COMMUNITY NEWS
PAUL TIERNEY
PREPARATIONS WELL UNDER WAY FOR EASTER CAMEL RACES
A New Hope Just like the Jedi in Star Wars, I’m hoping 2017 will be a year of hope for all of us.
*Heavy breathing* I like to think that even the dark side enjoys a healthy dose of optimism. Here’s to 2017. *More heavy breathing*
Spoiler alert—I’m about to talk about the new Star Wars movie (turn the page now …). How good was the new instalment of the Star Wars tale? I was 11 in 1977, when Luke and Han saved the day for the fi rst time - which turned out to be the fourth episode, which came before the fi rst three, and also before the seventh, with episode zero recently released. Only readers familiar with the galaxy far, far away are following, I think, sorry. Glimpses of Leia, R2, 3PO and Darth in this awesome standalone movie certainly kept the fi res a-burnin’ for those of us in need of the drug known as Star Wars, also giving us ‘hope’ for a resolution when episode 8 comes around in 12 months time. Boo hiss to those of you out there who poo-pooed the newest movie—my family and my mates loved it! That very first awesome pic in ’77 was called ‘Episode 4 : A New Hope’. Kind of appropriate to refer to it in the first column of 2017, where everyone is optimistic for the biggest year ever. On a whole lot of different levels, I have hope and a good feeling that 2017 will be a landmark year not just for me and my family, but for the Central West, our fine sunburnt land and maybe even our whole planet. I’ve rid myself of some demons of late, got a huge amount of mojo and optimism for the year ahead, and if I can lose a bit of keg from around the middle and my back doesn’t give out, 2017 should be a cracker. There is no way known (touch wood, touch wood) that the upcoming winter can be as nasty as the one from last year, one for the record books it was—I’m ordering up just the right amount of rain to keep everyone happy, and dialling the wind down just few notches. Talking about the roads in the Central West has
been a controversial topic for a while now, but I had a dream that I tapped my heels together three times and things were all sweet. It won’t be as easy as that, but I have faith that the right amount of attention will be afforded this year to this essential part of our lives. On a wider front, I’m feeling the Republic will get a fair amount of media attention again in 2017. That’s not to say the queen and her family are yesterday’s news, but I can feel a bit of a Republic tsunami coming. On the world front, I get the picture that ol’ Donald plans to be ‘America’s President’ first, and President to the world second. Music to the ears of many, I’m sure. I hope he can work together with the other major world leaders to solve some of the problems that exist on our broken globe. As I mentioned in a column early in 2016, why would the aliens want to invade us? They’d just inherit all our hassles. Anyway, a very Happy New Year to you all. I hope like me you’ve got plenty of energy cranking up for the year ahead. I hope you didn’t write resolution cheques that will be too hard to cash. Between Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope and the last line of the best movie ever (The Shawshank Redemption) which is “ … I hope”, there’s plenty ahead of us to look forward to.
Paul Tierney hosts a weekly radio program on Monday from 5-7pm on 107.5 Community FM
A quality paint job is not child’s play!
UP & DOWN painting
Lic. No.245 496c
0448 600 095 18
JANUARY 19-25, 2017
Residential/Commercial painting Fully insured Fully Acreddited Dulux Products
Talk to David today! upanddownpainting@gmail.com
Preparations are well under way for the 2017 Easter Camel Races which are being held at Towac Park on Easter Sunday 16 April. The races this year are being run by the Lions Club of Orange with all profits going to the local charity, Give Me 5 For Kids which raises funds for the children’s Ward at the Orange Health Service. Mr. Graeme Eggleston, Orange Lions Club Member and Event Coordinator says the organising committee has been working tirelessly over the summer months to ensure that the races go off without a hitch. “There will be 8 camel races, with the first scheduled to start at 10.00am. There is certainly a lot of interest in the main race, the Orange Lions Club Camel Cup “. Mr. Eggleston says registrations are now being taken for Market Stalls and children’s rides etc. with site fees being $45 each. Information and application forms for sites can be found
AA
on the Camel Race web site www.orangecamelraces.com or contact Ms. Fiona Rossiter on 0409 662 525. There will be an auction for a number of signed, framed and highly sought after football jumpers prior to the event. This auction will take place through 105.1 triple M. A feature on race day will be the two trial trotting races on the turf track. Having trotting races on turf is a new initiative for the Orange Harness Racing Club and will be worth seeing as it is the only turf trotting track in Australia.
VERY BADMAN
WITH CARTOONIST MIKE BADMAN
Mr. Eggleston thanked Mr Kel Winnell and Mr. Steve Turnbull for arranging these trials. These trials will be a spectacle for those who have not seen trotting races and will complement the Camel Race Program. Mr Eggleston said that the organisers are looking for potential sponsors for the event. If people or businesses are interested, then they should contact him on 0428 270 447 for further details. More information on the Orange Camel Races can be found at www. orangecamelraces.com