Why do you like reading and what is your favourite book?

Lachlan Unger – Year 2 Christian School: I get to read books I could not read when I was younger. My favourite books are the Hey Jack! Series. I read every day.

Eilish Neville – Year 1, Holy Family: You learn more and you can imagine the pictures in your head. My favourite book is I can read with my eyes shut.

Olive Cope – Year 2, Parkes Public: I like reading because books have fun words in them. It is good to get to the end as it makes me feel proud to have read a whole book. I like the Ella and Olivia books.

Do you believe in extraterrestrial life?

Wilbur Harris, Mensland: I believe there are other life forms – not sure to what extent. I find it very intriguing, although I am not into astronomy.

Courtney James, Parkes Newsagency: I don’t really think about it. I don’t really want anything to be out there.

Paul Lowe, Reject Shop: I don’t believe in it as I only believe what I see, but there is probably something.

What do you like to do on a rainy day?

Kerrie Evans, Network Video: I love watching movies – anything from romance or comedy to action. It is hard to name my favourites as there are many movies I can watch over and over again. I am spoilt for choice working in a video shop!

Suzie Hill, Parkes Diagnostic Imaging: I love reading – novels and articles, watching Ted Talks and tennis, and painting. I am still learning so at the moment I paint everything.

Billie Jones, French Taste Bakery: I watch movies and eat pizza! I like horror movies – Friday the 13th is my favourite.

What do you plan to do for the school holidays?

Kaylene Clark, Harvey Norman: I don’t have kids at school any more, but my four granddaughters would probably work out when I have a day off and come around. They are eight, seven, four and two years old and like to do some cooking, feeding the ducks and taking the dog for a walk.

Ian Westcott, Betta Home Living: I am taking my son Jack to the under 13 State Hockey Championships in Grafton this week. It will be the third consecutive year we are going.

Jace Noakes, Harvey Norman: I have to work, but when I have time off on a weekend I would probably take my two children to a movie in Orange. If it is too cold we would just watch movies at home.

Are you going to vote tomorrow and who will you vote for?

Tony Dwyer, R & W: Yes I am going to vote. I normally vote Labour, but am still undecided who to vote for this time. I will probably decide as I walk in to vote.

Dale Bearman, Venessa’s Wool ’n’ Crafts: Yes I have to vote, but I am still making up my mind. I will have to go online and check it out.

What’s been your most memorable (good or bad) flight experience?

Adele Hawke, Adele’s Salon and Skin Clinic: “I love flying and had a flying lesson once, but just don’t have time to do more. I had a bad experience was once on a flight to Los Angeles and it was really rough. The pilot announced that in his 30 years of flying he’d never experienced it that bad. The meal trolley went ‘flying’ down the aisle!”

Marcia Scally, Parkes GP: “I had a nightmare experience when my twin boys were 23 months old. Our Air France flight from Lisbon to Paris was delayed by weather and then we missed our Emirates flight to Sydney. We were left stranded and had to upgrade to business class to get a flight in three days or wait six weeks for economy seats.
To make matters worse, just before the flight home Ashton accidentally slammed a door on Tomas’ thumb, severing it.”

Blake Godwin, EWS Electrical: “In 2014 I had a very memorable flight to Papua New Guinea to walk the Kokoda Trail. We managed to not only do the standard 95km trail, but did all the scenic detours and walked 135km. I went on nine different flights to get there and back!”

Do you believe there’s life on other planets?

Natasha Jeffreys, Choices Flooring says: “Yes, I always have since I was a kid. We can’t be the only planet that has life.”

Aaron Kingham, Greenlight Collectables says: “I think it’s quite possible, the universe is an enormous place! It would be naïve of us to think we know it all.”

Paul Thomas, Golf Club says: “No, no, I don’t think so. There’s been no proof that there is.”

Do you think it is important to celebrate Seniors Week and why?

Debbie Johnson, Rascals says; “Yes it is, to remember our parents. My mum only died last September, so I will spend time with my grandkids and we will share stories to remember her.”

Fiona Lovett, SportsPower says; “ Yes, as a board member of the Southern Cross Nursing home, I feel it is very important to recognise and respect the elderly, because they have been through a lot and have lots of life experience.”

Greg Nash, Parkes Newsagency says; “ Yes it is important, but in our business we like to treat our customers as if they are special every day. We can all learn from the seniors as they have seen it all, experienced it all and have a wealth of knowledge.”