Parkes Phoenix Editor

The Eugowra CWA branch welcomed several new members at its recent meet and greet event at the home of Yvonne and Colin Smalley. The next meeting will be in the CWA rooms on Friday, 10th March at 11am. Frances Anderson will talk about Nepal after attending a CWA of NSW study weekend in Canberra. Eyewear Specs optometrists are renting the CWA rooms once a fortnight for consultations.

Future dates to remember: The Central West Group Craft & Cooking Expo will be in Orange from 12th to 17th March. Eugowra members are putting in a selection of arti- cles.

A group barbeque will be held at Bunnings in Orange on 5th March. Money raised will off set the cost of representatives going to the annual state conference.

The Eugowra Branch will have a stall at Eugowra Country Fair on 8th April.

A free exhibition on the Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience will be in Orange from 12th to 17th March.

International Women’s Day celebration in Boorowa on Sunday, 12th March at Boorowa RSL. Keynote speaker Ailsa Piper, writer, director and performer. Cost $25. RSVP Janene Hurley on 6835 1330 or Janene.hurley@hilltops.nsw.gov.au

Midpro has continued to expand over the years and the latest addition is a showroom and retail shop that opened just before Christmas last year.

“We felt there was a need for this, not only to service our own business by having enough items in stock for breakdowns, but also to give customers quick access to what they need,” said Bart.

The well-stocked showroom at the Midpro premises has everything from couplings, pumps, sprinklers, trailer parts, pulleys, gearboxes, drive shafts, nuts and bolts, wheels and rims, belts, a full range of hydraulic fittings and much more.

“This new addition to our business has been welcomed by many people,” said Bart. “They are pleasantly surprised by the amount and variety of our stock on hand.”

Bart said the shop meant people could walk in and out to get a job done much quicker. “Should we not have the item you are looking for, we are happy to source it for you.”

While keeping up to date with customers’ needs, the Midpro team also moved along with advances in technology. “Technology has changed a lot over the years. It has literally shaped our business and makes it more enjoyable.”

Midpro acquired extensive CAD drawing programs on computer to be able to give customers a more realistic picture of what they will build for them.

“Technology is what makes our work more enjoyable. The fact that we are able to see a job from a rough sketch on a piece of paper to designing it on computer and then manufacturing it in the workshop is very rewarding.”

This year Forbes women are invited to celebrate International Women’s Day on Wednesday with a buffet breakfast on the lake.

The breakfast celebrations in Forbes on the beautiful Lake Forbes foreshore will feature entertainment from talented young local, Maddi Collits. There will also be talks from a McGrath Foundation breast cancer nurse, Di Green, and the Forbes Business Chamber’s, Marg Duggan.

“Our women contribute so much to every aspect of life from business to volunteer- ing and everything in between,” said Mayor Graeme Miller.

“It’s fantastic to have a day where we can pause and acknowledge that contribution.” The day will also raise funds for two

important women’s causes, namely the McGrath Foundation and the Forbes Wid- ows Support Group.

Raffles will be held and donation tins available. Funds raised will be donated towards efforts to fight breast cancer and support widows in the Forbes community.

Menu options include bacon, eggs, fruit, yoghurt, muesli and pancakes. Tea and coffee will also be available.

The breakfast will be held at the Lions Park from 7.30am on Wednesday, 8th March. For catering purposes, bookings are essential.

Tickets at $10 are available from Forbes Shire Council’s administration office until close of business Monday, 6th March.

International Women’s Day is held annu- ally to celebrate the achievements of wom- en and to strive for gender equality.

This year’s theme is #BeBoldForChange and aims to encourage all of us to do all we can to accelerate gender parity and to help forge a better working world – a more inclusive, gender equal world.

It has been 25 years of continuous growth and expansion for Midpro Engineering & Irrigation.

Ian Bartholomaeus, better known as Bart, started the business when he returned to Forbes after a couple of years away in 1992, after some time away gaining experience and knowledge.

“We were only two people in the begin- ning and today we have more than 20 staff members. We fill a need in the local indus- trial and agricultural sectors, as well as a bit in the mining and transportation industries too.”

As of ten years ago, irrigation has be- come a big part of the business. “We are an engineering firm and has the ability to

design, manufacture and install just about anything. No job is too big or too small for us – from domestic needs to commercial projects, from a brainstorm to a thunder- storm,” said Bart.

Bart is also a big advocate for the train- ing of apprentices. “We have had more than 60 apprentices work with us over 25 years, mostly in the fitting and machining and metal fabrication trades.”

After 25 years Bart is proud on what Mid- pro has become: “We have a reputation as an inventive business, we are great at problem solving and with a fully equipped workshop there is not much we can’t do and aren’t able to accomplish.”