How long have you lived in Parkes and what do you like most about living here? I moved to Parkes about 20 years ago. It wasn’t until I got settled here that I became aware of the friendly nature of Parkes residents. My wife, Pam, moved here from Christchurch, New Zealand and she has found Parkes a very friendly place to live too.

Where do you work or what do you do currently and what do you enjoy about it? I run Glassplace with the help of five other people. The best part of my job is the variety of work we undertake. No two jobs are the same and with the constant upgrades in Australian Standards, we are always on our toes keeping up with changes.

What is your favourite thing to do when you have free time? I just love growing vegies. We have 20 vegetable growing beds in our garden and I almost always have something ready for Pam (who is a great cook) to include in our next meal. My other great love is kayaking.

What makes you proud? My wife makes me proud because she gave up her life in New Zealand so we could be together. For her every day is another adventure. I feel proud of my family members and my staff when they achieve a really good result with a new project.

If you could be an animal which one would you choose and why? I would definitely be a dolphin. They can travel the world, go fishing anywhere they like without a licence, go surfing at all the best beaches and take a holiday from it all whenever they feel like it. Have you ever seen an unhappy dolphin?

What is your all time favourite movie, song and/or book, and why? Mark Knopfler and Graeme Conners are my favourite musicians. They are both great story tellers.

Tell us about your best holiday. About 25 years ago I was made redundant from a job, and had a month before I was due to start my next position. So, it was off to New Zealand and four weeks travelling with no set aims.

Lyn Townsend

How long have you lived in Parkes and what do you like most about living here?
I have lived here since 1983. I love that Parkes has a sense of community and will support their own when times get tough.

Where do you work or what do you do currently and what do you enjoy about it? I am Service Coordinator of Community Transport at Neighbourhood Central. I work with the most amazing team, both staff and volunteers and absolutely love going to work every day. I am very lucky.

What is your favourite thing to do when you have free time? I love the theatre and particularly watching the junior members develop through the years into strong, confident young adults.

What makes you proud? My children. Every day, in different ways.

If you could be an animal which one would you choose, and why? Anything as long as it roams free.

What is your all-time favourite movie, song and/or book, and why? Movie: Notting Hill. Song: this changes all the time – at the moment it’s “I know it’s today” from Shrek as we are about to audition so this song is playing 24/7 and though I read a lot, I don’t really have a favourite book.

Tell us about your best holiday. Any one of the 14 cruises I have been on. (I’m a cruisaholic!)

What is on your bucket list? I’ve ticked most off, but there’s a few musical productions I aspire to direct: Mamma Mia, Billy Elliott, Wicked, Rocky Horror, Priscilla (though I suspect Parkes isn’t ready for the last two yet!)

Sean White

How long have you lived in Parkes and what do you like most about living here?
I have been in Parkes for nearly 20 years. I find it quite a friendly place to live as most people are easy to get along with.

Where do you work or what do you do currently and what do you enjoy about it? I own and run the pet shop in town and have been doing so for the last 10 years. It’s a rewarding experience helping so many people with their animals and seeing the joy on children’s faces.

What is your favourite thing to do when you have free time? Free time can be a hard thing to find when you’re a full-time single dad to three, but spending time with my children and my girlfriend and her children and finding time to catch up with friends.

What makes you proud? Seeing my children growing into fine young adults is the most rewarding and proud part of my life.

What is your all-time favourite movie, song and/or book, and why? Favourite movie of all time: toss-up between St Elmo’s Fire and Shawshank Redemption for great storylines that draw you in.

Tell us about your best holiday. As a single father running a business and the household, any holiday is good, but just spending time on the coast is very relaxing.

What is on your bucket list? To climb Uluru and check out more of this great country.

Elsie Mahon

How long have you lived in Parkes and what do you like most about living here? I have lived here for about 50 years. It is a great town. We would not want to live anywhere else.

Where do you work or what do you do currently and what do you enjoy about it? I have a studio at home where I teach art and mosaic classes which I enjoy immensely.

What is your favourite thing to do when you have free time? Gardening and playing in the studio.

What makes you proud? My family, and being part of the Parkes community.

If you could be an animal which one would you choose and why? My husband’s little dog, called Daisy, because of all the treats and spoiling she receives.

What is your all time favourite movie, song and/or book, and why? A Star is Born; and any Rod Stewart songs.

Tell us about your best holiday. An art tour in England and France, including a visit to Monet’s garden.

What is on your bucket list? To be a great grandmother so I can spoil more lovely babies; and to see everyone, especially men, have an interest or hobby so that when they retire there is something to look forward to every day.

Ellie Hetherington

How long have you lived in Parkes and what do you like most about living here? I have lived in Parkes for 60 years –
people are very friendly, and over the last eight and a half years their generosity in supporting Ellie’s Plants for Charity has amazed me.

Where do you work or what do you do currently and what do you enjoy about it? I worked as a Physiotherapy Assistant until 2005 when I was retired medically from a shoulder injury. For the last eight and a half years I have run a community garden with all sales to Can Assist.

What is your favourite thing to do when you have free time? Gardening, mosaics and hand raising cockatiels.

What makes you proud? I feel proud that I was able to raise money for Can Assist, thereby fulfilling my sister’s wish.

What is your all-time favourite movie, song and/or book, and why? Sound of Music, I never get tired of watching the reruns.

Tell us about your best holiday. When my children were younger, we used to have camping holidays at Wyangala Dam, lots of fishing and family time.

What is on your bucket list? I will continue to propagate plants and donate them to Donna Monkerud to sell for Can Assist, spend more time in my own garden, and see a lot more of my family.