Jake Adams

How long have you lived in Parkes and what do you like about living here?
I’ve been in Parkes for about five years. I’m originally Mexican – from south of the border in Geelong. I love the family atmosphere. I have a young family and the kids can play in the street. It’s been such a welcoming community.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy about your work?
I work at Onnies Coffee. I love my customer base, I really enjoy everyone who comes through. Of course, I also love making coffee.

What do you do to unwind after work or on weekends?
I love a full-bodied shiraz. I also play AFL for a team in Orange, and I try to go surfing at least once a quarter.

What are you really good at?
I’m really good at cooking. I love cooking for my family and friends. I’m pretty good at football too, and talking rubbish.

If you could have a super power, what would it be?
Teleporting, for sure. I’d teleport to the beach, or into a bank vault. There’s no way I’d be a hero if I had powers.

What is your pet hate?
Incorrect English. I’m constantly correcting people in my head. Also people who eat with their mouth open.

Tell us about your best holiday ever.
It’s got to be Vietnam or Laos. We went tubing down a river in Laos. You get a tube at a little village and then sail down the river past all these bars, and they’d all throw you a rope and pull you in. There was a big party at the end too. It’s not just about the beer though, just floating along the river was really fun.

Helen Huntly

How long have you lived in Parkes and what do you like about living here?
Since I married 63 years ago. I am part of a friendly, supportive community. Parkes has been a great place to rear and educate my family of four.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy about your work?
I am a retired nurse. Being in health was a rewarding experience, being part of a team that mostly produce good results for the majority of people.

What do you do to unwind after work or on weekends?
I started with art in my later years. Painting takes me into a positive and creative thought process that in turn revitalises my spirit.

What are you really good at?
I believe I am really good at communicating with most people.

If you could have a super power, what would it be?
To be able to bring peace into hearts, homes and country.

What is your pet hate?
The word ‘hate’.

Tell us about your best holiday ever.
About four years ago I went with family and friends on an off road camping and some motels holiday to the Gulf country – sunset over the Gulf, the savannah plains, the Lawn Hill National Park and Gorge, the lovely small towns and the incredible vast- ness of our beautiful country are memories never to be forgotten

How long have you lived in Parkes and what do you like about living here?
I grew up in Parkes. My partner and I moved to Mackay in 2006, where we had our two beautiful daughters, Stella 6 and Lotti 4. We moved back to Parkes at the beginning of the year and are all loving being home, surrounded by our amazing family and friends!

Where do you work and what do you enjoy about your work?
After more then 13 years in the beauty industry I decided to open up my own salon, Kindred Beauty Lounge. My days are filled with relaxing facials and beauty treatments. Helping to educate and empower women to feel comfortable in their own skin is my daily goal, and I’m absolutely loving it!

What do you do to unwind after work or on weekends?
My weekends are all about family and friends, catching up and enjoying all that our beautiful community has on offer.

If you could have a super power, what would it be?
To have my housework magically done for me! Nobody has time for that, seriously!

What is your pet hate?
Trying to find the end of the sticky tape…!

Neil Westcott

How long have you lived in Parkes and what do you like about living here?
Lived all my life in Alectown. Parkes has provided us and our children great opportunity and choice. There are so many talented and caring people.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy about your work?
Alison and I run a family farm at Alectown. I love the challenge that every year brings and the sat- isfaction of taking the property through to harvest.

What do you do to unwind after work or on weekends?
Sing – with friends or on my own.

What are you really good at?
Spent most of my life repairing things, can get myself out of most situations.

If you could have a super power, what would it be?
To remember everybody’s names I’ve ever met.

What is your pet hate?
Being late and bad sound systems at events.

Tell us about your best holiday ever.
Two notable adventures – our European honeymoon and a tour of the WWI battlefields in France, Belgium and Turkey in 1998.

Raelene Rout

How long have you lived in Parkes and what do you like about living here?
We have been living in Parkes for 12 years. I like living in Parkes because I am surrounded by happy, vibrant people.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy about your work?
I worked at Agri-west in Peak Hill, Parkes and Forbes. The thing I enjoyed most were the lovely cus- tomers I saw every day. Today, I work with 66 fabulous ladies from Quota International of Parkes who passionately support the deaf, hard of hearing, speech impaired and women and children in our local commu- nity and around the world. Our major fundraisers this year are the Open Heritage Event held in April, and our Open Gardens in October.

What do you do to unwind after work or on weekends?
I love to mosaic or spend time in our garden with family and friends.

What are you really good at?
Keeping busy! I don’t spend enough time at home.

If you could have a super power, what would it be?
Create a fat free and healthy chocolate that tastes like real chocolate.

What is your pet hate?
Toilet rolls on backwards! And odd socks … I can’t wear odd socks!

Tell us about your best holiday ever.
We went to Africa two years ago, I fell in love with Africa and could go back tomorrow. Beautiful people, amazing scenery and loads of fun.

John Sarkissian

How long have you lived in Parkes and what do you like about living here?
I have lived in Parkes for over 20 years, having arrived with my wife in October 1996, to work at the Parkes Telescope. The best thing about Parkes is the people and the sense of community. It’s a great place to live and work.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy most about your work?
I am an Operations Scientist at the CSIRO Parkes Telescope. As a school boy, I used to day- dream of working there one day, so for me, it’s literally a dream come true. What I enjoy most is the opportunity to work with so many world-class scientists. We have so many people visit from around the world, that at times it feels like a mini United Nations.

What do you do to unwind after work and on weekends?
I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. There’s nothing better than having a barbecue with friends around. Also, a bit of star gazing at night, really puts me at ease.

What are you really good at?
Talking about astronomy. I really can’t help myself.

If you could have a super power, what would it be?
I’d like to fly like superman. Imagine flying to the moon and back, with- out the need for a rocket. Now, that would be neat.

What is your pet hate?
Phoning a help line and being made to wait an eternity to speak to a human being. Whatever hap- pened to customer service?

Tell us about your best holiday ever.
I was backpacking through Europe in 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down. It was a great time with many historic events going on. It’s also when I met my wife.

How long have you lived in Parkes and what do you like about living here?
All my life – 84 years. My family has been in Parkes since 1862. I am a local girl, Parkes is my home. I went away to do nursing and came back. I just love Parkes and Forbes.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy about your work?
I am President of the Historical Society. I work at the Henry Parkes Museum every day. I love the history of our area and to see the old machines working. It tells the story of our gold mining and agricultural history.

What do you do to unwind after work or on weekends?
I spent most of my life teaching swimming, but not this year. I like to read, do crossword puzzles and look after my seven cats and the five kittens I saved from the gutter.

What are you really good at?
Talking, but I’ll have a go at everything. I would say I am an all round person and love being a sticky beak.

If you could have a super power, what would it be?
I believe we live in such an absolutely fabulous world: from growing up in the war as a child when we had very little to today where we have the internet. This ability to communicate with people in- stantly anywhere in the world is like having a super power – that is just incredible!

Tell us about your best holiday ever.
As children we went to Rose Bay in Sydney during the war time. The Japanese subma- rines were in the harbour and we saw the soldiers at the golf club. It left a big impres- sion on me – I was about eight years old.

Andrew Francis

How long have you lived in Parkes and what do you like about living here?
Since 2005. Parkes has a very friendly and active community, with a number of key services and opportunities that other towns of similar size don’t have. Moving to Parkes from Sydney was a delight with a short commute, quiet, friendly neighbourhoods and a very progressive Council.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy about your work?
Parkes Shire Council. I have always been an active member of the community in which I live and working at Council and specifically in a service delivery role, it allows me to affect positive change and work directly with groups and individuals to get positive outcomes.

What do you do to unwind after work or on weekends?
Exercise, music, Netflix, meditation and the odd drink get me wound down and ready to play all weekend with the kids.

What are you really good at?
I can whistle with my mouth closed.

If you could have a super power, what would it be?
Since as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to have the ability to fly, but as an adult a better power may be to be able to read people’s minds…

What is your pet hate?
Cats, hmmm, no, they’re a pet that I hate. I mean, cold showers.

Tell us about your best holiday ever.

Tour of Canada and Europe, wonderful sites, wonderful people, wonderful food and a proposal at the Eiffel Tower to boot.