Native Plants Market

The Barn, Samford Showgrounds

Saturday April 1st | 9am - 3pm | FREE Entry

Native Plants Queensland members welcome everyone to this huge Autumn Plants Market to be held at The Barn, Samford Showgrounds - the perfect new venue to showcase an incredible array of Aussie native plants.

• Native plants are excellent for our environment.

• Range of sizes from tubes to mature plants.

• Expert advice available from the growers on plant selection and care.

• A huge selection of plants at very reasonable prices.

“I was in Townsville on Anzac Day 2020 and visited ANZAC Park; quietly reflecting on my own career, mental illness, friends lost in service and friends who had taken their own life post service. One of the more recent was a pilot I flew with in Afghanistan, a Townsville local named Captain Steve Fazel who had ended his life just four months earlier.”

“I then noticed an A5 funeral service booklet on the ground with a rock on each corner holding it there. It was for Private Bradley Carr, an infantry soldier who had taken his life on Anzac Day the year prior. I didn’t know Bradley, but he was 34 when he took his life and I was 35 when I almost took mine and it hit me pretty hard. At the time Steve and Bradley were just two of almost 500 current and ex-service personnel to have taken their own lives in the previous 20 years alone.”

“I thought ‘This is terrible. We can do better than this. We have to do better than this. Families should have somewhere that acknowledges their loved one who served and took their own life. But both the community and the families are going to need courage to make this happen.’

“So ‘Cor Infinitus’ (Infinite Courage) was born to provide the families and loved ones dignity and respect.”

Many families that have been impacted by veteran suicide have been overwhelmed by the memorials, with some saying this is the first time they’ve experienced solace since losing their loved one.

Kevin is also a Community Ambassador for Mates4Mates and the Mental Health Ambassador for AIRBUS Australia Pacific. Despite his national and community achievements, Kevin remains humble about his latest accolade.

“I’m blown away! Hearing the stories of selfless dedication and service from so many in our community was heart-warming and inspiring. To have been chosen as the Citizen of the Year from among these incredible people was truly humbling.”

Tanya Hall

WHO CARES?

A question often asked and often with an inflection that indicates that maybe nobody does. Over the last couple of years, we have seen a number of expressions of care. They were plain to see but may not have been recognised as such. As we complied with the directions of medical authorities during the pandemic, as we wore masks and maintained that 1.5m distance from others, we were expressing care for those around us. Was it effective? Did it really keep people safe from the virus? Maybe we’ll never know the impact of those actions. It is hard to know sometimes what benefits our actions might have. Most impacts are very often unseen.

Recently we were recipients along with other organisations in Samford of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). After going through a simple grant application process, Community Bank Samford - Bendigo Bank have provided these AEDs to be placed around our community.

Maybe they will never be used. Hopefully they will never be needed. Hopefully no one will find themselves in a situation where these are the things that are needed to keep them alive. But if they ever do…. Thanks to the generosity of our Community Bank Samford (Bendigo Bank) there is one not too far away.

The AED at St Pauls (pictured) is in the porch at the church entrance, just outside the door. We hope you will never need to use it, but if you do, you now know where it is. Well done Community Bank Samford.

Regular Sunday Services: 7.30am and 9am. Motorcycle ride group gathers at Samford AMPOL on the first Saturday of the month for an 8:30am or 9am departure. Destinations vary and riders of all experience levels are welcome.

SPYs – St Paul’s Youth: 3rd Friday of the month, 6pm - 9pm for an evening which always includes food and a craft activity. Samford Valley Market: 2nd Saturday of the month, 7am – midday.

Samford Fresh Food Market: 4th Saturday of the month, 7am – midday.

All Things Nice: Mondays, 9am – midday, Parish Hall.

Study Group: Midday Fridays in the Church. Robert Paget Priest in Charge

Sky-High Adventures to be found at Community Library

Ray Vuillermin’s passion for flying has not only seen him soar through a lifelong career in aviation, but is benefitting Community Library Samford where he currently volunteers. In managing the Military/ Transport book collections, Ray is keen to share his passion with others, particularly in recommending books on aviation history.

“It is said those that do not read history are bound to repeat it. I enjoy researching people, aeroplanes, technical and operational history to revisit why things were done as they are,” Ray said.

“My experience is that aviation history does repeat itself, so knowing why it is as it is in the first place is important, and often time saving! And sometimes for me it is nothing more that drooling over the pictures of great aeroplanes and reading and enjoying vicariously, other pilots’ experiences.”

Since volunteering at Community Library Samford, Ray has met other likeminded people with backgrounds in aviation, transport and the military who heard he was setting up a portion of the library dedicated to those subjects. He has also uncovered a number of out-of-print books.

“Books devoted to specific subjects often have a very limited print run so they come and they go; and there are some gems lost to time. This is something our library offers; not just related to my subjects,” Ray said.

Ray started flying at sixteen on Tiger Moths as an Air Training Corps (RAAF) cadet. He became a junior instructor before joining TAA spending three years in New Guinea before working in Darwin for the NT Air Medical service. He then spent ten years as a Singapore Airlines captain on long range Boeing 747 operations.

At one stage he teamed up with a farmer in Western Australia who had trained to be a pilot but ended up managing the family farm. The pair conducted aerial tours around Southern Africa visiting farms, game parks and other interesting places around South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

“One concluding by one of the passengers buying an aeroplane in Johannesburg and me then flying it back to Melbourne around the periphery of the Indian Ocean.” Ray said.

By volunteering at Community Library Samford, Ray continues to share his passion for the skies, and meet others with a similar affinity for all things aircraft.

“Religious people talk of a vocation, in their case making it sound as though some people are hard wired for a life in the clergy. I sometimes wonder if pilots and other aviation people are similarly wired, but towards the sky. It’s usually a lifelong devotion to a job many wonder why they get paid to do,” Ray said.

“This is especially so in my generation of aviators. A problem we all have is how to get those we love to understand our passion; we would love to share it. There are only one or two authors that go near capturing it, perhaps Earnest Gann and Anton St Expury, both in the library.”

Community Library Samford currently hold trailer sales on the last Saturday of every month from 10:00am to 2:00pm in the Samford RSL car park. Visitors can pick up not just books, but also toys, puzzles and games.

Tanya Hall

Admire Dentistry makes it even easier for our existing patients to book their routine exam & clean appointments online!

Book in with one of our wonderful Oral Health Therapists (Sarah or Priya) for your clean. Once you’ve locked in your appointment, our front desk sta will automatically book you in with your dentist.

When booking your appointment, please keep in mind your dentist availabilities:

• Dr Alex is available on Mon, Wed & Friday.

• Dr Nicole is available on Tues, Thurs & Friday.

• Dr Mick is available on Tuesday.

• Priya is available on Monday & Tuesday

• Sarah is available on Wednesday, Thursday & Friday.

If you are a New Patient to the practice, it’s easy to book online with any of our Dentists. Our front desk sta will contact you to confirm your appointment and send you a welcome email.

If you have any questions, you can call our lovely front desk sta for help anytime during opening hours. You can view these hours on our website.

Our Services:

• Preventative Dentistry

• All General & Major Dental

• Mouthguards and Splints

• Wisdom Tooth Removal

• Pain Free Dental Treatment

• Child Dental Benefits Schedule

• 10% Pensioner Discount Available

• Veterans A airs - Bulk Billed

• Teeth Whitening & Cosmetic Dentistry

• Anti-Wrinkle and Filler Injections

• Interest Free Payment Options

• Entertainment - Overhead Televisions and music.