Closing in on almost a century of community involvement in Proserpine, the local Queensland Country Women’s Association (QCWA) branch are cleaning house to fundraise for their future.

Set to celebrate 100 years in July next year, the local branch will hold their first ever garage sale next week to raise money towards upgrading their QCWA Hall on Main Street.

The Proserpine branch’s current building – constructed in 1935 - needs its entry access ramp and stairs replaced, and a garage sale was plotted to help fundraise for the cause.

Proserpine QCWA member Kerri Southee said the building has served the community in many ways since its establishment.

“It is used for many varied events and community organisations even today. From Yoga to Orchid Society Meetings and the QCWA ladies themselves meet on the second Tuesday of each month at 9am,” Ms Southee said.

“We need the community support to keep this historic institution alive and well and continuing to serve the community of the Whitsundays.”

QCWA are an active community of women who, together, improve the lives of people living in regional, rural, and remote Queensland. They are always looking for members.

The garage sale will begin at 8.00am on Saturday, October 29, at the QCWA Hall on 4 Faust Street, Proserpine. Donations will also be accepted with the hall opening the day before from 1.00pm to 4.00pm.

The Whitsunday Coast Chamber AGM held last week was a tick and flick affair with financials presented and accepted by attendees and current committee members retaining their positions and looking forward to the coming 12 months. The Chamber would welcome new committee members so if would like to become involved in the advocacy for business issues in the Whitsunday region, please get in touch.

This week the Chamber hosted its free information seminar to brief employers on the benefits of a Designated Area Migration Agreement in the region. It allows businesses to attract more full time workers across a broader range of skills, and age groups and because it allows full time residency at the end of the visa, it makes regional communities stronger – with more permanent workers in the area. To be successful, a DAMA needs the employers to get behind the process. If you missed the sessions, please contact the chamber for more information.

The Chamber, alongside other groups and business people, met with the new Mayor, Julie Hall to begin a working relationship with her. Concerns shared included a lack of master planning for growth in the region, and the way that representation of residents in different Divisions is applied. Specific issues businesses have with some council processes were also discussed and we look forward to a progressive relationship.

October is Indigenous Business (IBM) month, a time to shine a light on the economic contributions of Indigenous businesses, people and organisations. It is also an opportunity to showcase the power of the Indigenous business sector and its commitment to an inclusive and sustainable future. If you are an Indigenous business owner and would like to promote your business, contact the chamber via our website.

By Allan Milostic from Whitsunday Coast Chamber of Commerce.

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Local tourism operators met visiting travel agents from all over Australia this week for a face-to-face chat to promote the region at the 2022 Whitsunday Tourism Exchange, the first of its kind in over three years.

On Tuesday, attendees engaged in a speed-dating style conversation where each local operator had just eight minutes to spruik the merits of their tour, service or experience to the 31 trade delegates that represented companies from across Australia.

A mixture of travel associates, inbound and online travel agents enjoyed the reconnaissance mission, connecting with tourism providers to discover the best recommendations for their clients.

A total of 36 local hotels, tour operators, transport services and affiliated businesses joined the conference, using their eight minutes to win good rapport and secure potential bookings.

The event took place at Club Wyndham and was followed by a networking event at Shute Harbour Marine Terminal.

Afterwards, a portion of the buyers stayed on in the Whitsundays for a post event famil, spending one night in Airlie Beach, enjoying a tour to Whitehaven Beach and concluding with a night on one of the islands.

Tourism Whitsundays CEO, Rick Hamilton said the event was an excellent opportunity for local tourism businesses.

“The goal of this event is to make sure every person looking for a holiday has access to The Whitsundays through their chosen booking channel,” he said.

“By bringing the top buyers into the region we’re making sure they know the product available and are seeing The Whitsundays at the same time.”

Tourism Whitsunday Trade Manager, Suzy Bohan said that travel agents are always on the lookout for a great holiday destination for their clients.

“The Whitsundays Tourism Exchange is one of the best ways we’ve found to influence travel itineraries issued nationally and internationally,” she said.

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A staggering 385,000 women die annually during childbirth, many from preventable infections.

The Zonta Club of the Whitsundays Inc. and students from two Proserpine high schools put together 600 birthing kits at the beginning of October to be sent overseas and combat that harrowing statistic.

The Zonta Birthing Kit project – which began in 1995 - involves clubs arranging a birthing kit assembly day, putting together simple, clean birthing kits and sending them to birthing assistants in developing countries.

Proserpine State High School have been participating in the project alongside the local Zonta club for over a decade, and on October 13, volunteered 30 of their year 10 students to contribute in the altruistic activity for the first time.

Early Childhood Teacher Cathy Muller said her year 10 students had recently completed the curriculum’s sexual education component – including birthing – and the birthing kit project had resonated with many of the young girls in her cohort.

“They think about giving birth in the future and they have the luxury of a hospital, while these ladies who receive the packages have nothing,” Ms Muller said.

“We forget about that.”

Whitsunday Zonta Club President Dianne Trueman said, alongside St Catherine’s College Proserpine, the support from the State High School was exceptional.

“Proserpine school do a great job with us, alongside St. Cath’s who have a Z Club. It’s always fantastic and all these kids gain something from it,” she said.

Both school’s complete 200 kits each, with the Zonta Club completing the remainder to reach 600.

The kits cost $5 each and consist of a sheet of plastic, gauze, string, a blade, soap, and gloves.

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Zonta Club members and students and staff at Proserpine State High School helped to put together 600 birthing kits for Zimbabwean women

A Whitsundays non-for-profit is distributing tasty treats next week as part of its annual, full-day of child safety education and awareness.

On Day For Daniel on Friday, October 28, Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre will raise funds for the Daniel Morcombe Foundation through a “Cupcake Drive”, selling scrumptious treats.

The Cupcake Drive is just one of the activities on the centre’s itinerary for the day, including child protection lessons and educational activities run throughout Friday at the centre's Scallywags Childcare premises next door.

The annual event is Australia’s largest child safety education and awareness day and honours the memory of Daniel Morcombe, a thirteen-year-old boy who was tragically abducted and murdered on the way to his local shopping centre where he planned to buy Christmas presents for his family.

The red t-shirt he wore on the day he went missing has become a symbol of child safety awareness and every year, thousands of people dress in red to commemorate his life and better our world.

Although purchasing closed yesterday for the cupcakes, Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre executive officer Bec Woods said the message of Day For Daniel was just as important as the sweet treats.

“Each year we do something for Day For Daniel to promote child protection principles and educational resources; it’s a very worthy and important cause,” Ms Woods said.

“Getting the word out through school letters and social media has been an integral part of this fundraising process.”

The cakes will be baked fresh by Proserpine business, Buttercup Lane, and collected at two sites: The Neighbourhood Centre and the business itself. They hope to raise $500 dollars for the foundation this year.

You can donate to Day For Daniel here: https://danielmorcombe.com.au/get-involved/donate/

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Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre are spreading the message of Day for Daniel through delicious fundraisers and education programs

Tickets are selling fast for the third annual Zonta Club of the Whitsundays Derby Day which is due to be held at La Tabella in Airlie Beach next Saturday.

The perfect excuse to get dressed in your finest race day outfit, this event is a wonderful opportunity to have a fun and extravagant experience while raising money for many local causes which actively help women and girls in the community.

The Derby Day Luncheon commences at midday with a glass of chilled Prosecco presented upon arrival.

A three-course lunch will then follow, exhibiting some of the finest cuisine the highly-regarded Italian restaurant has to offer.

The main race of the day will be televised and guests can take part in the sweeps.

There will also be raffles, three big auctions and a silent auction.

Top prizes include three luxury holidays.

The dress code is ‘black and white’ with best dressed and best hat for both male and females judged on the day.

All money raised will go straight towards Zonta Club of the Whitsundays’ projects which include giving scholarships and bursaries to local students, supporting the Women’s Refuge and engaging with global campaigns.

Derby Day represents the start of the Melbourne Cup Carnival and is a thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old’s with a total prize pool of $2 million.

WHAT: Zonta Club of the Whitsundays Derby Day

WHERE: La Tabella, Airlie Beach

WHEN: Saturday, October 29 from 12pm

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The signature black and white dress code gives attendees a classic and refined elegance

Part 2 of our story …

McCormack’s Dairy: (From a brief family history written by Dorothy McCormack/Graw)

As Mick and Aimee McCormack thought cane did not provide a viable living, they decided to go into dairying.  In 1925, they installed milking machines. In the 1930s, helped by children, Joe and Dorothy, they were milking 300 cows and, on top of supplying milk to the town, were, at times, sending more than a ton of cream to the Mackay creamery.  

Dorothy moved cattle from one paddock to another before and after school, helped with the dipping of the milkers and was always on hand to help if the machines broke down. When many of the workers went off to war, it became impossible to keep the dairy going. It was leased out to different families for a few years but was eventually sold to the Muller Family.

Nicol’s Dairy: (Registration No. 11629)

Alec Nicol purchased a dairy which he moved to “Willowbrook”, the family farm on the western outskirts of Proserpine. Registration of the dairy was granted on August 13, 1936.  Sons, Clive, James and Neville looked after the dairy before and after school. They also kept pigs and it was James’s job to look after them.

O’Hara’s Dairy: (Registration No 914)

O'Hara's dairy was situated just across the river in the vicinity of the Airlie Beach turn off. Mr and Mrs Jack O’Hara milked about forty cows as well as working a small cane farm. All milking was done by hand, starting around 3am. When Jim O'Hara and his twin brothers, Ray and Vic, were about 11 and 12 respectively, their parents went to live on Dent Island. Their step brother, Harvey Hewitt, managed the farm and dairy and the three boys all had to help out. When Ray and Vic left school, Jim was left with most of the chores.  

This extract from Jim’s memories of dairying, recorded many years ago, captures the tough life on a dairy.

“I had to get up at 2.30am and saddle up the horse to bring the cows home from a sixty-acre paddock in all weather. I would ride around the paddock calling the cows and they would head for the gate. Once it was opened, they headed for the dairy. We milked till about 5am, using carbide lights. I then yoked up the horse to the milk cart to deliver milk around the town. I sold two twelve-gallon cans and one four-gallon can but sometimes I had to get milk from Hewson's, McKenzie's or McKay's so that we had enough for our deliveries. The price was threepence a pint and sixpence a quart. When the delivery was finished, I would have to find out how much milk the ABC Cafe needed that morning, deliver it and check on the order for the evening.

During the day, the cows roamed down by the river.  After school they had to be rounded up and the cows without calves had to be milked.  More milk was then delivered to the ABC Cafe. The rest was separated, some made into butter and the surplus cream sent to the Mackay factory. By the time everything was cleaned, cane tops collected in a dray and put through the chaff cutter, it was usually 9pm before the horses were fed.”

“I will never forget my days on the dairy. There was never any time for pleasure and, at that time, 1 wouldn't have wished dairy life on my worst enemy.”

Story and photo courtesy Proserpine Historical Museum.

Dairy Farming was a demanding life

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In a Vintage Toyota Cressida 1991 Grande known as Christopher, Arpad Romandy and Ben Matters have so far raised over $35,000 for Cancer Council Australia.

The two Hayman Island residents took off on Friday, October 14, for the Mackay to Darwin spring Shitbox Rally passing through iconic Queensland towns as part of the Cancer Council fundraising event.

Representing the Whitsundays as the “Hayman Island Team”, Arpad and Ben have been crossing the country alongside 225 others, each of them in cars worth no more than $1500.

They’re set to arrive in Darwin today to end their journey, riding high in their Toyota Cressida 1991 Grande which has been decked out in a Whitsundays themed paintjob to take a piece of the region with them, and painted by local artists.

Already, they’ve driven from Mackay to Charters Towers, on to Chillagoe, Normanton, Hell’s Gate Roadhouse, Borroloola, and Mataranka – their final stop before the Darwin finish and the end of what is a more than 3300-kilometre journey.

The annual Cancer Council event has a goal of raising $2 million amongst its combined teams, and Arpad and Ben are leading as the second highest fundraisers, with roughly $35,000 of their $50,000 goal.

Arpad, whose day job when he’s not rallying around the country is as General Manager at Hayman Island’s InterContinental Resort, said the trip had been an amazing experience.

“The locals in the outback are absolutely amazing at getting behind us and supporting us, but we support them as well,” Arpad said.

“The mechanics and the rest of the Shitbox team are amazing, too. The fundraising has been extremely meaningful. We already are wanting to do it again.”

The pair have spent much of the rally in “triage” where the vehicles are regularly fixed up by support cars and other racers – everyone pitches in.

Arpad said the seven-day rally was the “fun reward for raising vital funds for ground-breaking Cancer Research projects” and had a special place in his heart.

“We took part because cancer affects so many people so close to you. I lost my dad; I proudly dedicate this rally to him,” Arpad said.

You can donate to Arpad and Ben’s Shitbox Rally page here: https://spring2022.shitboxrally.com.au/hayman-islanders

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Two Hayman Islanders, Arpad Romandy and Ben Matters, have taken their Vintage Toyota Cressida 1991 Grande on a trip around the country in this year’s Shitbox Rally

With plenty of help from locals, they got ‘Christopher’, their car, in working order and decked it out in a Whitsunday themed paintjob

The boys set off on their seven-day journey last Friday

Tourism operators, business owners and hospitality managers in the Whitsundays are invited to make use of Australian-based corporate merchandise branding company, Star Promotions.

This flexible, modern and easy to work with Brisbane-based business can turn almost any object into a branded souvenir that will not only see your logo travel throughout Australia but also spread goodwill amongt the grateful recipients.

From key chains to sun hats, beach towels to stubby holders and sunglasses – Star Promotions can add your unique branding to a wide variety of merchandise for the perfect keepsake.

Sell branded gift wear to create lasting memories for tourists as they complete their Whitsundays tour, give holiday-goers the opportunity to take a branded memento from their favourite restaurant when they leave – the ideas are endless.

In addition, you can take your branded memorabilia to corporate events and add them to goody bags or give them away to your most valued customers.

Offering a tangible and practical product to promote your business, these merchandise options can help elevate your brand to new heights.

The process is simple – just send an email with your business logo and any other wording over to sales@starpromotions.com.au and they will send you a sample.

Once you’ve approved the product, they will create the bulk order which you will receive in under two weeks.

“It’s a good way to promote your business and get it out there to different people,” said Callan from Star Promotions.

“It’s something people can hold onto forever; it’s constant advertising and people love it!”

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Caption: Branded holiday merchandise creates lasting memories of your business

A group of dedicated stakeholders gathered last week for an industry networking evening to celebrate the official launch of the Healthy Rivers to Reef Stewardship Magazine and 2021 Report Card.

The culmination of many projects that have significantly improved the health of our waterways, oceans, and ecosystems, these two informative brochures are packed with real life stories and results from data collected.

The Stewardship Magazine shows how local farmers have managed to reduce their fertiliser input by 30 per cent and up the organic matter in their soil to increase its holding capacity by 170,000 litres.

Other incredible projects include the work of Eco Barge Clean Seas to remove 4.81 tonnes of marine debris which was collected by 438 volunteers.

The $23.5 million Reef Assist program also saw 4,460 trees planted, the installation of 1,200 coral restoration structures across 220 sites and 35 cubic metres of marine debris collected.

Bonny Stutsel, Executive Officer of Healthy Rivers to Reef Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac said she was thrilled to see so many projects all working together to help our local environment and said the ecosystem is currently “stable”.

“These projects have shown how we can all work together by collaborating around issues such as litter, fish monitoring, wetland preservation and improving bio filters to improve water quality,” said Ms Stutsel.

During the networking event which took place at Whisper Gin Bar and Restaurant on Friday night, two speakers were welcomed.

Firstly, Jason Sharon, Managing Director of Linked Group Services shared his story of operating a completely ‘off the grid’ fabrication company in Mackay.

He offered the audience ideas on how we can all reduce our carbon footprint through smart practices.

Also speaking at the event was Lisa Hutchinson from Neilly Group Engineering who discussed erosion control and how we can reduce the amount of sediment going into the ocean.

Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership Chair, Julie Boyd, said it was an exciting moment for all the partners who had all contributed to the various projects.

“It shows the partner’s fantastic work, engagement and collaboration to get great outcomes,” she said.

“It’s important to think about where water goes and how it gets out to our beautiful waterways, we all need to make sure we are doing everything we can to protect the environment.

“There are lots of ways the community can get involved through stewardship and volunteering.”
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How can you help?

78% of people in the Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac region say they want to do more to improve waterway health.

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Here is a list of local organisations where you could volunteer:

• Eco Barge Clean Seas

• Mackay and District Turtle Watch Association

• Conservation Volunteers

• Reef Check Australia

• Whitsunday Seagrass Volunteers

• Reef Catchments

Photo credit: Julie Boyd, Rebekah Smith, Michelle Perez, Brie Sherow, Bonny Stutsel and Councillor Jan Clifford. Photo credit: Anthony Nobilia – Airlie Beach Executive Services

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I went to the supermarket today and corn was $1 per cob.  I bought eight of them!

Yes me!  Why…… because I’ve picked all my corn.  I’ve planted my next crop (yes you can plant corn this time of year too) but not in succession – my bad.

If you do not value “organically grown” or knowing where your food comes from, or knowing what it’s been sprayed with nor do you value your input into a healthier environment and sharing your produce with neighbours and friends.

If picking vegies from your garden to prepare your evening meal does not appeal to you nor do you have an appreciation for the growing process – watering each morning to nurture plants and enjoy time out and having a sense of achievement when picking the fruits of your labour, then why bother growing your own when you can buy a corn from the supermarket for $1?

My answer is – Don’t.

Growing your own food is about getting in touch with nature, understanding the importance of every aspect of your environment including the soil you grow in, the sun, the value of water and the benefits to our wildlife and beneficial insects.  

It’s about composting, worms and microorganisms in the earth and getting up each day to nurture your plants and in turn yourself.  It’s more than having food available at your beck-and-call and more than saving money when lettuce prices get to $10 each, but that certainly helps!

So, what can you start growing in your gardens right now in the Whitsundays?

The most prolific months for growing from seed / seedlings here are between April and August but there are still herbs and vegies that you can plant now.

Try Sweet Corn, this grows all year round and it’s an impressive crop to grow, Sweet Potatoes and Ginger are also happy in those 30-degree temperatures.

Basil and Lemon Basil does very well this time of year too.  

I also have lots of Parsley growing at the moment and I still like to plant salad greens, but this time of year they require a bit of care as they don’t like it when the temperature gets over 27 degrees.

With temperatures on the rise as we come into summer, on those beautiful Whitsunday blue sky days, you are going to need to protect your leafy greens.

Shade cloth or “vegetable netting” becomes essential, 25-30% shade is ideal and doubles up as protection from those pesky bugs that love your greens as much as you do.

Remember that your herbs and salad greens will go to seed quickly (known as bolting) in summer months if you don’t give them shade, keep them well watered or forget to liquid feed them.  

Stress signals a plant to go to seed, so take extra care in these coming months with these three very important growing needs.

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RECIPE – GINGER & CARROT DRESSING

I hear a lot of people describe salads as boring!

A great dressing will transform ANY salad, so I’m sharing a dressing I’ve come across that you can use on your kitchen garden pickings.  It’s quick and easy and can be kept in the fridge for up to three days.

Ingredients

3 Carrots – peeled and chopped into small pieces

30g Fresh ginger – Peel and chop into small pieces

15ml Honey

10ml Soy Sauce

30ml Rice Vinegar

1 Tablespoon White Miso

70ml Olive oil

30ml Lime Juice

50ml water

Salt & Pepper to taste

Simply place all the ingredients in a food processor or use a stick blender and blend until its completely smooth.

Pour over combined – Spinach leaves, sliced avocado and Lebanese cucumber, cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, red onions and roasted seeds of your choice.   Or add anything you want!

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A group of enthusiastic accommodation providers are paving the way for others to follow having completed a Stay Ok In The Whitsundays Workshop, where they learnt how to reduce their impact on the environment while likely reducing their own operational costs.

Experts from the fields of sustainability, decarbonisation and disaster preparedness presented at the event and imparted practical knowledge that could assist in their business becoming more resilient.

Attendees learnt how to mitigate and adapt to climate change by adopting best practices.

Participants were treated to the latest energy saving tips for operations and shown how to calculate their carbon emissions through the free carbon footprint tool.

This allowed them to set decarbonisation goals and targets.

The event was part of the Whitsunday Healthy Heart Project workshop series, working closely with ecoBiz to enable participating businesses to receive valuable business coaching in sustainability, and support with data collection for input into the carbon calculator.

Councillor Al Grundy and Councillor Jan Clifford attended the event which was facilitated by Climate Change Resilience Officer Lee Hawkins.

Council’s Disaster Management Team, led by Sandra Black, also provided information on disaster management including the steps to take before an incident to ensure effective response and recovery, what to do during and following a disaster, and how to start taking the steps to implement a disaster management plan for their business.

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Top 10 tips for sustainability, decarbonisation, and disaster preparedness:

1. Join the Whitsunday Healthy Heart Project for personalised advice on reducing your carbon footprint

2. Calculate your business’ carbon footprint to identify areas for improvement. Access a complementary carbon calculator  when you become a project partner

3. Join the free ecoBiz Program which helps Queensland businesses audit their resource use and reduce costs from waste, water and energy bills

4. Investigate solar or alternative energy suppliers to get the best price

5. Reduce your dependence on the electrical power grid by installing solar and/or a battery system

6. If solar isn’t possible, look at purchasing a Green Power Agreement with Ergon

7. Save energy by adjusting air conditioning settings or switch to a remote business management system

8. Replace lighting and appliances with energy-efficient options

9. Install water efficient devices (taps, toilets, fixtures)

10. Monitor for water leaks

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The Stay Ok In The Whitsundays Workshop was held last month

For Queensland Mental Health Week, Proserpine State High School ran a series of activities for staff and students every day in an inaugural event: ‘Healthy Mind, Body And Soul At Prossie’.

For the week’s culmination, the school hosted a Thursday lunch time barbecue, combining with the official opening of its new quadrangle, and inviting guests from community organisations.

The free, whole school barbecue was flanked by organisations like headspace, Youth Space, Whitsunday Counselling and Support, Lives Lived Well, Airlie Fitness, and more.

It saw the school’s internal groups – Big Games, Anime Group, Drumming, LGBTQIA+, STEM, Indigenous Art Project and more – celebrate the opening of the new space as well as their own individuality.

Proserpine State High School Guidance Officer Karen O’Keefe was the “driving force” behind the weeklong mental health awareness event at the school which included art therapy, mindful craft and meditation, and a talk and walkathon.

“This week has been all about mental health. We’ve run stress ball making, yoga, and it was all in the name of awareness,” Ms O’Keefe said.

“We’ve never done anything like it before and we’re just taken aback by the support from the community that we’ve had.”

The school’s student advisory centre – Ms O’Keefe’s team - plans to run and expand the annual event each year.

“Drawing awareness to mental wellbeing and what we can do to promote positive wellbeing was the major goal of the week,” Ms O’Keefe said.

“What we can do to help ourselves and focusing on that in a positive light.”

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Coinciding with Proserpine State High School’s quadrangle opening, the school culminated its mental health week celebrations, opening the door to local awareness organisations

Kids donned their fun socks to celebrate the final day of their mental health week event

Even the teachers got in on the fun

An impressive $120,375 was raised with donations from local businesses and individuals at the Mackay Hospital Foundation’s Giving Day that was held last Thursday.

In an action-packed day of altruism, the whole of Mackay Base Hospital was involved in various charity events which saw the eventual amount beat last years’ tally by a modest $1000.

The day kicked off with the Corporate Breakfast in the courtyard at the hospital with an opportunity for local businesses to donate.

During the breakfast, the two Giving Day ambassadors attended, sharing their stories of surviving cancer.

Kacey Sanfilippo was diagnosed with high-risk B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia as a 2-year-old and went on to endure two and a half years of cancer treatment.  

Cade Duncan was four when Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia came into his life.

He endured chemotherapy for almost four years.

Kacey and Cade formed a strong friendship during their treatment and it was a happy day when the they returned with their families to support the cause which is close to their hearts.

All proceeds from Giving Day go towards extra comforts for the eight state hospitals in our region.

While the government fund essential equipment, families often need items such as extra chairs, warm blankets, TVs and other articles we often take for granted at home.

As Giving Day progressed, more activities took place to generate money for these experience-changing items.

The Gardian Group took to the phones, using a huge database of numbers to call locals, many of which kindly contributed.

At lunchtime, Mackay Hospital Foundation and volunteers cooked and served a BBQ lunch to staff, collecting donations along the way.

When the event eventually wrapped up at 8pm that evening, there was a tally of $117,158 but by Monday morning, this figure had risen to $120,375.

In addition to the on-the-day donations, the hospital wards had all been working tirelessly in the run-up to the event, receiving sponsorship from friends, families and strangers.

In a friendly rivalry, everyone was eager to see who would raise the most this year - last year it had been a close race between the General Medical and ICU Wards.

This year Ward F2 (Medical Unit) raised the most money and were congratulated by all.

The donations will now be divided into location - whichever region the money came from, that local hospital will receive the equivalent back in invaluable items to improve patient experience.

Special thanks goes to Anglo American, Isaac Regional Council, Mackay Base Hospital Auxiliary, Moranbah Community Workers Club and all the other businesses and individuals that supported the event this year.

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Proserpine State High School students celebrated the official opening of their newly refurbished school quadrangle on Thursday, October 13, with a special commemorative ceremony honouring the remarkable efforts of its Parents and Citizens’ association (P&C).

The approximately $440 thousand dollar upgraded quadrangle, a space between the school’s buildings which creates a courtyard, has been in the works since 2016.

The new design incorporated much of what was the original quadrangle’s vision upon its opening in 1988 by the school’s bicentennial committee and P&C. That original construction period had seen the space transformed from what was once a bitumen basketball court and assembly space into an at the time state-of-the-art quadrangle.

Deputy Principal Don McDermid said the school’s completed 2022 refurbishment has attempted to capture the “original concept and design of that quadrangle” whilst bringing it into the modern era.

The quad was in part fundraised by the exceptional efforts of the P&C association, who raised a staggering $190 thousand towards the project, primarily through their running of the school’s tuckshop.

Although the space was completed in weeks prior, the day acted as an opportunity for the quad to be “utilised to its full potential” by the school community for its inaugural Mental Health Week event.

“It’s great to see this new space being utilised to its full potential,” Mr McDermid said.

“It is a perfect venue and a perfect space now. This work for our new quadrangle started in 2016, and I want to acknowledge Samantha Lang, our P&C President at that time, for her endorsement and commitment for what this wanted to achieve for our school.

“Secondly, I want to thank [current P&C President] Lisa Milne. Her continued support in getting this project to its final stage has been pivotal.”

Mr McDermid said the contribution was “extremely significant” both financially and in terms of dedication.

“This is an incredible space for our students for outdoor learning, school activities and events, and it provides that openness that is sometimes needed within our school,” he said.

“To have this open environment is very important.”

The quadrangle is home to multiple shaded areas, AstroTurf fake grass, newly-planted trees – which Mr McDermid said the school was “excited to see flourish” – and widespread seating.

Proserpine State High School P&C President Lisa Milne said having a space for the kids to hang out and enjoy was the perfect reward.

“That’s why we wanted to do it. It’s fabulous and looks great and seeing the kids utilising and enjoying it is just excellent,” she said.

“It is such a good asset for the school.”

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Proserpine State High School staff, P&C association members, and Whitsunday Regional Council Deputy Mayor Gary Simpson officially opened the school’s new quadrangle

The revamped quadrangle