Photos of the devastation in Tonga started filtering through this week after the recent volcanic eruption in Tonga that triggered a tsunami.

Nasa says the eruption was hundreds of times more powerful than the atomic bomb the US dropped on Hiroshima during World War Two, while Tongan residents said it felt like the world was coming to an end.

As the island nations struggles to deal with the ash from the eruptions, many families have stopped their children from playing outside.

While Tongans living in Australia are still struggling to make contact with their families, many donation drives have started up, including in Parkes.

Packed Cones started a Tongan Relief Fundraiser after one of its employees, Leilani Lavaka, said her sister Emeline was organising donations to go over in two containers.

“If you cannot donate money, Packed Cones also welcomes any donations of clothes, toys, toiletries and household items,” said India Rauchle. “We are open from 10am to 10pm and donations can be dropped off at our business any time.”

She said the Tongan community in Parkes counted about 60 people and that all the islanders have been very helpful since the disaster.

She thanked the public for the donations so far. “We’ve already started getting some stuff and the support has been fantastic,” India said on Monday.

The new address in Parkes for all industrial supplies, including steel, is 108 Forbes Road where Power Tools Plus has opened its brand-new store on Monday this week.

“I’m so proud of all the work our team have put into bringing this project to fruition,” said Power Tools Plus General Manager, Carrie Olsen.

“We’re thrilled to be able to expand our offering for the Parkes region and our Parkes customers, supporting their needs now and into the future. We’re here to help regional people and communities thrive, and help our customers build it, fix it and service it. This development cements our ability to continue to do just that.”

Apart from doubling in size from the original Parkes store, the biggest news is that Power Tools Plus is now supplying steel and industrial supplies all in the same location. “We have metal sheets, bars, fencing, reinforcing, structural steel and much more,” said Marketing Manager, Marianne Casey.

The store not only has more space with wider aisles and signage to find items easier, but also sports a bigger carpark for customers.

Marianne said a new range of concreting tools and materials were introduced and they expanded their range of Milwaukee and Makita tools. “We are looking to introduce more DIY, outdoor and job-site products.

“We know tool lovers like to see and feel products before they buy and that’s why more of our power tools, welding machines, compressors and tool kits are out on display,” said Marianne.

She said customers could definitely still expect the same great Power Tools Plus welcome they’ve been receiving for 17 years. “We pride ourselves on getting to know customers, taking care to help solve their problems with helpful product advice and service all delivered with a local flair.”

As thousands of local students will be returning to school next week local drivers and parents are reminded about children’s safety around schools.

Parents and carers should:

• Always make sure children wear a seatbelt or use a child restraint up to seven years old.
• Drop-off and pick-up children on the school side of the road,where possible.
• Make sure children use the ‘safety door’, which is on the footpath-side when getting in and out.
• Use a pedestrian crossing where possible and avoid being distracted by friends, mobile phones or listening to music throughheadphones whilst walking.
• Children to 10 years old should always be supervised whennear traffic.
• Children aged up to eight should always hold an adult’s handwhen crossing the road or walking near traffic.
• Make sure children always wear a helmet when riding a bike.
• Always walk with children to the bus stop.

“Drivers are reminded to slow down, pay extra attention and bepatient when school resumes as there are more cars, buses andcyclists on the road and young pedestrians crossing the streets,”said the Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils’ Road Safetyand Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor.

“This is especially important in country areas with higher speed limits, limited bus stop signage and no footpaths. When the orange lights on the back of a school bus are flashing, you must slow down to 40km/h, as students are either getting on or off the bus.

There are 40km/h school speed zones around all schools in NSW operational between 8am – 9.30am and 2.30pm – 4pm on school days. The school zone in Bushman Street, Parkes is operational all day from 8am – 4pm. Police will be targeting school zones to ensure drivers obey the 40km/h speed limit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Parkes is the birth place of a movement that has gone national, many residents will know its signature red car.

Founder of Paint the Town REaD (PTTR), Rhonda Brain, decided it was time to give someone else a turn to sit in the driver seat of the other famous ‘big red car’. Rhonda has travelled thousands of kilometres since the launch of Paint The Town REaD in 1997 helping and encouraging many of the 98 communities across Australia who are now avid supporters of the movement’s key message: REaD, Talk, Sing and Rhyme with your child every day from birth.

Rhonda recently handed over the keys to Neighbourhood Central where Paint Parkes REaD Co-ordinator, Shonel Redfern, will be responsible for keeping the all-important message spreading in the community.

“Most of us are now aware that one of the valuable ways to encourage early literacy is through community involvement, and both the original and present committees are so grateful for the continued, cooperative, and generous interaction with, and engagement of, our community,” said Shonel.

Rhonda will remain actively involved in Paint Parkes REaD and its committee members who are already getting ready for this year’s Community Reading Day to be held during Book Week in August.

Rhonda will also continue in her position as creative director of the national board. Rhonda and Shonel are working with Executive Director Barbie Bates, and the NSW State Co-ordination Robyne Harrison looking into the feasibility of holding the 9th National Conference in the Parkes Shire next year. To this end, Barbie and Robyne will be in Parkes in early March.

Next year marks a very special anniversary and gives Parkes more reason for hosting the conference as it will be 25 years since Birth to Kindergarten (now Paint The Town REaD) began its major promotional activities across our community. There are so many memories here!

This year’s ‘Free Cuppa for the Driver’ scheme will run again from 1st March to 31st May and local businesses are invited to take part.

Entering its 12th year, the multi award-winning scheme provides for partnerships between participating councils and local businesses. The councils provide the marketing and administer the scheme while the participating businesses provide the free cuppas.

“We find that the majority of participating businesses give away between 15 and 30 free over the three-month period. Most travellers that claim free cuppas want to support the participating businesses and will buy extra coffees or food,” said Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils’ Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor.

She said since its inception the scheme had given away more than 27,000 free cuppas in 265 participating businesses across 91 towns, villages and cities in regional NSW.

“Just being part of the network of participating businesses is already helping to raise awareness of the dangers of driver fatigue. Our deepest thanks to all of the businesses that have participated previously – we quite literally could not have run this program without your support,” Melanie said.

Drivers are entitled to a free cuppa at participating businesses if they are more than 100km away from the address on their licence.

Registrations for the 2022 scheme are open until Monday, 31st January. Go to www.freecuppa.com.au to sign up and find more information about the scheme.