Forbes Phoenix

Letter to the Editor

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Dear Editor

Following negative publicity from the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal of 2021, and the subsequent Red Cross Telethon Flood Appeal held on 12th March on Channels 7, 9 and 10, I would like to explain to your readers how donations are being distributed to people.

We raised $25.2million for people impacted by the floods in Queensland and NSW in March. We are currently disbursing two types of grants: a bereavement grant of $20,000 per grant, and relief grants of $500 each. These grants are a gift from the Australian people.

So far $8.8M has been distributed leaving a balance of $16.4M. for distribution.

Our grants team is working around the clock to process grants as quickly as possible. Applications that have all of the correct information, identification and bank account details are being processed faster. We are getting high numbers of incomplete, ineligible and duplicate applications that are slowing down the approval process. All applications are checked and approved by our grants team to ensure donor’s money is going to eligible people impacted by floods.

All donations from individuals via our website and the telethon have been received. We are in the process of collecting donations from businesses who pledged during the telethon.

The dashboard for these grants is updated daily on the following website: www.redcross.org.au/cashassistance/

Sue Strahorn
Red Cross Zone Representative
Parkes/Forbes

Letter to the Editor

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To The Editor,

The members of Forbes Historical Society were pleased to hear the Vandenberg Hotel has been resold to local people. We understand that it is to be reopened as a hotel with accommodation upstairs. The restoration of these facilities is essential as this particular building is of great significance to our town, not only because of its history but it is where, until its closure, many organisations held their meetings. It also provides unique accommodation for tourists overlooking Victoria Park and our unique heritage buildings.

We understand that the previous sale was legal, but it is the transfer of poker machine licences that concerns many of us. In the last 20 years we have lost five of our hotels in similar circumstances and apparently for similar reasons. This raises the question as to what has happened to these hotel licences?

Country pubs in country towns are part of our way of life in the bush. They are a meeting place for young and older people, a tourist attraction, our heritage and a vital component of the lifeblood of our town.

The Forbes community has worked very hard to make Forbes the wonderful tourist destination that it is today.

These business deals are not only happening in Forbes, it is also happening in other rural communities.

We are resolved to explore every avenue open to us to make other people aware of what is happening and hopefully gain the support of the state government to initiate an inquiry, maybe even legislate to prevent these poker machines from being sold or transferred.

We will support any efforts undertaken by Forbes Council to prevent these deals in the future.

Yours faithfully, Bruce Adams
Forbes Historical Society (President)

Letter from the Editor

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As Head Editor of both Parkes and Forbes Phoenix newspapers I often get asked about “our little, free paper” and I thought here is a perfect way to explain who we are, what we are about and why we are one of the few media organisations bucking the trend and growing while others are downsizing and cost-cutting.

The Forbes and Parkes Phoenix news-papers have now been operating in their respective towns for 6-7 years and in that time we have gone from humble beginnings birthed from the Canowindra Phoenix, through to one of the biggest independently owned rural media groups in Australia – the Phoenix Newspaper Group.

We cover Forbes, Parkes, Canowindra, Cowra, Blue Mountains, Mudgee, Hilltops, Griffith, Yass, Hawkesbury and Goulburn – meaning we have you covered in southern and western NSW. In addition to this we also offer cheaper ad rates, free delivery – meaning people seek us out, wider circulation (as we deliver to roadside mailboxes), social media advertising and editorial in addition to print and video for long term advertisers. No other newspaper group or media organization delivering a media product offers the same anywhere in our region. Food for thought.

Thank You People Of Forbes

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THANK YOU FORBES: Of the 932 families who have stayed with RMHC Orange so far, more than half have been families seeking specialist and life-saving treatment for their child or adolescent. Forbes Wear Red Day earlier this year at the Forbes Sports and Recreation Club helped raise vital funds again.

To The Editor,

I am writing to the people of Forbes to express the heartfelt thanks of everyone associated with Ronald McDonald House Charities in Orange for the fantastic support of our Wear Red Day fundraiser held earlier this year.

The sum of $34,434 was raised throughout the region, and those funds will remain in Orange to directly support families from the central and far west.

To date, 91 families from Forbes have stayed at the Orange house for a total of 458 nights. This represents a savings in accommodation alone of $68,700 for families from Forbes and surrounding district who have found themselves in a situation where they must seek emergency care for their child in Orange Hospital.

Special thanks must go to the Mayor of Forbes Cr Phyllis Miller who was instrumental in rallying the people of Forbes to support Wear Red Day. We are so grateful for her passion and ongoing support.

Here at Ronald McDonald House Orange we provide so much more than just a bed for the night at no charge.

Families may stay for as long as required which can be weeks or months and are provided with a number of services at no cost.

Our thanks to Deb Roylance and her team for her enthusiasm and ongoing support with fundraising.

Rebecca Walsh
Executive Officer
Ronald McDonald House Charities Orange

Letter to the Editor

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Dear Editor,

Voices 4 Riverina is a community-based organisation encouraging participation in democracy.

We hold Kitchen Table Conversations in all areas of the federal electorate of Riverina, and invite people from Forbes to host a group of up to eight people in their own homes to contribute to a report being compiled to gather ideas, thoughts and visions about where they live.

All contributions remain anonymous and the final report will be presented to the current member so he has a wider appreciation of what concerns and interests his constituents.

Please call Pennie Scott on 0427 44 11 07 for further information and to register your interest to host a Kitchen Table Conversation.

Voices 4 Riverina can also be found and contacted on their Facebook page.

Yours sincerely,
Pennie Scott

Letters…

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I am writing to express my appreciation to everyone who supported The Smith Family’s 2020 Winter Appeal.

At a time when Australians have been challenged like never before, we have been humbled and inspired by tremendous generosity. Our charity supports the educational achievement of children in need as a practical pathway out of poverty. The donations we received for our Winter Appeal will mean our vital out-of-school learning and mentoring programs can now be delivered to thousands more students living in disadvantage.

The public’s help could not have come at a better time. Even before the COVID-19 crisis, there was strong evidence that disadvantaged students were falling behind at school through not having the same learning opportunities as their more advantaged classmates. At age 15, the gap is equivalent to around three years of schooling.

In recent weeks, the Grattan Institute has confirmed that disadvantaged children who were already falling behind before the crisis, will have slipped further back. It is hard to stay on top of your learning when you don’t have essential resources for home schooling such as a computer, internet access, textbooks and stationery. These children will need extra support to catch up.

With the donations received, The Smith Family will provide additional educational support for over 16,000 children and young people during terms 3 and 4. These include our home-based programs boosting the reading skills of children, mentoring support, and our after-school Learning Clubs, helping children to increase their literacy and numeracy skills.

The Smith Family exists to change children’s lives through supporting their education. To do this, we rely on the generous support of thousands of Australians. To everyone who offered a hand up to support a child in need through our Appeal, please accept my grateful thanks.

Dr Lisa O’Brien
Chief Executive Officer
The Smith Family

Letters…

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Letter To The Public

Police are urging residents to lock their vehicles and secure their possessions in response to a recent spike in opportunistic thefts.

Officer in charge of Parkes Police, Chief Inspector Dave Cooper has a simple message for everyone, “Lock your vehicles.” Recent incidents have been very opportunistic in nature, whereby offenders are checking cars parked on the street or in driveways, and if they are unlocked, they have entered the vehicles and stolen anything of value. If the cars are locked, the offenders have move on.

The same principle applies with property that has been left unattended in a front yard or on a veranda. If it is easy to grab, the offenders may target it. If it is locked away, they won’t get the chance.

Unfortunately, the days of leaving our cars and homes unlocked, due to our laid-back country lifestyle, are over. We need to target harden and make it difficult for offenders. Police are also urging residents to be vigilant, if you see or hear something that does not seem right, call the Police.

Police will be increasing proactive patrols in response, but they just cannot be everywhere, we are calling on our community to do their bit and lock up.

With thanks
Chief Inspector David Cooper Central
West Police District

Letters

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To the Editor, 6 July 2020
Through Mr Phil Donato MP, Member for Orange:

Dear Michael McCormack, Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and my Federal Member. How dare you give the regional money that I asked you for to build us a new swimming pool complex here in Forbes to the City of Sydney? How dare you give the city of Sydney $14 million? I did not ask you for $14 million, we only need $8.1 million, Mr McCormack.

Do you think that we are just voices crying in the wilderness? We are an important part of your Federal electorate, which you have just chosen to betray, you have just sold out an important agricultural centre of NSW, sold us out to the city of Sydney. We already have 300 little children who want and need to learn to swim.

Many children drown every year in Australia, and in our heated pool, each month, there are more than 700 people from Condobolin, West Wyalong, Eugowra, Grenfell, Parkes, Peak Hill and Forbes, as well as a large group of people with disabilities who use this facility.

How dare you deny us the opportunity to provide vital construction jobs during this difficult time, and how dare you deny us the opportunity to increase our tourism events in Forbes during this very difficult time of recovery from drought and the virus?

I am very saddened by your behaviour, and disappointed that you have betrayed our important community of Forbes and the Central West.

Dianne Decker, AM JP.

Letter to the Editor

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Once again 25 April, Anzac Day has come and gone. For the past 48 years I have attended both the Dawn Service and Mid-Morning Service with my Dad (WWII), until he passed away in 1996, and my brother Terry (Vietnam).

For circumstances beyond everyone’s control, Anzac Day this year was to be somewhat different. No one really had any idea how the day would play out, but the people of Forbes and district rose to the occasion and made the day most memorable. Aaron Parry once again turned up at 5.30am to play the Last Post, our Mayor Phyllis Miller and I laid wreaths, and the Ode was recited at the Cenotaph in Victoria Park. Very different from past years but just as moving.

At 6am I stood out the front of my house with a candle and lowered the flag to half-mast. I looked down the street and couldn’t believe my eyes, candles, torches, lights on phones all the way down the street. And from a lot of reports most streets in Forbes all doing the same thing.

Sunday morning, I went to the Cenotaph and counted 43 wreaths that had been laid around the Cenotaph from Individuals, families, service organisations, charity organisations, and all Forbes Schools. What a wonderful gesture from the people of Forbes and district, to honour and remember the 153 men from Forbes and district who lost their lives, and the other 1,439 men and women who gave service to our country, and also to those who are still serving.

Although there was not an organised ceremony of Remembrance the people of Forbes still remembered those service men and women.

A day of Remembrance and a day to Remember.

Lest we Forget.
Forbes RSL Sub-Branch.
Michael Walker President

Editor’s Notes

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This holiday period is all about spending quality time with our loved ones. It is a time for good food and even better company. A time of great stress for some as well as much rest, I hope.

I’d like to say a special thank you to the many people who contribute to our paper, whether it is weekly or a one off, you are appreciated.

I’d like to wish each of our readers a very Merry Christmas and an even happier New Year. Please stay safe, hydrated and happy. We will see you in the New Year.

Alexandria Irvine

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