A few weeks back Lisa came out to the SES training area when we were cutting cars up and took photos. One of them was published in yesterday’s paper:
The accompanying text was a message asking people to take care on the roads during the next few weeks (school holidays here in Australia):
Drivers urged to take care on the road these holidays
The Maryborough State Emergency Service are advising people to take it easy on the roads during the school holidays.
They warn people to observe road rules, speed limits and to especially pay attention to traffic and road conditions when travelling about.
It is never easy when a loved one is taken from their family too soon through tragic accidents on the road, the SES stress. The reality is you can’t replace them.
The SES also warn drivers to not use mobile phones while driving, avoid distractions from passengers, make sure everyone in the car has a seatbelt on and keep kids occupied so they don’t become a distraction.
The Maryborough State Emergency Service volunteers are continually practicing their skills maintenance to ensure that they are able to perform their tasks in a timely and professional manner when called out to a situation.
I was really, really keen to tell this story but I couldn’t until today.
Last Friday (8 days ago now) the Melbourne offices of Nokia Siemens Networks had their annual ‘Unite Day’. It was actually a pretty good day as corporate team building exercises go.
One of the things we did that was absolutely excellent was kick off a relationship with The Smith Family. They were originally a pure welfare organisation but have recently moved toward providing educational opportunities to people who would otherwise be disadvantaged from a learning perspective.
Nokia Siemens Networks have announced a partnership with The Smith Family that will provide them with some funding for educational use as well as volunteer manpower for selected activities (Christmas hamper deliveries, etc).
To kick it off we had 22 kids from The Smith Family who were given bikes that we all assembled. The kids were so happy to receive these bikes. I couldn’t mention this until the Sydney team had their ‘Unite Day’ yesterday, but that’s done now, so I can talk about it.
I’ve got a series of really good photos but I’ll keep them to myself in the interests out of respect for the privacy of those kids who were lucky enough to be chosen on the day.
It was a real “feel good” moment for everyone there.
There’s a local kids theatre company here in town called Sleeping Star. This year the play they put on was Aladdin Junior. We’re not really a theatre going family, but went along to this because a friend’s daughter was playing the title role of Aladdin. I’m really glad we went, because it was really good fun.
We got four tickets so we could all go, but baboo has a cold at the moment so Lisa stayed home to look after her. Brad and his son came along with us instead, and of course The Kid and J get along brilliantly. They had a great time.
The kids did a fantastic job of the play. It was a little over an hour long, and all 43 kids in the production did brilliantly. The makeup, costumes and audio were really professionally done.
It was yet another reminder of why I love living in a small town. We knew so many of the people who were sitting around us in the audience so instead of sitting down with strangers to watch a play it was more like you’re sitting in a big lounge room with a bunch of your friends. And because the production was put on by kids,our big girl had come in contact with so many of the people in the play through school, kindergarten and the guides.
The Kid’s school participated in Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea today. It’s a fund raising event held every year by the Cancer Council. Parents send a plate of food to school and a gold coin donation allows the kids to pick what they want. The school had a 30 meter long table full of food.
You can’t turn up at a kids school event without taking photos, of course.
Every year, on the 25th of April, Australia and New Zealand celebrate ANZAC Day. It’s a day to remember and commemorate those who fought at Gallipoli during the First World War.
We choose this day to remember because it marks the day the Gallipoli Campaign began — April 25, 1915. Over the years, veterans of other conflicts have joined the ANZAC Day parade: those who fought in World War II, Korea, Vietnam and recent conflicts including Iraq, Afghanistan and Timor.
On ANZAC Day, ceremonies are held in all major cities and most country towns. If you drive through a country town of any size you will find a statue or monument of some sort in a public place that on this day becomes the focal point of the community.
In Maryborough, where we live, it’s McLandress Square, which sits right out front of the post office. It’s a fairly small grassy area that is dominated by a statue that reminds us of those who gave their lives fighting for our country.
A small white cross is placed around the statue for each and every boy or young man who didn’t return home. The Girl Guides spent a few nights over the last week making poppies for the crosses.
Later this morning there will be a military guard of honour, a few speeches, and a chance for those of us who enjoy the freedoms we have today to remember those who fell and thank those who were fortunate enough to return.
It’s not hard at all to find lots of names you recognise amongst the crosses. Small country towns tend to have the same name appear over and over as generations of the same family hand down farms and businesses to sons and daughters.
There’s a very real connection between these small symbolic crosses and the people who walk the streets of the town today.
… I can’t help but feel if this was you or me instead of a football legend the police would have perhaps not been so diligent in their pursuit of the offenders.
Yesterday, The Kid got to spend a few hours on the back of a CFA truck delivering lollies to the kids in the area.
We went to see a friend of mine who lives at East Warburton; he’s in the Reefton CFA, and their truck went out to deliver lollies to the kids. The Kid had a great time, as did all the kids we visited.
This year’s energy breakthrough was held over the weekend. Lisa and I spent a couple of hours marshalling on one of the corners and thankfully managed to dodge the worst of the weather. Nothing serious happened on our corner, but while we were there we did have a 20 minute full-course yellow flag when an ambulance had to attend to a rider who had come off and broken her ankle.
Carisbrook Primary School (where the kid goes) entered a car in one of the categories and managed to walk away with the win. No idea what “HPV A1″ is (well, ‘HPV’ is human powered vehicle, but I don’t know what the ‘A1′ is) but they’ve done well. Full (provisional) results here (pdf).
For those who don’t know about it, the RACV Energy Breakthrough is an annual event where school kids from all around Australia (and this year, from New Mexico as well!) converge on Maryborough for the weekend. They enter vehicles that they’ve designed and built at school and compete over 24 hours in a number of different categories.
It’s all about introducing kids to the practical aspects of engineering with a view to making most effective use of energy, and it does an excellent job of that. There were some really well engineered entries.
The Kid had a special day today because she said her promise at Girl Guides. It’s a big occasion.
I promise that I will do my best to do my duty to God, to serve the Queen and my country; to help other people; and to keep the Guide law.
Afterward she was given a sash and scarf and a whole lot of badges and patches that Lisa has to sew on. There’s one for being part of the guide movement; one for being an Australian guide; one for being a Victorian guide; one for being part of the Bluebell patrol, and a few others that I can’t remember. Lots.
There’s a gallery on SmugMug with a few shots in it; check your gallery list.
I’ll get her to write a blog entry tomorrow with her own words.
The Kid had a mini Olympics event at Girl Guides tonight. The usual kids kind of games: egg and spoon race, three legged race, etc. Lots of Dads went along to participate. The Kid and I won the piggy back race! Woohoo!
Photos up on SmugMug.
Who said what?