SES wants you to Stop Revive Survive: Don’t forget to take a break these holidays. Driver Reviver offer free tea, coffee and biscuits to help overcome driver fatigue. The Parkes Driver Reviver Station is run by the SES and other volunteers who staff the station in four-hour shifts, making up to 50 cups of tea or coffee for weary travellers. The free service is offered on public holidays and the beginning and end of school holidays.
The first Skywriters ‘Big Gig’ launches in Parkes this weekend: The Big Gig is on this weekend. Join writers, artists, and astronomers for an inspirational and in- formative weekend. Guest astronomers include Trevor Leaman, Donna Burton, Peter Starr, and Les Dalrymple. Literary themed panel discussions will be held at the Coventry Room from 1pm Saturday, and 9.30am Sunday with a dinner and discussion at The Dish Café at the Parkes Observatory on Saturday from 7pm.
The ‘Big Gig’ will also highlight Wiradjuri and Gomeroi (Gamilaraay) astronomy, with the opening of Wiradjuri Murriyang (Wiradjuri Skyworld), a weekend exhibition of Wiradjuri constellation art by Scott ‘Sauce’ Towney, for Trevor Leaman’s Wiradjuri Astronomy Project, and a feature documentary, Sky Stories of the Dreaming, by Ellie Gilbert.
Daytime events at this first ‘Big Gig’ are free for registered guests, or $5 for the public (registration is free). Dinner is $30 and must be paid in advance. Visit www. facebook.com/skywritersproject for more information, or visit www.bigskiescollaboration.wordpress.com/projects/skywriters/
Uniting Church monthly meals: Dozens of people enjoyed a warm meal on a cold night at the first of the Uniting Churches free monthly meal nights last Monday.
A dozen Uniting Church Volunteers worked in the kitchen, cooking up almost 50 meals for their local community. It was a friendly, family atmosphere, with tables full of people of all ages, from infants to the elderly.
The attendees enjoyed home cooked sweet and sour mince with rice and veg- etables, followed by apple crumble and ice cream. While the food was delicious, for many the company was the most enjoyable part of the meal. Steven Kirby and Cherie Capewell have only been in Parkes for five weeks, and said it was wonderful to be able to meet new people. “It’s good to bring people out of their shells,” Cherie said. “It’s made me feel warm again.”
