Parkes Phoenix Editor

The Forbes Dancing With the Stars charity event is fast approaching and twenty local identities are nervously and excitedly preparing their routines for the big night. Local farmer and passionate dancer, Noel Fuge, is one of the contestants and is looking forward to showing off his dance moves.

“I was very dubious about it, but the more I get into it, I’m really enjoying it,” he said. “We started off a bit wary, but the people organising it are putting so much into it so I feel we should try hard and put our bit into it as well.”

Like many people, Noel’s life has also been touched in some way by cancer, and with all profits from the event going to Can Assist Forbes, this is a cause close to Noel’s heart. “Two of my best mates just passed away from cancer,” Noel says. “We were the same age and I grew up with both of them.”

Noel’s dancing partner for the event, Denise Jelbart, said when she received a phone call asking if she would like to take part in a charity event for Can Assist, she jumped at the chance. “I’m a breast cancer survivor and I’m twenty years down the track from having cancer. They helped us a lot in regards to travel and they were great,” said Denise.

“I’m dedicating my dance to all the breast cancer survivors in the Forbes area. I thought, why not give it to the living; the ones who have survived – the ones in my boat.” “It will be unique and I’m looking forward to dancing with Noel because he is a great dancer and a great person.”

Tickets for Dancing With the Stars are on sale now at the Forbes Services Memorial Club.

Earlier this month 106 women were recognised in the 2015 Hidden Treasures Roll which celebrates the valuable volunteer work that women do within regional and remote communities throughout rural NSW.

Seven of the recipients hail from Forbes and include Nikki Patten, Narelle Shaw, Maree Yapp, Peg Clifton, Julie Herridge, Sue Uphill and Heather Mann. Each of these women have devoted their time to improving the lives of others and the local area. Maree Yapp, the Schools Community Centres coordinator, was “surprised and humbled” by the announcement and thought that the letter was to inform her of the success of the women who she had nominated. Maree works with a lot of volunteers on a regular basis through the Forbes North Public School Breakfast program and understands the importance of volunteering.

“It keeps things ticking over in the community. Volunteers get all the little things done which keep programs going to help others” Maree explained.“ Volunteering is not only a financial benefit to the community it is good for your own health. When you help others it makes you feel happy and lowers your stress levels”. Maree is in good company with the other local ladies who have been named on the 2015 Honour Roll and believes that there are others in the community who give much more than her. She, like many others, do not give to the community for recognition
but for a sense of belonging. She is passionate about the community which is evident in the dedication she displays in everything she does.

Maree believes the Hidden Treasures Honour Roll is not only a chance to recognise and celebrate the diversity and important roles women play in their local areas but an opportunity to encourage others to become actively involved in volunteering and contributing to the sustainability of their community.

The Honour Roll was launched in 2010 and these special ladies join more than 700 women who have now been recognised for their generosity and hard work. Forbes Shire Council are planning to pay tribute to these remarkable ladies with a small reception following the next council meeting on the 19th November.

Dust off your blue suede shoes and preen that pompadour to perfection because there’s a whole lot of rocking competitions at the 2016 Parkes Elvis Festival! Registrations for the Festival’s popular Busking Competition and the McDonald’s Rock’n’Roll Dancing Competition are now open.

For the buskers, there are fantastic cash prizes and trophies on offer with the top three buskers chosen by popular vote. The three busking big shots will then compete for the title of Best Busker. In the Dancing Competition, entrants will be judged on their enthusiasm, attitude, rockin’ moves and costume. There are junior and senior categories so dancers of any age can join in.

If you’re not a dancer or a singer, there are plenty of other ways to get involved in the Festival with the annual Poets’ Breakfast and Elvis Edible Art competitions. More than 120 free and ticketed events, shows, concerts and competitions will feature on the 2016 program which is now available online and in print pocket-guide format. For more information, visit www.parkeselvisfestival.com.au

Forbes High School turns 50 this year and groups of ex-students are organising school reunions to coincide with the milestone birthday.

One of those groups is the Class of 1988, and they are putting the word out, hoping to get as many people as possible from their year to join the reunion at Forbes Sport & Recreation Club on Friday 13 November. The organising committee behind the reunion have been friends since school, making sure to keep in contact after 26 years.

“We all get together once every 2 to 3 months for a cuppa and a catch-up,” says reunion organiser Tami Stewart. “We had one for our 20 year reunion and it was great. So many people came. We were supposed to have one for 25 years
but everyone was just too busy.” “With the school’s 50th anniversary coming up we thought why not get together?”

Tami hopes any ex-students still living in Forbes, or any of their parents, will pass the message on and help the Class of ’88 have their biggest High School reunion yet. If you want to connect with your old school buddies from 1988, check out the Forbes High School Class of 1988 Facebook page and remember to pass the message on!