The Forbes CWA Branch had a successful stall at the recent Rotary Markets with proceeds of $408 donated to the McGrath Foundation. Cooking and craft were for sale including cakes, jams, pickles, date loaves, Christmas cakes, baby quilts, hand towels, pink flower brooches and hair clips. President Elaine Bright thanked the Rotary Club for the donation of a free stall site.

Pictured are Jacqui Grallelis, Dot Woodcock and Zelma Grayson at the stall. The CWA Forbes meet the first Friday of the the month at the CWA Hall in Lachlan Street. A Damper competition is planned for Australia Day and the challenge is on with the Forbes Lions Club.

Enter our Christmas Competition to go in the draw to win a $100 gift voucher from Blush Organic Beauty and a $100 gift voucher from Little Extras Lifestyle. The winners will be drawn on Tuesday, 20th December and announced in our last edition of the year on Friday, 23rd December. Complete the form and return it to Ian Simpson & Co at 88A Lachlan Street, or enter online at www.forbesphoenix.com.au.

BEST DRESSED CHRISTMAS WINDOW
The Forbes Phoenix is running a competition for the Best Dressed Christmas window or biggest in-house display. The competition started on 1st December with judging taking place on Wednesday, 21st December. You simply have to send a photo of your store with address details to sales@forbesphoenix.com.au. The prize is one night’s accommodation at a four star hotel for two people with breakfast, champagne and chocolates on arrival.

The Year 12 graduates of the Forbes High School dazzled everyone in their sequined satin gowns and high heels, suits and ties at the Graduation Dinner on Saturday, 19th November. Parents and teachers were bursting with pride as the graduates were presented through the archway in the upper reception room of the Forbes Inn. In an extremely pleasant atmosphere, speeches throughout the evening were delivered by the Principal, Charles Dwyer, the Year 12 Advisor, Jane Hill and the Master of Ceremonies and Assistant Year 12 Advisor Joseph Doyle. They all reflected on
various highlights of the students’ time at school.

The Captain’s speech, given by Emily Godden, was full of wisdom and words of thanks to everyone. She also commemorated the loss of her fellow Captain, Oliver Carlisle, earlier in the year. This was followed by the cutting of the cake, which turned out to be a very delicious chocolate mud cake and was enjoyed with tea and coffee for dessert.

As the evening drew to a close, the DJ and photo booth were both heavily patronised by the young and young at heart. The night proved to be a huge success and several attendees were still dancing when the event came to an end. A huge thank you to all the graduates who attended and their families for the support they have shown to the school and each other at this event. Special thanks must also go to the organising committee of Anita Morrison (FHS Bursar), Jane Hill (Year Advisor), Emily Bass (English/Language Teacher) and Joseph Doyle (Assistant Year Advisor and Maths Teacher), the cake artist Shirley Myers and the staff of the Forbes Inn lead by Beck Kennedy.

By Natalie Walker

Set your imagination free these school holidays with the annual Summer Reading Club’s Heroes and Villains theme.
The program kicked off on 1st December at the Forbes Library and online. Created for children and young people aged 6 to 17, the Summer Reading Club is a free national program to instill a love of libraries and reading. This year’s Heroes and Villains theme allows participants to explore the conventions associated with super and everyday heroes — and their villainous counterparts — through a range of exciting interactive reading activities and games.

Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy Leeanne Enoch said it was important to keep young minds switched on over the summer holiday period. “Stories have the power to help children develop ideas and imagine what might be possible – exactly what we want for our entrepreneurs of tomorrow,” she said. More than 48,000 children registered with the Summer Reading Club last year, reading around 333,000 in the summer.

To join the Club, register online at summerreadingclub.org.au or into the Forbes Library. They have some stickers, tattoos and bookmarks to give away too. The Summer Reading Club will run until 31st January 2017.

The Long Lunch by the Lake fundraiser on 13th November raised $24,999.25 for Physio Touch Machines for the Forbes and Parkes Hospitals. Thank you to the organising committee; the major sponsors: Forbes Shire Council,
Tooheys, Bernardi’s and the Globe Hotel; Pete Ashcroft for lunch; Forbes Rugby League for the bar; Kevin Miller the auctioneer; entertainer Adam Enslow; Anita Morrison, Kerry and Geoff Acheson, and Lachlan Valley Party Hire who made canapés.

Raffle and auction items were donated by: Acheson’s Home Timber and Hardware, Metro Hotels, Jake Lewis Car Detailing, Sportspower, Swinging Bridge Wines, Robert Oatley Wines, Head On In Eugowra, Amoena, Allure On Main, Woolworths, Terry Bros Carpet Court, Banksia Grove Florist, A Classy Touch Florist, Jan and John Martin,
Cafe Aglio e Olio, Thee Hair, Undercover Sleepwear and Lingerie, Robbs Jewellers, V-Air, Hair With Style, Verde Spa, Chapter Two, Forbes Bakehouse, Gunns Mensland, Ladybird Boutique, Little Extras, K&H Interior
Designs, Forbes Small Engines, T&M Tyres, Beaurepairs, Gottaluvit, Forbes Smash Repairs, Outback Soils, Jelbarts Tyrepower, Roylance’s Auto One, Leslie Spice, Esmes, Blush, Flannery’s Pharmacy, Painted Daisies, Woolerina, Cahills, The Brew, Target, News On Rankin, Glen Egan Building Supplies, Turners Furniture One, Kylie Spice (Mary Kay), Spotlight, Bernardi’s, Forbes Family Dentist, Lakeside Takeaway, Roylance’s Auto One, Anytime Fitness, Mitch Roylance, Hello World, and Mattiske Farming. Parkes: Maureen Kent, Eddy Mead, Furniture One, Hay’s Hardware, Griffins Leading Edge, Ron Dunfords Chemist, Parkes Decor Shoppe, Nangar Gems, The Red Chandelier, Parkes News and Gifts, Happy Home Traders, Ooshka, Colouby Creations, Parkes Stationary and Office Furniture, Kerin Physio Co, Parkes CRT, Parkes Farm Centre, Byrne Clothing, Parkes Pharmacy, 141 on Main, Tammy Frame, Swish Fashion Orange, AA Blatch, Little Black Dress, Buttabeef Butchers, EB Games, Cedar Cafe, We Know Travel,
Repco, Janice Cassidy Hair Salon, Bella’s Restaurant, La Bella Medispa and Dish Café.

The shocking statistics of domestic violence is a national emergency. This was the message of Nova Peris, the first Aboriginal Olympic gold medalist and former politician, at the fourth annual White Ribbon Day March last Friday.
Nova highlighted the shocking statistic that 90% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women were victims of domestic violence, but said it was important to remember that not all men were guilty.

Another high profile speaker Peter Gibbs, who established Indigenous Police Recruiting Our Way Delivery (IPROWD) and a former Parkes Spacemen player, drew on sporting analogies for his message. “As a Spaceman we had many battles with the Forbes Magpies on the field, but off the field we always had respect for each other.” Peter said just as a sports team work hard to reach the number one spot, the Forbes community needed to work as a team to get out of the top 10 worst spot for domestic violence in NSW. Ethan Markwort, a Forbes High student who participated in a program called Love Bites, said many sporting role models did not set a good example as they would always blame alcohol and drugs for committing acts of violence. “This is not right.”

Todd Skinner of Northparkes Mines announced the mine had become the first White Ribbon accredited mine in Australia. “More than 80% of our workforce are men and the company felt it was important to train employees to enable them to help prevent and respond to violence against women.” The more than 200 people who took part in the White Ribbon March pledged an oath: I will stand up, speak out and act to prevent men’s violence against women. Charles Dwyer, White Ribbon Ambassador, said: “Today we become the drivers of change through our collective efforts to raise community awareness.”

By Maggi Barnard

Six Forbes High students returned from Sydney on a high after Saturday night’s final performance of Schools Spectacular ever that now holds the Guinness World Records title for Largest Amateur Variety Act. The Schools Spectacular cast, officially counted as 5322 for the Guinness World Records title, included a 2,700-strong choir; 2,300 dancers; an 80-piece symphony orchestra; a world-class stage band; and more than 40 featured artists. The show lived up to its theme: Dream Big.

At times the performers flooded the arena stage with vibrant intensity while in other intimate scenes performers captured the huge stadium audience with their mesmerising talent. From classical extravaganzas blending the symphony orchestra and choir to explosions of pulsating rock and pop, the Schools Spectacular colourfully unfolded
the broad spectrum of music and dance. Schools Spectacular Executive Producer Jane Simmons said everyone should be proud to share in the triumph of the 2016 show. “Schools Spectacular 2016 was amazing,” she said.

“Every single performer, the incredible teachers and staff who brought it all together at the arena and at school, the students’ parents and all who contributed deserve huge applause for the incredible efforts.”

Nominations are open for the Forbes Shire Citizen of the Year (26 years and over) and Forbes Shire Young Citizen of the Year (25 years and younger). The awards recognise and reward community members who have displayed a
consistent record of excellence and made a significant contribution to our community.

Nominations are open to all residents of the Forbes Shire and the awards will be presented at Australia Day celebrations on Thursday, 26th January next year. Australia Day celebrations will be held at Colin McKenzie Park.
Mayor Graeme Miller encouraged residents to put forward a community member who deserved to be recognised as the Forbes Shire Citizen of the Year and Young Citizen of the Year.

“If you know someone who has been the backbone of a community group or has shown an outstanding achievement in academic or sporting fields, make sure you nominate them for the prestigious awards,” the Mayor said. Nominations close at 5pm on 18th January. Forms can be collected from Council’s Administration Office or downloaded from the Council website. If you would like to be involved in the Australia Day planning contact Blake Nicholson on 6850 2355.

A 16-year-old Forbes High student won third place in a national songwriting competition. Paige Ellison came third in the Year 11/12 section of the Australian Children’s Music Foundation (ACMF) National Songwriting Competition with her song Ropes. “It is really amazing. I am so excited,” said Paige of her success after entering for the second time.

She started writing songs when she was 14. She is the lead vocalist for local band House Of Tribes and also writes most of the songs for the band. She fronts the band with her brother Jake, who received a highly commended in the same section of the competition in 2015 for his composition Underdog. Paige’s song will feature on the band’s new album, ‘We Still Have Hearts’, which is set for release in mid-January 2017. “I think with all the publicity my song is
getting, it will help our band a lot.” Paige, who also plays guitar, piano, ukulele and mandolin, said it would be lovely to turn her music into a career one day.

The band has been going for three and a half years and they play folk indie music. They perform mostly locally but have also played in Dubbo, Young, Orange and other towns in the Central West. You can hear Paige’s song and all the
other winning songs at http://acmf.com.au/

The National Songwriting Competition (NSC) is the longest running and most successful children’s songwriting competition in Australia. Don Spencer, Founder and CEO of the ACMF, launched the competition fourteen years ago to inspire creativity, imagination and self-expression in children. “I was thrilled by the quality of this year’s entries,” said Don. Entries were judged by music industry experts in Sydney. Since its inception, more than 26,000 songs have been written for the competition.

By Maggi Barnard