhouse gas emissions

For helpful advice, tips and resources for reducing food waste, visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.nsw.gov.au.

Cadetship, Apprenticeship, Traineeship At Parkes Council

September 9, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

Great career opportunities for trainees, cadets and apprentices are open for application at Parkes Shire Council.

The Parkes Shire Council’s 2023 Cadetship, Apprenticeship and Traineeship (CAT) program is now open for applications and is a great way to gain on-the-job experience and practical knowledge whilst working towards a nationally accredited qualification.

Opportunities are available across various sections including engineering, information technology, finance, town planning, building surveying, tourism, horticulture, ranger services, human resources, business administration and water operations.

“We are proud to be bringing this program back for yet another year and look forward to mentoring a new batch of young professionals,” said Mayor of Parkes Shire Cr Ken Keith OAM.

Council’s Director Operations, Ben Howard, said he started his career as an engineering cadet. “I had the opportunity to work in a number of exciting roles at different councils including a role overseas in Scotland.”

Council-employed cadets, apprentices and trainees enjoy a number of benefits including 100% of training and study costs being covered, dedicated support and mentoring, a fortnightly rostered day off, social club access, leave entitlements, and more.

The cadetships, apprenticeships and traineeships being offered in 2023 are: cadet engineer – Bachelor Engineering; cadet town planner – Bachelor Urban Regional Planning; apprentice mechanic – Certificate III in Heavy Vehicle Diesel Mechanic; arboriculture trainee – Certificate III in Arboriculture or Horticulture; business administration trainee – Certificate IV in Business Administration; health and building surveyor trainee – Advanced Diploma of Building Surveying; horticulture trainee – Certificate III in Horticulture; human resources trainee – Certificate IV in Human Resources; trainee ranger – Certificate IV in Local Government (Regulatory Services); water services trainee – Certificate III in Water Operations; Civil Construction School Based Apprentice/Trainee (SBAT)* – Certificate II in Civil Construction (*The Civil Construction SBAT will be a student in Year 11 undertaking a work studies unit whilst at school.)

Visit www.parkes.nsw.gov.au for more information. Applications close at 11pm on Sunday, 11th September.

Parkes Woman Wins Big At Services Club

September 9, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

A Parkes woman was flabbergasted when she won thousands at the Parkes Services Club recently.

Her favourite numbers scored her a $73,317.10 spot prize, the first major Keno win ever at the club.

“I was stunned – flabbergasted even!” she told a Keno official. “It’s the most I’ve ever won in my entire life.

“We go to Parkes Services Club every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. It’s a great place to hang out. We watch the Keno draws when we’re at the club, but we don’t always play!

“Once in a blue moon, we’ll put an entry on Keno using our special and favourite numbers – birthdays, ages, and so on.”

She said she had a few plans for her prize. “We’d love to do some repairs around the house, pay off some bills, and buy a brand-new car!” she said. “It will go a long way!”

Parkes Services Club duty manager Greg Phillips said the major Keno win was amazing news for the local community. “I was working when the winner won the major Keno prize, and she was over the moon!

“We’re so very excited for the winner, and our local community!”

Here is an update of what is on offer:

FOOD WASTE FACTS

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