Thirteen local charitable organisations received community grants totalling more than $68,000 at the seventh annual Sundale Community Foundation Annual Grants Ceremony.
Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson join Sundale Community Foundation Chair Caroline Hutchinson to present the grants at the Nambour RSL on October 31.
“Over those seven years, the grants provided to community groups and charities as part of these awards have improved so many lives within our community, particularly in Nambour and surrounding areas,” he said.
“The generosity and commitment of this foundation and its partners is both heart-warming and inspirational.”
Grants were presented the Pyjama Foundation, Lily House, Nambour Meals on Wheels, Brookes Street Nambour Community Kindergarten, Cittamani Hospice Service Ltd, Sonshine Sanctuary Association (DV), Altitude Scholarships, Restoring Hope Parkinson’s Therapy, Anglican Parish, Share the Dignity, Suncoast Hinterland Softball Association, Graceville Centre – Lutheran Services and Palmwoods Community Kindergarten.
Visit Sundale Community Grants for more information on how to apply for the next round of grants.
Divers group of sports grants recipients
Talented young Fisher electorate athletes and para-athletes have been awarded grants to help them on their sporting journeys.
A total of 29 grants were distributed as part of the Local Sporting Champions and Local Para Champions programs, which provide financial assistance for athletes and para-athletes participating in state, national or international championships.
Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace said he was impressed by the quality and diversity of the applicants.
Chloe Saliba (weightlifting), Jessica Lloyd (archery) and Jorja Hersey, Joshua Robson and Skylah Hammill (all Muay Thai) were among the athletes to represent Australia at international events.
“This is a truly remarkable group,” Mr Wallace said.
“I have not seen a higher calibre of athletes from such a wide variety of sports.
“The recipients of the grants have all attended national or international events from sports including swimming, ice hockey, weightlifting, surfing, surf lifesaving, skateboarding, softball, archery, muay thai, cricket, volleyball, AFL, motocross, artistic roller skating, water polo, boxing and table tennis.”
To apply for a future round, submit your application at sportaus.gov.au/grants_and_funding.
Forum seeks solutions for lonely, older people
A conference seeking solutions for lonely and isolated older people will be held on Thursday, November 2.
The Healthy Ageing and Community Care symposium will be hosted by the University of Sunshine Coast’s Healthy Ageing Hub at its Gympie campus.
The meeting will include a showcase by researchers and industry experts of local projects, research initiatives and approaches to reducing social isolation.
UniSC aged care academic Dr John Rosenberg, whose presentation will explore ways to create compassionate communities, said there was a growing need to help older people beat loneliness and improve their wellbeing.
“We know that as we get older it can be harder to maintain personal connections due to reduced mobility, health issues and other factors – and that can impact on our health,” he said.
Tickets to the full day in-person event are limited. Once sold out, the event will be available as a zoom webinar for the Symposium Showcase only.
Registrations close on Wednesday, November 1, 4pm.
Women in construction awards win
A Caloundra woman scooped two awards at the Awesome Women in Construction Awards earlier this month.
Linn Batey was finalist in three categories and took out Outstanding Woman in Trade and Exceptional Small Business Manager at the awards, which recognise the contributions women make to the construction industry.
“Receiving these two awards is a great honour,” said Ms Batey, from Nyblad Construction.
“So often people automatically assume that women in the industry are the admin girls or the part-time accounts admin that help their partners out with the paperwork.”
Walk for a Better World
The global 16 Days of Activism is a campaign that runs from November 25 to December 10 each year, with Zonta clubs around the world uniting to help eliminate violence against women and girls.
The issue affects women regardless of their age, background or level of education, and this violence takes many forms, including physical, sexual or psychological violence, as well as economic abuse and exploitation.
As part of this campaign, the Zonta Club of Noosa campaigns locally and hosts an annual walk. This year’s walk is titled Walk for a Better World for Women and Girls.
The walk will take place on November 26 from 8.30am at the Riverside Stage in Lions Park, Gympie Terrace, Noosaville. Speakers will include the club president and an officer from the Noosa police station. The walk will then progress along Gympie Terrace, encouraging participation from the local community.
Artisan Christmas fair
The Caloundra Arts Centre Association will hold their annual Artisan Christmas Fair on November 11-12.
The rooms will be filled with many unique goods created by members.
There will be pottery, including demonstrations, handmade Christmas decorations, fine art, embroidered items, prints, quilts, lace, cards and jewellery, alongside a range of children’s and adult wear, assorted bags and more.
There will be fresh-baked goodies at the cake and produce stall, including sweets, slices and jams. There will be a coffee van and a sausage sizzle, and a a plant stall, along with pre-loved books and magazines.
The Art Centre’s gift shop NORTH STREET MADE will be open too,
The event will be open from 9am to 4pm on Saturday, November 11, and from 9am to 2pm on Sunday, November 12, at 5 North Street,
Child protection alliance
The Sunshine Coast’s Daniel Morcombe Foundation has joined forces with Act for Kids and Bravehearts to create a powerful alliance in the fight against child sexual abuse.
During Children’s Week this week, the three national child protection organisations launched e-kidna: an advocacy group to all levels of government.
The group will promote system change and education to help keep kids safe and aims to empower Australians to recognise, react and report child sexual abuse. It will offer an online resource hub for parents, carers and those with children in their lives to gain understanding, tools and information.
“We need to stop the abuse before it starts,” Denise Morcombe said. “Think of the reduction in trauma and in cost if we were able to give parents/carers, and children education, tools and support to stop children getting abused in the first instance.”
Sounds of Celebration concert
The Waves of Harmony choir and charity St Vincent de Paul are set to host a concert to raise funds for homelessness programs.
Waves of Harmony, Stella Maris and Siena choirs, along with guest performers, will feature at the “Sounds of Celebration”, at St Peter’s Church at Coolum on Sunday, November 12, from 2pm.
The event is set to captivate audiences of all ages, with a delightful blend of local choirs.
It’s $15 per person, with afternoon tea included. There will also be raffles and a door price.
More details at Sunshine Coast Events.
Best Australian bird art on display
Forty of the best wildlife artists will have their works on show at the Holmes Prize for Excellence in Realistic Australian Bird Art.
In its seventh year, the Holmes Art Prize, a major national art prize and the only one dedicated exclusively to Australian birds, is sponsored by Sunshine Coast dermatologist Dr Gary Holmes and his wife, Dr Margaret Anderson.
The exhibition will be presented at the Sunshine Coast Art and Framing Gallery at Minyama from Friday, October 27 to Friday, November 24, from 9am to 5pm Mondays to Saturdays and 10am to 2pm Sundays.
Five winners, including Best in Show ($15,000) and Awards of Excellence ($1000 each), will be announced at the official opening on Friday, by competition judge Steve Morvell.
During the exhibition, visitors are invited to vote for the People’s Choice $1000 award. Voting forms are available at the exhibition or via the Holmes Art Prize Facebook page.
Fully funded by the Holmes family, the competition attracts Australian bird artists of international repute. Nineteen of the 40 finalists are from Queensland, 10 of who are Sunshine Coast artists.
The exhibition venue is a family-friendly environment.
Learn to care for small mammals
The Unusual Pet Vet Sunshine Coast is hosting a free community event that focuses on the care and wellbeing of small mammals.
The event, on Tuesday, October 24, at the Buderim Tavern’s function room, brings together a team of expert speakers to delve into captivating topics relevant to small mammal pet owners and enthusiasts.
The event features presentations such as “Crafting the Perfect Guinea Pig Menu”, “Mastering Guinea Pig Husbandry”, “Tackling Dental Dilemmas in Guinea Pigs”, “Navigating Respiratory Health in Rats, plus Diet and Husbandry” and “Benefits of Desexing Small Mammals”.
These presentations will provide valuable insights and practical advice to help small mammal owners provide the best care for their beloved pets.
To secure a spot email sunshinecoast@unusualpetvets.com.au.
Record turnout for cancer fundraiser
Wishlist’s K’s 4 Cancer event at Lake Kawana last Sunday achieved a new record for number of entrants and funds raised.
Now in its fifth year, the 2023 event drew more than 760 participants.
Against the backdrop of the picturesque lake, runners gathered with high energy, bright colours and costumes to complete the 10km, 5km or 2.5km course, each step symbolising a collective effort to support local cancer patients.
In total $33,429 was raised, which will be directed to support local cancer patients and families.
Basketball gets a boost
The University of Sunshine Coast Rip City Basketball Association has bolstered its training programs for all ages and skills levels, thanks to a community grant from Harmony by AVID Property Group.
The association used the funds to invest in equipment, facilities, and training programs.
“The grant helped fund our popular pop-up programs throughout this year, allowing us to take our coaching into communities – just like Harmony – where our coaches got to work with members of the public on community courts,” Rip City Basketball Director of Coaching Warwick Wilson said.
Designed to foster local community groups and create lasting connections, AVID’s annual Sponsorship and Grants Program has invested $728,000 into the region during the program’s five-year duration.
The 2022-23 grant recipients included: Rip City Basketball, Chancellor Park Soccer Club, Palmview State Special School P&C, Harmonize Health and Wellbeing, Sunshine Sign and Sing, Harmony Business Hub, and University of the Sunshine Coast.
Garden festival success
The 2023 Buderim Garden Festival from October 13-15 was a huge success, with a record crowd visiting the displays and open gardens throughout the weekend.
The best Buderim gardens, outdoor sculptures, plants and flowers were showcased at an event that has been colouring the world of Sunshine Coast green thumbs since 1975.
“The Buderim community has always had an affinity with gardening, and the festival attracts visitors from around the state,” club president John Lyon said.
“The Open Gardens includes six very different but all beautiful gardens that showcase the diversity in size and style of gardening in our area.”
The opening of the festival in Buderim War Memorial Hall also was a chance for visitors to see neighbouring Buderim Village Park, where a new arbour facing the playground has been funded by the garden club, and its signage celebrating some of Buderim’s horticultural history.
Bonsai show is big on variety
The Sunshine Coast Bonsai Society will host its annual Bonsai Show and Spectacular this weekend.
The show will showcase many of the finest bonsai in South-East Queensland, displaying a wide range of bonsai trees, from exotic imported species to our own local native trees.
Visitors can enjoy bonsai displays; Penjing landscapes; rock displays; expert bonsai potting and pruning demonstrations; bonsai trees, pots and tool on sale; re-potting service; free professional advice; raffles; food and drinks; and there will be plenty of free parking adjacent to the hall.
The event will be held at the Buderim War Memorial Hall, corner Church Street and Main Street, Buderim, on Saturday, 9am to 4pm, and on Sunday, 9am to 2pm.
Bone health
World Osteoporosis Day is on Saturday, October 21, and Sunshine Coast locals have the chance to get a bone density scan when the nation’s ‘bone bus’ rolls into town.
The global day is aimed at raising awareness on how to prevent bone loss, with one in three women over 50 years old likely to suffer from osteoporosis and bone fractures. For men, the number is one in five.
Active Range, in partnership with Fernwood Maroochydore, has organised for the mobile bone bus between 7.30am and 12.30pm on Saturday. With limited spots, locals are encouraged to book online with or without a GP referral.
To book a spot on the bone bus email contact@activerange.au.
Kayakers, Coast Guard in mock mass rescue
Sunshine Coast boaties around the new Bribie Bar should be on the lookout for capsized paddlers on Thursday, October 19, when Caloundra Coast Guard and the Sun Coast Seniors Recreational Kayak Club conduct a mock mass rescue.
About 20 to 30 kayakers and three fully-crewed Coast Guard vessels will use the exercise to hone their emergency response procedures.
It is part of the kayak club’s Yakfest: a three day celebration of the club’s 30th anniversary year. Club president Ken Jeffreys said Yakfest included a barbecue with the Coast Guard after the mock rescue, training in the use of a new council funded defibrillator, a whale watching kayak on Friday and a lunch with a LifeFlight Australia Aircrew Officer, whose father George who is in his 80s and still paddles with the club.
“We are also reaching out to the over 50s community, who are seeking an active, healthy and interesting hobby,” he said.
“We will be hosting a Come Try Day on Saturday October 21 from 7.30am at Ayliffe Park in Golden Beach. We will provide all the gear – the boats, the safety equipment and the tuition – and anyone over 50 can come along and give it a go.”
Aspiring paddlers should send an email to support@ssrkc.org.au for more information.
Reece to ‘Lift the Load’ for men’s health
Sunshine Coast’s Reece Anderson and many other people around the country are ready to help ‘Lift the Load’ for men’s health.
Mr Anderson will walk 100km with a weighted vest, non-stop, around the region on October 26, to help raise funds for Top Blokes Foundation.
“With almost one in two males experiencing a mental health disorder in their lifetime, chances are, you know someone struggling with the weight of their mental health,” he said.
“We ask Australians to sign up and walk or run for 50km with a 10kg weighted vest, so they can help us lift the load of mental health.”
Top Blokes provides early intervention and preventative mentoring programs to help young males between 10 to 24 years to improve their mental health.
You can learn more by visiting Lift the Load and or support Mr Anderson at Lift the Load – Reece Anderson.
Charity appoints new board members
One of the Coast’s leading health charities has announced the addition of four members to its volunteer board of directors.
Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service chief executive Dr Peter Gillies, SunCentral CEO Amanda Yeates, Sunshine Coast Young Chamber of Commerce executive Miranda McLennan and experienced executive Natasha Read join Wishlist, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise that will help elevate the organisation’s mission.
Wishlist CEO Lisa Rowe said the new board members were officially appointed this month and will serve on the Board until 2026.
“With their guidance, we look forward to reaching new heights in our efforts to enhance healthcare and make a meaningful impact in the lives of those we serve,” Ms Rowe said.
Tommy to lose locks for good cause
Tommy Banks is on a journey, inspired by the memory of his cousin.
The 11-year-old has been growing his hair to cut it, to fundraise for cancer research and to gift his locks to make wigs for kids, after his cousin Dylan Smith died last year after a brave battle with cancer.
Tommy’s hair is now long enough to fulfil this promise and he’s invited community members to back his efforts.
With the full support of Nambour State College, Tommy will be stepping up, in front of his peers, to get his haircut on October 20 to shine a beacon on cancer research.
Community members can support Tommy and donate via Australian Research Cancer Foundation.
Taste test the Dunga Derby in a day
If you’ve always wondered what it’s like to participate in the fun-filled Sunshine Coast Dunga Derby rally, here’s your chance.
The inaugural Dunga In A Day is a family-friendly, one or two-day event on October 21-22, held by the Sunshine Coast Dunga Grease Monkeys: the en-route mechanics for the larger annual rally.
Any car will do, as only a little dirt-road driving is involved, but the route and overnight location (for those doing two days) are closely guarded secrets. You will be given route notes in three sections (including morning tea and lunch) to follow to each destination, and there will be games, raffles, “roadblocks” and other fundraising activities throughout.
The final destination is less than two hours from the Sunshine Coast. If you are leaving at the end of the first day, so you should be home by 6pm.
Go to the Dunga In A Day web page for more information and tickets.
New play delves into the Bard
Four hundred years ago this month was the first publication of the works of Shakespeare.
And there have been four hundred years of conjecture about who actually wrote the 36 comedies, tragedies and histories published in the First Folio.
Was it one writer or many? Who killed Christopher Marlowe and why? Why was the play The Isle of Dogs banned and every copy burned? Who was the ‘Dark Lady’ of the sonnets?
All of these questions will be unravelled in a ground-breaking new play, The Shakespeare Project, by local writer, actor and director Andrew Robjohns at the Maleny Playhouse on October 21-22 and October 28-29.
Robjohns, enticed by Elizabethan intrigues since schooldays, now works as a road traffic controller on the Sunshine Coast.
“Traffic control gives me space to dream dialogue between trucks”, he said. “There are no paid jobs for playwrights here – not like Elizabeth’s day when they earned a living as secretaries to wealthy patrons.”
Robjohns’ story starts with modern day PhD student, Felicity, bedridden and medicated, dreaming a new insight into literary history.
Tickets from $30 via TryBooking.
Lifesaving club celebrates 90 years
Metropolitan Caloundra Surf Life Saving Club is calling on members, past and present, to celebrate 90 years of sun, surf, and mate-ship on Kings Beach.
The club is celebrating its 90th anniversary with a range activities this month.
Mets President, Brett Magnussen, encouraged anyone who has been a member of the club since its formation in 1933 to get involved in the celebrations and reunion.
“There will be a range of activities planned throughout the season, but the highlight event will be the 90th Anniversary Gala Ball scheduled for the 28th of October,” he said.
The ball will be held at the Sunshine Coast Function Centre, Caloundra. Tickets are on sale via Caloundra Surf Club.
Entries open for biosphere awards
Entries are open for the Noosa Biosphere Awards, the region’s premier environment and sustainability awards, and more categories and a new event have been added to this year’s program.
An initiative of the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation, Chair Fiona Berkin said the awards acknowledge and highlight those making a difference in the community.
“These awards offer an opportunity to shine a light on those working to build a smart, healthy and prosperous future within the Noosa Biosphere Reserve,” she said.
“UNESCO biosphere reserve status is a significant badge for Noosa. It recognises the ongoing efforts of our community in maintaining a balance between people and nature. The awards provide a platform to celebrate those individuals and businesses who are leading the way in helping to maintain this balance,” she said.
The awards have been expanded to include six categories: land, water/marine, wildlife, people and economy (individual/not-for-profit), people and economy (business), and young eco leader.
The awards night will be held on November 30. Entries close on October 22, via Noosa Biosphere Awards.
Women in sport breakfast
The Sunshine Coast Business Women’s Network, in collaboration with Silicon Coast, is hosting a breakfast on October 10 highlighting women in sport to better understand how to better support this industry and also realise the business opportunity in this space.
SCBWN president Min Swan said the recent performances of the Matildas, and subsequent unprecedented sign-ups across all levels of women’s soccer, sparked the idea for this event.
The breakfast will feature a panel of:
- Laura Scherian – Sunshine Coast Lightning and former Diamonds netballer;
- Alana Quade (nee Boyd) – Olympian and former Australian pole vaulter, and on the leadership team for Sunshine Coast 2032;
- Owen Bowling – co-founder and CEO at Coach Welly, an AI-powered wellness platform; and
- Nicolle Kelly – executive director at the Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport.
The Women in Sport breakfast is being held on October 10 at 6.45am at the Maroochy Surf Club. Tickets are available from www.scbwn.org.au with the event open to both members and guests.
For older news see here.
Sunshine Coast News is committed to supporting community groups by helping to promote their events. As a completely free and independent news source, here’s how you can help us continue that support. Please SUBSCRIBE to our daily news email by entering your name and email at the bottom of this article. We also encourage readers to FOLLOW us on Facebook and Instagram, and to READ and SHARE our articles with your friends, family and colleagues.
