Keeping teenage girls in school in developing countries was one of the big projects highlighted by Quota International of Parkes at its celebration of International Women’s Day on Tuesday. Approximately 150 women from Parkes and district attended a sparkling high tea at the Parkes Golf Club for the annual event which celebrates women’s achievements and highlights Quota’s projects.

Pam Nankivell, Publicity Officer of Quota International of Parkes, said Tuesday’s focus was on the Days for Girls project. “The aim is to help girls gain access to quality sustainable feminine hygiene by providing them with re-usable sanitary kits. The kits are made by people all over the world and according to the Days for Girls website,
more than 200,000 girls in 100 nations have been reached so far” she said; “This means girls can stay in school instead of missing up to two months of education and opportunity every year.”

In Uganda and Kenya absence rates have dropped from 36% to 8% and 25% to 3% respectively after the distribution of Days for Girls kits. Pam said the Parkes chapter had been involved with the project for the past year by raising funds, as well as making some of the kits.

The other focus area of Quota International is the ongoing project of providing sound field systems to classrooms. The Parkes Public School already has three classrooms equipped with a system. “This means everyone can hear the teacher and the classroom is quieter,” said Pam; “Our endeavour is to put a system in all classrooms.” Cheques were also presented to the Domestic Violence Committee and Palliative Care at Tuesday’s event via the Parkes Quota Club, which has been in existence since 1957.

Two Parkes cyclists are toughening up to take part once again in one of the most exciting and rewarding charity bicycle rides in New South Wales. Rodney Coleman and Tina Jones are two of the 48 determined entrants for the Mill2Mill ride beginning in Gunnedah on Monday and ending in Manildra on Thursday, 577km later.

The duo first took part in the biennial event in 2014, “I enjoyed it, although it was really tough,” said Rodney, an employee at the Manildra Flour Mills, “I’m really looking forward to catching up with the people who took part last time and going to schools along the way and talking to the kids.” Tina, an employee of Pacific National, is equally excited for the challenge.

The ride is an initiative of the Manildra Group and MSM Milling to raise money for charities that support regional communities, small rural schools and community groups. The main aim is to raise more than $100,000 to be split between beyondblue and small schools the ride will pass along the route, as well as local Manildra community groups whose members volunteer their time to work as support crew during the ride. According to Genya Miller, Communications Manager for MSM Milling, this year’s ride concentrates on supporting beyondblue to help battle increasing levels of depression and anxiety in regional communities and among farmers.

The 2016 ride is the fourth Mill2Mill and will pass through many small regional communities, including Mullaley, Tambar Springs, Coonabarabran, Gilgandra, Narromine, Peak Hill and Parkes. The riders are expected to be in Parkes on Thursday to grab some well-earned lunch at KFC between 12pm and 12.30pm, if you would like to cheer them on.

If you would like to support the ride with a donation go to www.msmmilling.com.au and search for the Mill2Mill charity bike ride.

There’s been some confusion over how the new bin system will work, so here is the information in a nutshell. Parkes Shire Council now have a new waste collection service that will recover more recyclables and organic material from entering landfill, helping you waste less, recycle more and keep the environment happy. All material from the green lid bin (food and organics) will be processed into mulch. The recycled material (yellow) will also be processed
and manufactured into new products.

The new bins will enable increased capacity for recycling (yellow lid bin) and food and garden waste (green lid bin) while still providing a garbage waste bin (red lid bin). The three bin collection service will begin the week of the 4th April 2016, so keep using your current bins until 4th April! After April 4th the new bins will be good to go
when a new truck with a different lifting system will be able to pick them up and clean them out. Also, if your old bins are put out after April 4th, they won’t be picked up so make sure you don’t throw away the
wrong bin!

The old bins will be collected on 26th April which will be a once off event so please remember to put your old bin
our by the evening of the 25th April. Chris Foley, Waste Service Officer, says; “If anyone hasn’t received the info pack attached to the bins you can phone the Council on 1300 725 415.” The information packs include a fridge calendar that is colour coded so you know when to put out which bin. Cr Alan Ward, Chair of Parkes Shire Council’s Waste Committee said the new service will provide a much improved environmental outcome and allow Council to meet the State government’s goal of achieving 70% diversion of domestic waste going to landfill.

If you’re the type of person who likes to shop for sunglasses with a big smile on your face and a coffee in your hand, go no further than Parkes Optical Services. Charlie and his team are sure to make you laugh, helping you find the specs to suit you while providing quality and fashionable eyewear to the people of Parkes along with
delicious coffee in the adjoining shop, The Coffee Pot.

This locally owned and operated business offers prescription and non-prescription sunglasses complete with UV protection, glasses adjustment and repair, discounts for pensioners, timely and accurate dispensing of spectacle prescriptions and top of the range brands such as Serengeti, Fitovers (ideal for those with an active job), Maui Jim and Jag. You’re sure to be spoilt for choice. Grab a bite to eat for lunch, a coffee and some glasses from a friendly
team of staff all in one place!

Charlie has been creating beautiful spectacles in Parkes for the past 40 years, why not see what he can do for you? If you’d like to know more call 6862 1852 or pop into the shop at 209A Clarinda Street.

Five projects in the Orange electorate have been shortlisted for funding under the NSW Government’s Fixing Country Roads Programme. Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Roads and Orange MP, Andrew Gee, said 194 expressions of interests were received with 122 shortlisted for the development of a full application. “The NSW Government’s Fixing Country Roads programme is designed to better connect local roads to state highways and key freight hubs such as silos, sale yards, rail heads, supermarket distribution centres, industrial parks and depots to make it easier to move regional freight from paddock to port,” Mr Gee said.

“Over the next month, Transport for NSW will be in contact with councils and will also be holding a series of workshops in regional locations across the state to assist councils in developing full applications.” Projects shortlisted for the application include the Newell Highway to Wirrinya Heavy Vehicle route upgrade and the upgrade of Middle Trundle Road in Parkes Shire. Full applications will close on Monday, 2nd May 2016, with the successful projects expected to be announced by the end of June.

Member for Calare John Cobb has paid tribute to Parkes after announcing his retirement from politics last Saturday. Mr Cobb, aged 66, was first elected into the federal parliament in 2001 and due to boundary changes, the shires of Forbes and Parkes have been the only two shires to remain in his electorate for his entire time as member for Calare.

Ironically, this changed on February 25th when the new federal electorate boundaries of NSW were updated, with
Forbes and Parkes now being a part of the Riverina electorate. Mr Cobb will continue to represent Forbes and Parkes until he officially retires three weeks before the election, which is yet to be announced. He said he would be sad to leave the representation of Forbes and Parkes, as they have been with him throughout his career. “Forbes and Parkes
have been absolutely phenomenal. I look them as my security blanket in politics, the place that I know I will hear what I need to hear, without fear or favour.”

In his 15 years overseeing Calare, Mr Cobb said a personal highlight was the way the Coalition dealt with the 10-year drought throughout the start of the 2000s. “In 2007 I got John Howard [then Prime Minister] and John Anderson [then Deputy Prime Minister] to a station just west of Forbes,” he said; “There was a big gathering there and Mr Howard was in high demand and I remember saying to him, ‘there’s a couple here who want to talk to you, John, about family and the mental side of drought. They lost a son and they lost a neighbour’ and he said, ‘absolutely’ and I took him away and introduced them to him and I can still see him walking under a tree with them, with his arm around both of them, and he gave them 15 minutes. That’s a long time for a Prime Minister, and after that he introduced a mental health package for drought affected farmers.”

Mr Cobb was also happy with the aged care infrastructure he has been able to bring and hopes to see a new dam in the Central West built before he retires. “It has been an incredible opportunity and I’d like to thank Calare for their generosity, hospitality and patience, my family for their support and my National party colleagues for their hard work.” If it is a big thing to enter the Australian Federal Parliament, it is also a big thing to leave it and we wish
John all the best with the future.