General Interest Archives - Page 75 of 317

Ken Keith To Serve His Final Term As Mayor Of Parkes

August 17, 2023 by Cr Ken Keith OAM

One of the most familiar faces in Parkes would have to be long serving Mayor Ken Keith OAM.

I wish to advise the residents of Parkes Shire, my fellow Councillors and Council staff of my desire to see a succession plan to a smooth transition to a new leadership team.

I thought it was appropriate to give advance notice of my intention to step down as Mayor so that my fellow Councillors have time to properly consider a new Mayor and Deputy Mayor they believe will be best placed to lead our team into the next election and beyond. I express my gratitude to all the dedicated Councillors I have served with over the years and the extremely talented staff that have helped guide our Shire.

In September of this year, it will be my privilege and honour to complete my 40th consecutive year serving the Parkes Shire Council and thus the Parkes Shire communities. I commenced my 17th year as Mayor in July, after serving my mentor and friend, the late Robert Wilson OAM, for 17 years as his Deputy Mayor.

I would like to acknowledge the outstanding leadership and advice of the two General Managers, the late Alan McCormack PSM and Kent Boyd PSM with whom I have worked closely during my term at the helm. As Sir Isaac Newton is credited to have said “I am standing on the shoulders of giants”. I believe as the current Councillors of Parkes Shire we are doing just that, as our predecessors have shown vision and foresight.

Parkes Shire Council is now highly regarded in Local Government circles around the State and has a very exciting future.

In making this decision I acknowledge the wonderful support of my devoted wife, Sue, who was only engaged to a prospective Councillor way back in 1983. Our three sons, James, Max and Douglas, have accepted sharing their father’s time with his passion for Parkes Shire, for which I am most grateful. It is now time to repay their unwavering support. More time for visiting our beautiful grandchildren and having some holidays and travel without worrying about clashing with a Council meeting!

I have also appreciated the support of my brother Tim and the many people who have assisted me in my farming operations over the years, this has allowed me to devote the time needed for this role.

In closing, I have had the pleasure to meet so many kind and compassionate residents, who care deeply about the various communities which comprise the Shire we all call home. I thank you sincerely for your mostly voluntary contributions which I believe is the glue which holds us all together.

By Cr Ken Keith OAM

Nominate A Local Dad For “Community Sports Dad Of The Year” Ahead Of Father’s Day

August 17, 2023 by Roxane Manley

Bradley Benjamin from Lightning Ridge was Community Sport Dad of the Year 2022.

Nominations are now open for the tenth annual Philips Community Sports Dad of the Year award, acknowledging the contributions and positive impact that Australian dads have made both on and off the sporting field.

Celebrating ten years of this prestigious award, dads across Australia have been acknowledged for their commitment to community sport – from coaching duties, painting lines on the pitch to raising funds for new equipment.

Damien Cook, Rabbitohs and NSW origin star who won the 2022 Celebrity Sports Dad of the Year award, knows first-hand the support he received from his own dad growing up and aspires to do the same with his kids, Willow and Jagger.

“Speaking from experience with my own dad when I was younger, community dads are so important with the roles they cover – from being a coach, setting up fields, refereeing and driving us to and from training and on game days.

“My dad did this all while working full time and then worked overtime just to earn the extra time off to be able to get me to and from my commitments and be there to support me.”

Every athlete, no matter grassroots or professional, has their story of who has supported them over the years.

Nominations are now open and close midnight AEST on 22 August 2023. To nominate a community sports dad, submit 100 words on why they should win via www.sportsdads.com.au/community. The winner will be notified prior to Father’s Day, Sunday, 3 September, with the prize pack including a Philips male grooming pack valued at over $1,000 RRP, as well as a $5,000 Rebel Sports voucher to purchase clothing or sporting equipment for the community sports club of choice.

To submit a dad who deserves to be recognised, visit www.sportsdads.com.au

Growing Connections – Key To Tackling Bullying

August 17, 2023 by Roxane Manley

The nationwide movement ‘National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence’ is today, Friday 18th August.

Chief Executive Officer of yourtown, Tracy Adams urges everyone to think about how we can develop stronger connections within our communities to foster positive, help-seeking behaviour, and stop bullying in its tracks.

“Whether you are a parent, teacher, student or member of the broader community, everyone has a role to play in preventing the bullying of children,” said Ms Adams.

In 2022, one in 10 Kids Helpline @ School sessions delivered by counsellors to primary schools focused on bullying or cyberbullying.

When a young person reaches out to a trusted adult to tell them they are being bullied, they should be heard and taken seriously. Parents play a critical role in bullying prevention by role modelling positive behaviours and also providing the space for their children to connect and talk openly about this issue.

“We encourage parents not only to lead by example by demonstrating respect, but to educate themselves about how and where bullying is conducted, including online, and to look out for the signs that something might be worrying their child. A really good way to ‘open the connection’ with children is to go through some of the tips and information on the Kids Helpline website.”

Kids Helpline is specifically for children and young people aged 5 to 25 years. www.kidshelpline.com.au or free call 1800 55 1800.

Stressed And Obsessed: The True Toll Of Diet Culture On Australian Women

August 17, 2023 by Roxane Manley

Worrying new research has unveiled that on average, Australian women alarmingly spend nearly 15 years of their lives dieting, with over a third experiencing negative emotions such as depression, anxiety, stress, and sadness in their pursuit of shedding weight.

This disheartening reality could be affecting the roughly 7,200 women living in the Parkes community. Health care professionals want to encourage women in the area to seek assistance on their weight loss journey and understand they don’t have to do it alone.

Endocrinologist, Dr. Ramy Bishay says “Far too often obesity is considered a lifestyle condition, but this report demonstrates that the ‘eat less, move more’ mantra is failing women. We simply can’t expect women to undue thousands of years of adaptation to starvation, in a matter of weeks or months by ‘eating less and moving more’.”

Additionally, Parkes currently falls within Australia’s Distribution Priority Area catchment, which identifies locations in Australia with a shortage of medical practitioners. This is a concern for locals that need to consult a healthcare professional as they embark on their weight loss journey with shortages potentially causing longer wait times for healthcare appointments.

Annika Receives CWA Education Grant

August 17, 2023 by Roxane Manley

One of CWA NSW’s priorities is to support students to further their education, by offering grants and scholarships to school and tertiary students assisting to pay for educational expenses. It used to be fees and textbooks, but in today’s world of technology, it’s software and electronic devices.

Forbes Evening CWA Branch is pleased to support local student Annika Dukes, further her education by contributing financially towards the purchase of software and an upgraded device on which she can complete her assessments.

Annika is completing a Certificate IV Community Pharmacy Dispensing. She started this online course through the Pharmacy Guild Australia in January this year, after starting work at Life Pharmacy Forbes.

Annika said she soon realised the potential in being able to assist the community more through this type of employment after seeing all the behind the scenes work that goes into filling prescriptions and supporting customers.

Annika has learnt about CTG (Closing the Gap), concessions and Health Care Cards and how they apply to scripts, different medications and how they can help, as well as how to fill prescriptions.

Annika said, “I have already completed three assessments, with 15 more to go. Each assessment takes about three weeks and about fifty pages as well as a verbal assessment over the phone for each one,” she commented. Her course will take three years to complete.

“It’s been difficult not having the same software as my teacher as everything is done online and over the phone. My old laptop does not support that software,” Annika commented.

“This financial assistance from Forbes CWA Evening Branch will remove quite a few obstacles and make it much easier to complete assessments and receive feedback from my teacher by allowing me to get the appropriate software and laptop,” stated Annika.

Ms Robyn Miller, President of Forbes CWA Evening Branch presented Annika with her cheque at Life Pharmacy, commenting, “Education is one of the most valuable things we can possess, so we are pleased to be able to support a local person on their journey of learning,” she said.

Parkes Spacemen Raise $8,800 To Support Safe Haven

August 10, 2023 by Roxane Manley

Not only did the Spacemen raise $8,800 but they came away with the win over Dubbo Macquarie 44 – 12.

Our local Parkes Rugby League Club are out of this world amazing. The Parkes Spacemen went above and beyond last Sunday, when they donned special jerseys that were destined to be auctioned post-game at the Coachman Hotel in Parkes to raise funds for Safe Haven in Parkes.

Safe Haven is a place you can go if you are feeling distressed or having suicidal thoughts. It is a safe place where you can talk openly about how you are feeling and what you are going through. A place where you can feel supported and not judged. You can talk to peer-support workers or be connected to a mental health professional. If you don’t feel like chatting, you can spend time in a quiet space and listen to music. It’s free and you don’t need an appointment.

This is the first time the club has held this special day to support Safe Haven and suicide prevention but it certainly won’t be the last. Club President Tony Dwyer said, “We want to try and do it every year. If we can help just one person, then it will be a great thing.”

“The whole idea came about at last years presentation night when Captain Coach Will Wardle decided to donate his coaching money back and said he wanted to do something for suicide prevention charity.That is when we teamed up with Safe Haven in town, they are a new initiative set up by a few local people to help with mental health and suicide prevention.

“As a club, the Parkes Spacemen and the Junior League have lost three young men to suicide over the years and so we feel anything we can do to raise awareness is a great thing,” said Tony.

The club purchased a set of jumpers and decided that the Sunday, 6th August game against Dubbo Macquarie would be a fitting round as the Dubbo club have also been affected by suicide.

An incredible total of $8,800 was achieved, with $1,000 raised on the day by walking around the ground with buckets, and a further $7,800 from the jumper auction. All funds will go towards assisting the Safe Haven office in Parkes.

Tony is exceptionally proud of the clubs effort in supporting such an important issue, going on to say, “There is always a stigma with men and young blokes, they tend to bottle things up and won’t open up to people. We’ve been banging on all year about getting together, talking to your mates, make sure you open up, there is always plenty of help there and always a light at the end of the tunnel.

“We have always said with our club, there is a lot of senior people and coaches, if anyone has a problem or needs to talk just come and chat to us and we can help or we can point them in the right direction.”

Forbes Celebrates Local Government Week

August 10, 2023 by Roxane Manley

Students from St Lawrence’s School enjoyed a BBQ lunch in Victoria Park.

Forbes Shire Council this week hosted a number of local schools to celebrate Local Government Week. Several teams from Forbes Shire Council were on hand to give insight and education into their roles in the community.

The students experienced a range of Council activities, including viewing a video “About Forbes Shire Council”, the Landscaping Team planting in the new Lachlan Vintage Village garden, the Tourism Team enjoyed a site visit and a showed a video on Ben Hall and the Projects Team based activities around using different building materials, mapping and building designs.

After a busy morning everyone enjoyed a BBQ served by FSC staff, and students were encouraged to get involved in activities in Victoria Park. Following lunch, the Planning Team discussed open space consultation, students then learnt about Council protocol and how to move a motion in chambers, before the day finished up with a Rangers talk about pets.

Forbes Mayor Phyllis Miller, who was busy weilding the tongs at the BBQ, said “Local Government Week is important, so that children, especially children in year 5 who are off to Parliament House in a few weeks, understand that we deliver all of the local services and what that entails. It has been an eye opener for the children to have a day in Local Government.”

St Lawrence’s Parish School teacher, Micheal Sheather said “The day has been excellent. It has been really interactive for the children, from planting plants, to observing what goes on and the different functions of Council. It has been really interesting and enjoyable for them.”

Dementia Australia Thanks Aged Care Workers For Caring

August 10, 2023 by Roxane Manley

Monday, 7th August was Aged Care Employee Day (ACED). Dementia Australia is celebrating Aged Care Employees by acknowledging the tremendous contribution that aged care workers make to improving the lives of people living with dementia, their families and carers.

Dementia Australia CEO Maree McCabe AM said, “more than two-thirds of aged care residents have moderate to severe cognitive impairment and aged care employees play a crucial role in supporting them.”

“We acknowledge and thank aged care workers for the difference they make to the lives of people living with dementia, their families and their carers,” Ms McCabe said.

“Aged care workers continue to be there to support those who need them the most, making a difference each and every shift.

Ask Annie is a mobile education app that helps care workers provide better support to people who are living with dementia. It provides easy to access training for aged care employees through short, self-paced modules.

Since its launch in June 2021, Ask Annie has been downloaded more than 17,285 times with more than 1,200 paid subscriptions.

To find out more about Ask Annie, visit Centre for Dementia Learning website

Swirl And Sip For A Good Cause

August 10, 2023 by Roxane Manley

Amy Millerd, Jenny Watts, Mark Watts (President), Pastor Julie Virtue, Alistair Lunn (Chief Steward), Judy Kerr and Paul Bennett (Secretary).

Each year, the NSW Small Winemakers Wine Show donates $500 to Havannah House to assist with their Christmas Lunch, which they provide for the less fortunate people in our community. Last year, they provided 290 Christmas lunches.

Pastor Julie Virtue received the cheque this year and thanked the committee members in attendance for the continued support of this important event.

Organisers have received a great response to entries for the 31st Wine Show, with 589 wines entered from 103 wineries, which is the largest number of wineries exhibiting at the event in more than 10 years.

Judging will be taking place at the Forbes Town Hall from Monday 21st to Wednesday 23rd August. This year will see three judging panels, and 13 judges representing most of the major wine regions in New South Wales. Of the 13 Judges, nine are first time judges at the NSW Small Winemakers Wine Show and organisers look forward to their input.

The Wine Show week culminates at the Public Tasting being held on Friday 25th August from 6.30pm at The Forbes Town Hall. All the wines entered will be available for patrons to taste and finger food will be provided. Tickets are $30 per person.

The annual Gourmet Wine Dinner will be held on Saturday 9th September from 7pm at the Forbes Town Hall. Eat Your Greens will be preparing a four-course meal and 10 trophy winning wines will be served to complement the meal. Tickets are $130 per person.

The NSW Small Winemakers Wine Show organisers are offering a ticket bundle with a ticket to the Public Tasting and a ticket to the Gourmet Wine Dinner for $150 per person. Tickets are available online at www.123tix.com.au/events/39343/nsw-small-winemakers-wine-show. Get in quick as tickets are limited.

What’s On @ the Parkes Shire Library & Cultural Centre

August 10, 2023 by Roxane Manley

FRIDAY FLICKS

This 2022 rom-com follows the blossoming romance between two writers brought together in Mexico. With its beautiful scenery, this fish-out-of-water story where opposites attract, makes for a mini romantic getaway.

Friday 25 August, 6pm. Bookings essential.

JUNIOR BUILDERS

Bookings are now open for the Junior Builders workshop on Tuesday August 22 from 4-5pm. Students in Years 3-6 are invited tocome any enjoy a free after-school activitycreating and contributing to a communityart project. Spaces are strictly limited – call6861 2309 to book.

CURL UP THIS WINTER WITH ONLINE WINTER-READS

This winter join libraries throughout the state to read the gripping, fast-paced crime thriller The Other Side of Her by B.M. Carroll. Login to indyreads to start now! Need help accessing our online collections? Our staff are happy to help! Winter-Reads runs from Tuesday 1 August – Thursday 31 August

GET INVOLVED IN THE CARDBOARD SHOW

Got an empty box at your house? Across the month of September the Coventry Room will be hosting an ever-changing and expanding community exhibition of art work made from CARDBOARD. Get involved and enter a piece – build with it, paint on it, create a sculpture or piece of furniture from carboard. All entries to be delivered to the Coventry Room on 4th or 5th September.

Need some inspiration? Join one of the FREE cardboard workshops in the Marramarra Makerspace & Coventry Room:

• Friday 8th September @ 6pm: Workshopand wine (especially for adults)

• Saturday 9th September @ 10am: Cordialand cardboard (especially for kids andparents welcome)

• Saturday 16th September @ 10am: Continue with cardboard (everyone welcome)

Friday 29th September @ 6pm will be the celebration and grand finale event (a free event where artworks will be sold by donation). To book into any of the workshops or events contact Parkes Library 6861 2309.

FRIDAY FLICKS

JUNIOR BUILDERS

CURL UP THIS WINTER WITH ONLINE WINTER-READS

GET INVOLVED IN THE CARDBOARD SHOW

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