Bob Strickland: Doing something useful that helps other people, and meeting lots of people. We have great team spirit helping each other with all jobs.
Anthony Burke: Giving something back to the community and helping raise funds for CanAssist.
John Francis Kelly (JFK): My wife had cancer and CanAssist was really good to her, so I wanted to pay back a little and decided to volunteer.
Linda Snyman: It was amazing – so much talent! The storyline was great with comedy, drama, romance all rolled into one performance. The costumes were fabulous – it was an all round excellent night out.
Janice Cassidy: I loved it! I love amateur theatre (it is where I met my husband!), and we have really good talent here. It is so great that we have a theatre and society where the talent can be shown. The costumes, lighting, stage production and music of Wicked were all excellent. The cast all did really well. The whole production, including all the behind-the-scenes work, was all brought together so well.
I also enjoyed going out in a group again and seeing the joy and happiness on people’s faces. We are very lucky to have the M & D in Parkes and the quality of it and all the people who volunteer their time to put shows on.
Tyler McPhee (4) and Charli-Kate Berry (4):
Tyler: My mum plays with me and my dog Lexi.
Charli-Kate: My mum paints with me, makes me dinner and gives me ice cream.
Macey Gaidzionis (4) and Liyana Basnayake (3):
Macey: I love my mum because she makes me breakfast.
Liyana: My mum plays Barbie dolls with me.
Max Francis (4) and Elijah Hearn (5):
Max: I love my mum because she gives me cuddles.
Elijah: My mum tucks me into bed every night and she makes me breakfast.
Annette Witherow: My painting is called Resilience and I loved experimenting with the colours and doing a different background.
Kim Chambers: I like my ‘Gum Trees’ painting, which are of some trees I saw outside Lithgow.
Margaret Lewis: My painting is entitled Little Bay Sea Scape. I used to go swimming here all the time when I studied in Sydney to become a nurse many years ago.
Youth Week celebrations have been ongoing all week in Parkes with a varied program on offer to young people in the Shire. Events remaining include Backstage @ Wicked tonight and a Games Day tomorrow at the Parkes Library Makerspace. The banner making workshop last Saturday saw nine participants get creative with spray paint.
Jess and Savanna show off their work.
Kaitlyn, Nick and Malachi with their banners.
Riley and Russell with Deb Jones, who presented the workshop.
Toby Fliedner (Middleton Public School): I wanted to do something for the school, and I like books and reading.
Evelyn Greef (Parkes Public School): I wanted to get used to speak in front of lots of people as I am always a little scared at church to stand up and speak. I also love reading!
John-Tian Waters (Parkes East Public School): I hope it will help me to become a better student and to learn something new. I also love reading and books.
Rita Carpenter: I enjoy serving customers and helping them. It is also enjoyable to talk to and joke with customers. I would definitely encourage others to do it. It is easy and enjoyable work with no stress. It is also a good option if you cannot find any other jobs.
Christine Curteis: I have been with Vinnies for 30 years and have worked in Parkes and Narromine. I just love it. I’ve made a lot of friends and met all sorts of people from all over the country and even from overseas, especially during the Elvis Festival time. It is a really good place to work.
Maree Mulligan: I started working at Vinnies with my mother and sister 25 years ago. I enjoy the company, talking to people and doing the sorting. I’m a jack of all trades around here. It would be wonderful if we can get more volunteers, especially younger people to come and help us out. It does not have to be a lot – one day a week will really make a difference.
Debbie Larkings: I absolutely love it. You meet different people all the time, hear the most fascinating stories and learn a lot of things. It is also very rewarding to help people as they appreciate what you do for them. I’ve been doing it for six years and do a trip twice a week.
Laurie Ashcroft: I enjoy helping people as it’s part of my nature, and to contribute to my community. Everyone has a different story and I just love listening to it. Volunteers get a great deal out of doing this work. It is very rewarding as you are helping people. I’ve met so many interesting people and even learned a lot about my own family history. I’ve done 685 trips over my 11 years of volunteering so far.
(If you would like to become a volunteer driver call 6862 2825 or 0407 463 533.)
Jonah Gould (Year 3): I think it is important because you get to hear about different cultures and their achievements. I like how it is about everyone. My class has been learning about Russia and learning different sayings and greetings.
Lillian Faunt (Year 4): Harmony Week is important because you get to know more about different cultures from all around the world. I have learned to say hello and goodbye in German, it is a bit tricky, but fun.
Zach Rich (Year 6): Harmony Week is important because it unites all people and celebrates all cultures. It is great to learn from one another about different heritages and cultures. I have enjoyed learning about the different ways and reasons why people have migrated to Australia to make us into this great multicultural nation.
Nicole Worthington: In the current climate of abuse and pay discrimination, it is an important day to remind us that we empower each other and that when we get together, we lift each other up to show we can do it.
Keeley Sharpe, Kahlia Logan and Casey Evans:
Kahlia: Women are often overlooked, but we can do everything plus more!
Casey: It is important to teach younger girls that there are no specific roles, like they have to stay indoors and do the cooking and cleaning, and that they can do whatever they want to.
Keeley: Women are just as powerful as men and do not need to stand back.
Amy, Ella, Lucy and Claire Butler:
Amy: I like to celebrate the strong women in my family heritage and as I’m currently doing my bit in raising the next generation, a free coffee never goes astray (thank you Parkes Shire Council). Ella: It’s good to recognise the contribution women have made in the past, and will do in the future, whether they have done great things such as changing the cleanliness in hospitals or made scientific discoveries, to the humble mothers and women in the workforce who make our world a better place.
Claire: It’s important to remember that everyone is equal and it doesn’t matter where they’re at in life, they’re all humans – and some of those humans are women.
Lucy: Women and men are both part of life but women do a lot of hard work so that’s a reason to celebrate.