Our Community Archives - Page 88 of 108

Question of the Week?

March 1, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

What do you think of the Local Government Touch Football Carnival?

Ivette Delgado with Daughter Nathalia Menday from Canada Bay Council: It is a great opportunity to play touch football with other councils. Parkes put on a very good competition every year. I’ve been here three years, and my team has come for ten years. We just love it, it is a fun weekend!

Grant Anstiss from Willoughby Council: It is a pretty good show put on by Parkes and great event for making new friends. We’ve been here for six years and enjoy getting out of the city. Parkes does a great job with our accommodation and dinner venues too.

Kiara Webb, Rachel Geddes and Karla Pearson from Cabonne Council (Molong): It is our first time playing for the Cabonne team and it is exciting to be here. We would not mind if we win and get to go to Darwin!

Our Bloke – Warwick Tom

February 22, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

Warwick Tom

How long have you lived in Parkes and what do you like most about living here?
I was born in Parkes and lived here all my life. Parkes has a great community spirit, always willing to volunteer and help others when asked.

Where do you work or what do you do currently and what do you enjoy about it? I retired from farming about two years ago and moved to a unit in town. Since then cultural activities and flying have kept me out of mischief.

What do you do in your spare time and on weekends? Represent Council on the Arts Out West Board and Cultural Committee, help Parkes Aero Club and volunteer as a guide at the Parkes Aviation Museum.

What are you really good at? Being myself.

If you could have a superpower what would it be? Attach a recorder to my brain to store all my thoughts for future use.

What is your pet hate? Hoons with loud exhausts racing around our streets.

Tell us about your best holiday. Taking my wife and three young boys on a trip overseas on a campervan touring holiday.

Question of the Week?

February 22, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

What do you think of the Little Bang Discovery Club at the Parkes Library?

Teegan Rodgers with Poppy (4) and Elkie (2):
Teegan: It is a great start for kids to learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Poppy: I enjoyed collecting different things from the environment. I found feathers, seeds, rocks and shells. It was fun!

Carmen Gould with Elliott (3):
Carmen: It is fantastic and a good way to get kids interested in these subjects.
Elliott: I like using the timer to time lots of things, like how long it takes my brothers to do their homework.

Jessica Denmead with Ella (3):
Jessica: It is a good idea and the kids get to do things they would not usually do, like learning about magnets or using a looking glass.
Ella: I like my note book and it was fun collecting things in the park that we brought today.

Our Gal – Gracey Denham-Jones

February 15, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

Gracey Denham-Jones

How long have you lived in Parkes and what do you like most about living here?
I have lived in Parkes my whole life (which is 15 and a half years). I love the opportunities that I have been given here in Parkes to pursue my love for the theatre, dance, sport and music.

What year are you and what do you enjoy about school? I’m a year 10 student at Parkes High School. My favourite subjects are art, music, PE and English. I enjoy representing the school in hockey and at musical and drama nights. I also like going to school to see all of my friends and peers.

What do you do in your spare time after school and on weekends? I’m at Twinkle Toes Dance Studio five days a week, either dancing or teaching. I also like to learn new songs to play on my guitar and sing. On weekends I like to relax or go water skiing, hanging out with family and friends.

What are you really good at? I’m really good at singing, dancing, acting, playing goalkeeper in hockey and keeping my parents busy.

If you could have a superpower what would it be? If I could have one superpower it would probably be to time travel. It would be amazing to go back in time to see what it was like when my grandmother was a child.

Question of the Week?

February 15, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

Do you know your heritage?

Kerry Buerckner: My mother’s parents were from Ireland and she was born in New Zealand. My father’s parents were from England, but I think he was born in Australia. I was born in Parkes.

Bernie Mitchell: My mother was born in Newcastle upon Tyne in England and moved here with her mum when she was four after her father was killed in the 1918 war. My father’s parents were from Sri Lanka. My grandfather was in the merchant navy and came to Australia. I was born in Parkes, one of ten children. My parents had a saddlery here.

Mandie Byrne: On my father’s side the family were protestants from Northern Ireland and they came to Australia four generations ago. My great great grandmother on my mother’s side was German. My great grandfather came here after the war and selected a block on the Murray.

Question of the Week?

February 8, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

Is there something you’ve always wanted to do, but are too scared to do?

Colleen Mitchell: I would like to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, but am scared of heights. They say you should overcome your fears, but I don’t know about heights, especially looking down.

Rosemary Prior: I have flown in helicopters, small planes and big planes (after I’ve taken a Valium…), but feel too scared to go in a hot air balloon. I am worried it will go puff and then fall to earth.

Rose Jones: I would love to go on a cruise liner to an island and enjoy all the onboard entertainment and being waited on, but being surrounded by so much water scares me. Probably because I am not a strong swimmer.

Our Bloke – Paul Lewin

February 8, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

Paul Lewin

How long have you lived in Parkes and what do you like about living here? I moved to Parkes in 2005, so this is my 13th year. I love Parkes and the people here, it is a great county town and everybody is so friendly.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy about your work? I work at 1300 BUGMAN Pty Ltd. I’ve been a Pest Controller for over 15 years and I love the variability of our work. We could be spraying spiders in Forbes on one job and tracking down termites in Parkes on the next one.

What do you do in your spare time after work and over weekends? I enjoy spending time with my partner Alice and of course, like all males, I enjoy time with the boys playing golf, lawn bowls, pool, Xbox or just relaxing with a drink or two.

What are you really good at? Making mistakes lol… maybe FIFA on the Xbox!

If you could have a super power what would it be? To make the world a happy place, I don’t know what my name would be but it would be awesome to have the ability to spread happiness around sometimes!

What is your pet hate? Lying, I hate lying.

Tell us about your best holiday ever?
This is a hard one. I have had so many great holidays but it would have to be Tassie. Alice and I go to Tassie quite a bit. We went to the Mona Museum and participated in the Taste of Tassie and lots of other touristy things. My brother takes us cray fishing and we have done some tuna fishing. I’m not much of a fisherman but the whole experience was amazing!

Our Gal – Talesha Quinn

February 1, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

How long have you lived in Parkes and what did you like about living here? 18 years – I love country life as I am a massive tomboy. The sports facilities are fantastic and everyone is so friendly.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy about your work? I am in the Australian Army based at Victoria Barracks in Sydney where I am a supply co-ordinator. My job allows me the opportunity to play football.

What do you do in your spare time after work and over weekends? I go to the gym a lot, the beach, spend a lot of time training for football obviously, and I enjoy visiting family.

What are you really good at? Sleeping, cooking and I think I am a pretty good sister to my two brothers.

If you could have a super power what would it be? Being able to read people’s minds – I might just become a millionaire!

What is your pet hate? People driving without a blinker.

Tell us about your best holiday ever?
It was a sporting holiday to PNG last year with the Prime Minister’s XIII to play in the first international test game with the Papua New Guinea female rugby league team. The kids were just so friendly, always laughing and everyone loves football. I’d love to go back for another trip.

Question of the Week?

February 1, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

What did it feel like to participate in the Queen’s Baton Relay as a batonbearer?

Darrin Gibson: I was born in Parkes and moved back about eight years ago after a personal tragedy and the community has rallied around me ever since. It was fantastic to be honoured in this way. It was also amazing to have been part of the team that will be taking the baton from start to finish.

Barbara Weaver: It was a real honour. There were lots of people cheering me on, my family came from Orange and Peak Hill with my grandkids. It was very special – the whole procession with the vehicles and people. It was a really big deal. And the spirit of all the batonbearers was great – we cheered each other on and off the bus and we showed so much empathy for each other.

Nicayden Greenwood: It was an honour and a very special day I will never forget. As an Aboriginal person it was more special as I got to do the lap at Bushman Hill Reserve where there were some dancers, and then handed the baton to my grandfather.

Our Bloke – Mark Olson

January 24, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

Mark Olson

How long have you lived in Parkes?
30 years

Where do you work and what do you enjoy about your work?
Matthews Williams Solicitors. I enjoy helping people and solving their problems.

What do you do in your spare time after work and over weekends?
Gardening (if it is not too hot) and eating good food, particularly big breakfast on a Saturday morning!

What are you really good at?
Having a snooze at lunch time before going back to work.

If you could have a super power what would it be?
Create a genie who would grant three wishes every day.

What is your pet hate?
Making beds.

Tell us about your best holiday ever?
Visiting our son in England last year. Driving a steam train on the Isle of Wight, travelling around Europe (particularly visiting Sweden), and enjoying wonderful food and drink (especially good Scotch whisky) whilst looking at great sites.

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