The Parkes Men’s Shed is trying to keep its activities as normal as possible despite all the challenges posed by the coronavirus.

Trevor and Tony recently restored a rocking horse that was donated to Eugowra Pre-school. “Needless to say, they were ecstatic,” said Tony Vickers, Publicity Officer. “If you have a similar item that you think is restorable and could be donated to a similar cause then please give me a call on 0428 350 606.”

The Parkes Men’s Shed is planning a garage sale for Saturday, 5th March from 8am at their shed located at the Parkes Show grounds, with entry via Mitchell Street.

“All manner of items will be available, including electrical tools,” said Tony. “If you have items that you would like to donate to the shed, we would be most grateful.”

Welcome to 2022! We are looking forward to seeing you at the Library and Cultural Centre with all our FREE programs recommencing including:

Afternoon Book Club: Wednesday, 23rd February at 3pm

Evening Book Club: Thursday, 24th February at 6pm

Computer Classes Fridays: Friday, 4th February at 8:30 – 9:30am

Movies @ the Library: Friday, 25th February with an Australian mystery adventure featuring one of our favourite and most glamorous detectives at 6pm.

Bookings are essential for all programs on 6861 2309.

TRAVELLING ANNUAL BOOK SALE

To celebrate Library Lover’s Week, our annual book sale will start in Parkes on Monday, 14th February, Peak Hill on Tuesday, Tullamore Wednesday, and Trundle Thursday.

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS

Storytime (pre-schoolers) recommences Tuesday, 8th February at 10am;

Rhyme Time (babies & toddlers) recommences Thursday, 10th February at 10am;

Summer Reading Club – entries are due back by Friday, 4th February!

MARRAMARRA MAKERSPACE – LET’S GET MAKING!

Our Marramarra Makerspace is launching on Monday, 14th February at 6pm with regular Maker Days. Book into a Workshop:

Lego Club: Thursdays 4-5pm for students in Years 5-8 (commencing 3rd February);

Beginner Art Classes: Saturdays 2-5pm for ages 14+ (commencing 12th February);

Art Journaling with Jo Lauri: Tuesdays 6-8pm for ages 15+

Book in at the Parkes Library or email Roxanne.gallacher@parkes.nsw.gov.au

Member for Orange Phil Donato paid a visit to the Craft Corner in Parkes last Thursday. “It was lovely to meet some of the members,” he said. He received a tour of their newly renovated shop in Clarinda Street showing off the wide range of craft, art pieces, clothing, sweets, bottled preserves and unique gifts. “If you haven’t yet been in there, pop on in,” said Phil. Taking their masks off for the photo were at the back (L-R) Brett Cooke (Phil’s Senior Advisor), Rosemary Mitchell (secretary), Margaret Tanner (president), Bev Dawson, Ann Regi-nato, Kerry Buerckner (treasurer) and Phil Donato MP. In front are Shirley Michalk, Lesley Fisher and Rhonda Redenbach.

As a little kid she would sit in the corner whenever visitors came to the farm and draw them on brown paper off the bread using charcoal out of the fire.

“That’s where I started,” said Elsie Mahon, who received the Cultural Lifetime Achievement Award on Australia Day last week.

“We had a neighbour who was a really good cartoonist and he used to show me how to draw people. “We lived in the country right out past Condo and never had a classroom. We had correspondence with mum.”

Elsie loved it when someone came to the farm, so she could draw them. “If I liked them, I made them look pretty good, and sometimes I would give them big ears and noses.”

She said her father would get so annoyed with her saying she would offend them. “He used to say I would be much better off learning in the kitchen how to cook with my mum so I could look after a husband one day. Nobody had done any good with drawing,” he would say.

When Elsie moved to Parkes with her husband Henry and two children 54 years ago, she enrolled in every single creative course offered at TAFE. “I did soft furnishing, cake decorating, pottery and more, and then became an art and craft teacher until TAFE stopped hobby teaching. She continued teaching offering classes at her gallery at the nursery she and her husband had bought in Bogan Street, and did not stop for the next 30 years.

Elsie also fulfilled her passion for gardening by designing many gardens in Parkes and winning champion garden for every garden while they’ve lived in Parkes. “My grandfather was a market gardener, and I used to follow him around. Gardening is also creative and another medium to play with. There is so much friendship that goes into a garden from exchanging cuttings and plants and that creates a lot of memories.

“It is lovely to be recognised,” said Elsie of her award. “You don’t do it for recognition, but because it’s your nature. I love to help other people, and love to get involved in the community.”

Elsie is also very happy with how far arts has come in the Parkes Community. “For 40 years Warwick Tom and I and a couple of other people have worked to convince Council that we need more support. I feel like we are in a really good place now and that we have finally achieved what we’ve been chasing.”

Elsie’s passion for being creative has enriched her life in many ways. “For a kid that only went to 6th class as that’s as far as we went in correspondence as we had to start working on the farm, it was good to discover there’s a lot more to life than that.” And when she started her teaching job at TAFE, even her father had to acknowledge she had achieved the impossible in his opinion. He said to her: Well, I never ever thought anyone could make a living doing that.”

By Maggi Barnard

The Parkes Potters Group could not be happier at the start of 2022 with the arrival of new equipment.

The group obtained funds from last year’s Parkes Shire Council Cultural Grants Program, and were able to buy a new kiln, shelving, props and banding wheel along with other essential tools.

“This will enhance our ability to coach and assist in the mentoring, teaching, exploration and development of new skills both in the production of clay sculptural pieces and pottery,” said Bev Rowe, assistant secretary.

“It will also enable the Potters Group to extend their education and mentoring services to our new members through conducting in-house learning days. These learning days involve mentoring and instruction with the provision and the use of essential equipment, tools and supplies in an effort to keep costs affordable for participants. It also helps to stimulate community cultural activity in meeting the needs of our local residents and the ongoing continuation of our organisation in the Parkes Shire.”

“We would like to extend a big thank you to Parkes Shire Council for the grant.”

The Parkes Potters Group has been active for 50 years with a reputation for the production of unique art pieces.

The Parkes Potters will be celebrating their half century with an exhibition in the Coventry Room at the Parkes Library from 4th to 19th March.

A Parkes apprentice carpenter Holly McColl has received a scholarhip worth $15,000 to support her education and training.

Holly is one of 100 students to receive the Bert Evans Scholarship out of more than 1,000 applicants from across NSW.

Holly is currently in her second year of her apprenticeship and is completing a Certificate III in Carpentry with local family business, Barnes Better Building.

“I was thrilled and so grateful to receive this scholarship to assist me in my journey of becoming a qualified carpenter. Being a female in a non-traditional trade has certainly come with its challenges, but I have a great passion for the trade industry and through the support of Skillset, TAFE NSW and Barnes Better Building I have developed more confidence to chase a career that I love,” said Holly.

Member for Orange Philip Donato MP awarded the scholarship to Holly last week saying: “It’s great to see young people embracing and maximising opportunities. It’s fantastic to see a young woman in a building tradecraft, whom other women can look to for inspiration.

“As a former apprentice pastry chef myself, and as a father of four children who are and have been apprenticed in trades, I understand the financial limitations and challenges in life while learning a tradecraft.

Rodney Barnes, owner of Barnes Better Building in Parkes and Holly’s host employer said: “We are extremely proud of Holly. She started a year ago, and in this time has shown great commitment to her trade – both in her practical and theoretical work.”

The Bert Evans Scholarship is funded by the NSW Government. Holly will receive $5,000 per year totalling $15,000 to help support her vocational education and training.