Margaret Robinson
What does your working life look like?
Currently I run the Rose Garden B&B, operate the Parkes Décor Shoppe and work for Community Housing and St Vincent de Paul in Dubbo and Coonabarabran. I am a Rotary member and hope to get back to dragon boating.
What do you like about it?
Everything I do is in the service industry. I love helping people and making people happy. It is a privilege to do it as a job and to see the satisfaction on people’s faces.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in life?
Be kind, it makes everybody feel good. Something good happens to me every day. It does not cost anything to be kind.
What would you tell your 16-year-old self?
Think before you act!
What do you love to celebrate?
All the wonderful friends and family I’ve got and the connections I’ve made in Parkes. It is a really good town.
Terry Knowles
What did your working life look like?
I worked for the Environmental Protection Authority for 30 years. The highlights were the approval of the Northparkes Mines and Cadia at Orange, as well as the Mount Piper Power Station. At the moment I am President of the Parkes Services Club and President of the RSL Sub-branch, and I call bingo four times a week as a volunteer.
What did you like about your work?
It was very exciting work. I enjoyed helping people with their problems.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in life?
To get on with people and to avoid conflict where possible by coming to mutual agreements.
What would you tell your 16-year-old self?
Enjoy your latter years and keep active physically and mentally.
What do you love to celebrate?
I like to celebrate seniors and volunteer seniors for all the work and commitment they put into volunteering.
Lee Ramsay
What did your working life look like?
It was great – I was a mid- wife. One phone call changed my life. I arrived in Parkes by train in 1959 to look after a patient for a few weeks and ended up running the maternity ward.
What did you like about your work?
I loved being there with women and becoming involved in the lives of families. There were lots of happy and surprising stories. Those days we had marvellous support from the GPs.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in life?
Patience and accepting people as they are.
What would you tell your 16-year-old self?
To remain physically active, keep a social circle and use your brain. I’ve been very lucky with my health and have always tried to stay physically active by swimming and playing golf. I always enjoyed doing sport and dancing.
What do you love to celebrate?
My family and friends, my daughters and grandkids.