General Interest Archives - Page 87 of 352

Diamond Celebration For Ladies’ Bowls

July 27, 2023 By Roxane Manley

Celebrating 70 years! The Central Western District Women’s Bowling Association recently gathered to mark the grand occasion at the Canowindra Bowling Club.

The Central Western District Women’s Bowling Association celebrated their 70th anniversary, with 18 ends of Triples Bowls and a special luncheon at the Canowindra Bowling Club on Tuesday, 18th July.

Both events of the day were attended by official guests including Sandra Jowett, Director of Bowls NSW, Roger Traves, President of the Canowindra Club, and A. Whyburn, President of the Canowindra Men’s Bowling Association. The history of the Central Western Women’s Bowling Association from 1953 until 2023 was presented to the visitors in addition to the cake cutting.

The Central Western District Women’s Bowling Association held its first official meeting on 9th October 1953, which was attended by Canowindra, Eugowra, Forbes, and Parkes clubs, with Cudal an apology for the first event. Gwynn Rice was appointed the first President at that meeting. The association started playing Pennants a month later.

In 1955, the assocaition elected a President, three Vice-Presidents, Secretary, and Treasurer, along with three delegates to represent each of the Clubs. Cudal and Manildra merged in 1957, followed by the Forbes, Parkes and Parkes Railway Clubs in 1958. Woodstock joined the association in 1959. In 1970, Gooloogong joined, bringing the District’s total number of Clubs to 12.

One of the favourite competitions held for the association is the Taber Shield. An inter -district competition that is contested annually in early September in Stella Taber’shonor. Stella Taber served as District President from 1956 to 1963 and again from1964 to 1967.

The District currently has nine Clubs: Cowra, Canowindra, Forbes, Parkes, Manildra, Molong, Millthorpe, Orange City, and Orange Ex-Services.

The Central Western Districts Women’s Bowling association is a very important part of our community, and we wish them great success for a further 70 years.

Parkes RSL Sub Branch Month Of Remembrance

July 27, 2023 By Roxane Manley

Korean Veteran Gordon Dickson about to lay a wreath at Remembrance Day last year.

Parkes RSL Sub Branch, at its July meeting decided it would honour the Korean Veterans in our community. The hardship of overseas service extends to the family and friends, our servicemen and women leave behind and we should commemorate their service and sacrifice.

Two dates have been set aside for the 50th Anniversary of the end of Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War.

On Thursday, 3rd August members of the Parkes RSL Sub Branch will conduct a Remembrance Service honouring the servicemen who lost their lives during the 10-year war. 536 servicemen will be remembered across Australia at services at all Australian towns and cities at graves or places of Remembrance.

The Parkes RSL Sub Branch will be honouring three former residents; Anatoly Danilenko who was killed on 25th April, 1968, Douglas Roy Powter, who died on 7th February, 1967 and Denis John Donnelly who died on the 9th August, 1967. Both Danilenko and Powter are buried at the Parkes Cemetery whilst Donnelly is buried at Mudgee.

The service will be held at the Cenotaph in Cooke Park commencing at 11am and it is hoped that as many Parkes and district ex-service personnel can attend as possible, especially those who served in Vietnam.

The fiannual Vietnam Veterans Day service will be held on Friday 18th August at the Vietnam Memorial on Memorial Hill commencing at 11am.

Following the Memorial Service, the Parkes RSL Sub Branch will be conducting a Commemorative Luncheon at the Parkes Services & Citizens Club commencing at 12 noon and tickets can be obtained from the Secretary, Mr Paul Thomas on 0427 624 683 for the cost of $40, which covers the Luncheon and drinks which are limited to beer, wine or soft drinks.

Elvis Revival INC Donate Funds To Parkes CanAssist

July 27, 2023 By Roxane Manley

Who doesn’t love a giant cheque? Members of Parkes CanAssist receive cheque for $6,870.07.

On Tuesday 25th July, members of Parkes CanAssist were delighted to gather at their store in Court Street, where they were presented with a cheque from the Parkes Elvis Revival INC committee.

The cheque was for the amount of $6,870.07, the total amount of funds remaining in an account being held by Elvis Revival INC. The committee is regrettably folding, following the toll resulting from COVID combined with the devastating loss of a number of key members.

Elvis Revival Inc (ERI) were a group of dedicated Elvis fans who rallied with the common goal to manage and grow the Parkes Elvis Festival.

Formed in 1992 with a few members and Festival Co-founder Bob Steel as President, the committee went on to have a hand in the Elvis Wall of Fame, Tent City, Home Hosting program, Elvis Central, Renewal of Vows, Miss Priscilla Dinner and finding for a dedicated Festival Manager in 2007.

The Elvis Revival INC committee discussed what to do with their remaining funds and it was agreed the entire amount should be donated to Parkes CanAssist, who provide much needed assistance to our local community and people who find themselves in desperate need of help. It was improtant to the committee that the funds filter back into the community to help local people.

Supermarket Consumer Ploys To Avoid

July 27, 2023 By Roxane Manley

The obvious answer to why supermarkets use these tactics is that “their purpose is to sell more, that’s their job, they are storing lots of goods. They want you to buy more than what you have on your list.

Ever walk into the supermarket to buy just milk – and come out with a trolley full of stuff you didn’t even know that you needed? Welcome to supermarket consumer behaviour, where supermarkets implement strategies to get consumers to buy more items unknowingly.

According to recent data from the Australia Bureau of Statistics, Australia is currently experiencing one of the worst cost of living crises recorded. With high inflation rates and stagnant wages, there is no doubt that working Australians are “very price conscious”, says Professor Nitika Garg, School of Marketing at UNSW Business School.

The rising inflation and increasing costs are impacting everyone in the supply chain, from manufacturers to retailers, and are then being passed on to consumers. Consequently, prices are a lot higher than they were a few months ago. How can consumers cope with these escalating costs and price hikes in the current economic climate?

According to Prof. Garg, there are some key tactics to watch out for when supermarket shopping:

Locked-in deals: These are commonly identified by bright red labels on items and typically present a capped price until a specified date. Consumers may be misled into believing that purchasing the item before the deadline offers greater cost-effectiveness due to the deal. However, the price of the locked-in deals is often the same as the original price of the item.

Store layout: Supermarkets design the layout of the store to purposely put staple foods such as milk and bread far away from each other – and usually at the back of the store. This tactic is designed to make a consumer walk through the store and spend more time.

Bigger-sized carts: Studies in the USA have shown that some trolley sizes in supermarkets have doubled in size since first being introduced. This has resulted in consumers typically buying 40 per cent more food items. The idea behind this is that consumers are tricked into thinking their shopping trolley appears to be missing food items.

Music: Have you ever wondered why supermarkets typically play more relaxed, slow-paced music instead of fast and upbeat tunes? It’s not a coincidence. Supermarkets strategically choose calming music to create a relaxed atmosphere and encourage customers to stay longer, enhancing their shopping experience and getting them to buy more.

Store deals: the ‘buy two, get one free’ deals and similar schemes may initially appear as an excellent opportunity and a cost-effective method of saving money if it’s an item you buy regularly. However, if it’s an item that has a short expiry date, is it realistic that a consumer will consume all three items before the expiry date? Furthermore, certain supermarkets show, for example, ‘buy two for $10.00’, making it appear as a deal and misleading the consumer by implying that you are saving on cost. However, upon closer inspection, you might find that the price of one item is just its regular price, that is, half of the price of two.

Author-Rised Special Guest

July 27, 2023 By Roxane Manley

Parkes Mayor, Cr Ken Kieth OAM addressed Selina and the crowd when awarding Selina the Sir Henry Parkes Medal.

Last Wednesday night, attendees at Parkes Shire Library were treated to a powerful In Conversation with special guest author Selina Win Pe, on the release of her new book “Untold Truths”.

Selina gave a passionate talk on her journey to self-discovery and strength through country connection, following the difficult loss of trust she suffered from the 2014 Lindt Café Siege in Sydney.

The healing nature of the country and country people were a particular focus of the talk, with Selina commenting that “the new memories I am creating in rural New South Wales are helping me heal”.

A driving force behind Selina first releasing her book in country New South Wales is to give back to the communities who have given to her.

To thank her for her contribution to the Parkes community, Councillor Ken Keith awarded Selina with the Sir Henry Parkes Medal on the night, remarking on the services she has provided the community. Selina Win Pe’s new book “Untold Truths” is available here www.selinawinpe.com.au.

Join the Parkes Shire Library at their next Author Talk on Wednesday 9th August with best-selling Australian author Gabbie Stroud. Call 02 6861 2309 to book.

If you have a passion for writing, head along to Author-Rised, Parkes Shire Library’s writing group where all writers from 18+ share their passion for writing over snacks and tea. The group welcomes writers of all stripes; poets, non fiction writers, fiction writers, scriptwriters.

Author-Rised meets at the Parkes Library on the first Tuesday of every month from 6pm – 8pm.

Feedback Sought On Window Safety Proposal

July 27, 2023 By Roxane Manley

DPE Executive Director of Infrastructure Policy Jonathon Schipp has stated public input is crucial to inform any proposed new laws aimed at preventing small children accidentally falling from windows.

“We want to hear the community’s views on proposed changes requiring safety devices to be fitted in most homes on windows less than 1.7 metres from the floor, if the floor is two metres or more above ground level,” Mr Schipp said.

Since 2013, child-proof safety devices have been required for windows above a certain height in new bedrooms of most homes and all strata buildings in NSW, such as apartments and townhouses.

“We know that cost of living pressures means many people are doing it tough at the moment, and we want to hear from the community on this and other issues they feel should be examined.”

The discussion paper responds to the NSW Deputy State Coroner’s recommendations after the death of a three-year-old who fell from a third-floor residential apartment window which did not have a safety device.

To view the discussion paper and to provide feedback by 21 August 2023, visit: https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/window-safety

Place-Based Cultural Immersion Opportunities

July 27, 2023 By Roxane Manley

The Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) has extended a statewide expression of interest to identify local Aboriginal service providers that can offer place based cultural immersion training for employees as part of the department’s Aboriginal Cultural Capability Framework.

Expressions of interest will run until 7th August to identify potential Aboriginal service providers who will be shortlisted and invited to tender for the delivery of services based on their local cultural knowledge.

DPE Director of Aboriginal People and Cultural Affairs, Amanda McCarthy, said the framework will provide employees with comprehensive learning to improve Aboriginal cultural awareness and capabilities, enabling them to deliver the very best services in partnership with Aboriginal communities.

“Aboriginal people and cultures are so diverse that a ‘one size fits all’ approach to cultural learning won’t work,” Ms McCarthy said.

“Employees need to immerse themselves in their local communities or on Country with Traditional Custodians, knowledge holders and language speakers and understand their intrinsic connections with Country and the broader community.”

Through the expression of interest process, DPE aims to establish a panel of preferred Aboriginal suppliers across NSW who can provide cultural immersion experiences and share the richness and diversity of Aboriginal culture and history on Country.

With about 10,000 employees in the Department of Planning and Environment around NSW, the establishment of the panel represents real and tangible economic development opportunities for Aboriginal people, communities, and business.

Further information on the expression of interest can be found here https://www.tenders.nsw.gov.au/

Horticulture Lifting Heavy In Pursuit Of $100 Billion

July 27, 2023 By Roxane Manley

A new report released last week confirms the Australian horticulture industry will be making an essential contribution to attaining the ambitious goal of $100 billion in national agricultural value by 2030.

Commissioned by Hort Innovation and delivered by The Centre for International Economics, the Contribution of Australian horticulture industry report predicts the sector will witness a 22.5 per cent increase in combined value by 2030, to reach $21.8 billion.

Jolyon Burnett, Chair of the NFF Horticulture Council, said the anticipated additional $4 billion generated by horticulture equated to half the value needed across the whole of agriculture to hit the $100 billion target on today’s figures. “The horticulture sector, including fruits, vegetables, nuts and also our turf, nursery and garden industries, has experienced solid growth, backed by strong demand and innovation, with this trend set to continue,” said Mr Burnett.

“We continue to punch well above our weight, being among the most efficient industries in converting valuable land, energy and water resources into more jobs and greater wealth across regional Australia.

“And with fewer than 1 in 10 Australians eating the recommended daily intake of vegetables, half eating enough fruit, and with diet-related chronic diseases currently the major causes of premature death and disability among adults in Australia, we have an opportunity and responsibility to grow our domestic markets.

“These are all opportunities we need to address in partnership, with state and federal governments, but also other organisations and businesses who share our goals.”

Ready To Celebrate Schools Tree Day And National Tree Day This Weekend?

July 27, 2023 By Roxane Manley

Are you getting your hands dirty this weekend to help celebrate National Tree Day.

Planet Ark and National Tree Day’s major sponsor, Toyota Australia are teaming up with the AFL to promote tree planting across Australia during rounds 19-20 of the 2023 Toyota AFL Premiership season.

This is the second year that Toyota has supported National Tree Day through their AFL partnership, using in ground signage and broadcast assets to amplify National Tree Day to an AFL audience. Saint Kilda defender Jack Sinclair was just one of the many players who took some time to get their hands dirty and connect with nature last year.

If you’re at the AFL this weekend, look out for the friendly faces in the National Tree Day community service announcement, including Toyota Australia Ambassador Adam Goodes and volunteers from the National Tree Day community.

Planet Ark, would like to thank all the site coordinators, volunteers, councils, schools and community groups who are digging in to celebrate Schools Tree Day and National Tree Day.

$31 Million Dollars To Fight Varroa Mite

July 27, 2023 By Roxane Manley

The NSW Government this week announced $31 million to support beekeepers, horticulture and cropping industries affected by the Varroa mite outbreak.

Minister Moriarty said Varroa mite will add an estimated $52 million per year in apiary management expenses. The impacts without intervention would be severe on both the wild European honey bee population as well as managed hives around Australia.

In the past year:

• 2,148 people have spent an estimated 452,569 hours on the response across 990,400 hectares of eradication (red) zones

• The NSW DPI has fielded more than 10,000 calls, and has held close to 100 community

• meetings and webinars;

• The Wild European Honey Bee Management Program has deployed 705 bait stations, 823 Fipronil applications, and has been monitoring samples of Wild European Honey Bees collected in Emergency Eradication Zones for Varroa mite of which 725 have returned negative results;

• The NSW DPI has sampled 40,726 managed hives across NSW;

• Beekeepers have sampled 91,626 hives throughout the state.

The NSW Government has already spent more than $33 million to control Varroa outbreaks, including $13.7 million in reimbursement to around 2,500 affected commercial and recreational beekeepers.

Minister Moriarty said an updated plan for the next three years of the response had been endorsed by the National Management Group, which includes representatives from all states, the Commonwealth and industry groups.

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