Pictured from left to right is Ros Bell, Rhonda Brain and Sherree Rosser.
On 11 January, 2025 founder of Paint The Town REaD (PTTR) Rhonda Brain OAM turns 80. Much to Rhonda’s delight, three of her octogenarian friends from her teachers’ college days, Jan Kay, Marg Price and Pat Deady, have all said that they are coming to Parkes to celebrate with her, Rhonda being the ‘baby octo’ of the group.
These three golden oldies asked Rhonda if there was any fun thing she’d particularly like to do. Rhonda replied, “I want to do something crazy!” Some people celebrate by jumping out of planes but Rhonda had always had a secret wish and now that she is old enough to not care what anyone thinks, she said, “I want to busk at the Elvis Festival and we can call ourselves the ‘Four Octogenarians and the Easy Come, Easy Go Go Dancers’ (oops “singers”). I read in the Festival information, that in the busking, any quirky thing goes and I thought that is crazy enough for me.”
Before any of her friends could refuse, Rhonda registered for busking and is inviting anyone who would like to sing along on this momentous occasion, to drop by.
Rhonda and friends will be staring in front of NAB, near the statue from 12pm on Saturday, 11 January until they drop – not literally of course!Being concerned that the voices of four oldies wouldn’t hold out, local “virtuosos” Sherree Rosser, Ros Bell, Barb Newton and the ukulele players, Coralie and Bob Gould and Kaitlyn Strudwick are the backing group.
Meanwhile, two Paint The Town REaD Sydney members, who were already coming to the festival to participate in the parade, and gather ideas for a young children’s book on The Reading Bug visits Parkes Festival have volunteered to join in. “These two are as crazy as me,” said Rhonda, “They want to join in with the busking.”