What a pleasure it was to be at the KidzWish Foundation’s annual general meeting and thank you event for sponsors last night, and to hear it made public that the charity is alive and well and looking to a brighter future.
Several speakers on the night paid particular attention to reminding us that the funds raised for this organisation remain in the area and are used to help local disabled and disadvantaged young people.
After some months of what most regard as unnecessary time spent in court to protect their management structure and the organisation’s future well being, we were able to hear that the charity is doing quite nicely financially. Later this week it will announce a major cash fillip for the redevelopment of a playground for the Para Meadows School.
Hard working chairperson Dorinda Kearns was returned as were other Board members WAVE FM executive Wendy Gee, the organisation’s executive officer Chris Beavan and yours truly.
Welcome new faces are well known charity worker Margaret Biggs, businessmen Peter Hanbury and Mark Horsley, who is the new treasurer, and community conscious Betty Hassan.
The theme for this year’s monster Christmas Party for the disabled and disadvantaged will be “Magic”, and I’m willing to bet that’s just what the party will be.
YourOpinionCounts. CLICK HERE >>>>>>>>>>>>
Administrators impress
Our city’s recently appointed administrators are continuing to impress, particularly with their no nonsense approach to council meetings.
Acquaintance of mine was particularly impressed that they completed the agenda items in a little over an hour at the most recent meeting.
There are other reports, too, that they are keen to closely study all major proposals and to be available for on site visits.
All of which is heartening news for us long forgotten ratepayers.
YourOpinionCounts. CLICK HERE >>>>>>>>>>>>
They’ll do it anyhow
Somewhat severely boosting the tax on special alcoholic drinks, which is an effort by the Rudd government to curtail in particular young women’s interest in the stuff, has no guarantee of being successful.
My experience is that if these younger people want a night out on the grog they really won’t care what they pay for it.
You only had to see them at the clubs on Anzac Day to see what I mean.
YourOpinionCounts. CLICK HERE >>>>>>>>>>>>
What next?
So now there’s a chance that public school teachers will have their classroom performances monitored by cameras. Have you ever heard such rubbish?
It would be hard enough being a teacher these days without having to be under continual observation.
I can just imagine some of the more rascally students aiming to set them up.
And you’d think that if a school principal needs this sort of help to monitor his teaching staff then maybe he/she shouldn’t be in their job.
YourOpinionCounts. CLICK HERE >>>>>>>>>>>>
Get ready for the big splash
More and more people are suggesting to me that the city council decision to install vending machines at the entrance to Corrimal and Dapto public swimming pools is outrageous.
I already know they are up in arms about it out Corrimal way and it could turn nasty.
Maybe the sensible answer is for council to call for tenders to operate and manage the pools. After all, our former Olympian Ron McKeon has shown how this can work with his Towradgi and Unanderra operations.
YourOpinionCounts. CLICK HERE >>>>>>>>>>>>
NRL fails the test
The NRL management really needs to take a good look at themselves.
They decided to switch the traditional Anzac Day clash from Sydney Cricket Ground miles away from the heart of the city out to Homebush and a mere
21,596 people are credited with being there.
Then when they held the Anzac ceremony the emcee wore an open neck shirt and there was no real sense of dignity about the whole thing.
I hate to mention it but down at the MCG in Melbourne 88,999 people turned out to watch their traditional Anzac Day stoush and the accompanying ceremony was as smooth and polished as you’d ever want to see.
But it’s not just on such occasions that the NRL seems to lag. Their total attendances this round were around 150,000 compared to 315,000 for the AFL.
Maybe their CEO David should Gallop off and do something else, for he and his current colleagues are seemingly well behind the promotional eight–ball.
YourOpinionCounts. CLICK HERE >>>>>>>>>>>>
Farewell to the knights and dames
If PM Rudd’s promise to see Australia become a republic in the near future goes ahead then we’ll have no more knights and dames of the land.
No MBEs either, but what about the hope of retaining the Order of Australia Medal?
But then, in all fairness to Rudd and his colleagues, I read with interest at the weekend that during John Howard’s long reign as our PM there were no hand-outs of knighthoods and the likes either.
YourOpinionCounts. CLICK HERE >>>>>>>>>>>>
A good news story
It’s always nice to get some good news and even better when it concerns a local.
Well, Tiffany Porter has won the best singer and audience reaction awards at an International Singer/Songwriters competition held recently in Penang, Malaysia.
Invited to attend as Australia’s representative Tiffany literally laid them in the aisles.
YourOpinionCounts. CLICK HERE >>>>>>>>>>>> | 
