May 8 - 14 2016: Issue 262
Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club Wins the 2016 Clubs NSW ‘Disability, Welfare & Social Inclusion’ Award
NSW Premier Mr Mike Baird with RPAYC Commodore Ian Audsley
The award, the first of the night was further recognised in its importance by being the only award of the night presented by the NSW Premier Mr Mike Baird at the Royal Hall of Industries. The award recognises the outstanding work the RPAYC and its members have achieved within the local community through their Integrated disAbled Sailing Program (IdS) which supports the funding and integration of sailors with disabilities into the Club’s regular sailing program.
The award was accepted by Commodore Ian Audsley who spoke of the recent broadening of the program which now involves Soldier On, a charity dedicated to supporting ex-service men and women back into civilian life, the Another Challenge program and the continuing partnership with Sailability which has been in place for decades. He commended the efforts of long time Sailability volunteer Allan Jones who was present for the presentation.
After presentation of the award, The RPAYC General Manager Suzanne Davies commented, “we are very proud of this award and it will recognise the efforts of many participants, volunteers, staff and all RPAYC members who have so generously shared their club, welcomed participants on their boats and helped raise funds. Nathan Vardanega who runs the Soldier On programs was unable to make it tonight, but I’m sure will be thrilled”.
“Dan Fitzgibbon, in particular will be very excited, as will John Bacon of Link Healthcare!” a locally based Pharmaceutical and Medical Technology business, who has financially supported this program from its inception.
Central to the Another Challenge program are 2012 Paralympic Gold Medallist Dan Fitzgibbon who, along with his sailing teammate, Liesl Tesch, have been selected for the 2016 Rio Paralympics and Alyse Saxby who, in 2015, won Gold at the Special Olympics in Los Angeles.
Dan Fitzgibbon, wife Kumi and daughter with friends aboard 'Another Challenge' at Sail Past and Salute to Commodore - 149th Opening of the RPAYC Sailing Season - September 2015
Palm Beach Sailing Club's May 2016 Fish and Chip Run to Patonga
Palm Beach Sailing Club members love a good sail and great fish and chips! Photo by Trevor Gourlay.
Ahh, Autumn, when things quieten a little around here and the PBSC takes the opportunity for fair winds and following seas and glorious sunshine to sail over the water to Patonga for the best fish and chips just out of Pittwater.
Trevor Gourlay, whose great pictures run this week, reports:
PBSC Fish and Chip run to Patonga - 7th May 2016.
Winners for the day ........ everyone who turned up !!!!
The breeze was light in places on the way there but everyone managed to get there in reasonable time. First boat on the beach goes to Darren. What a fantastic day on the beach .... sun, warm, drinks, fish and chips and good friends.
There was a nice little breeze on the way back with a little bit of trapeze action. Darren (Schmidt) and Dick (Clarke) had an epic battle and hit Sand Point beach at the same time.
Darren Schmidt - up and at 'em! Photo by Trevor Gourlay.
Dick Clarke - 'loves flying while sailing'....Photo by Trevor Gourlay.
Upu Kila - Photo by Trevor Gourlay.
Great News!: Mona Vale Hospital's New Community Health Centre is OPEN!!
NSW Health Minister, The Hon. Jillian Skinner and Member for Pittwater Rob Stokes officially opened the purpose-built, $30 million Mona Vale Community Health Centre on Friday May 6th.
Staff and community members joined in the opening ceremony, which included the unveiling of a triptych (Pink Haze, Good Morning andThongs) created and donated by local artist Corinne Hunter.
"What a fantastic addition to Mona Vale Hospital campus - and to health services on the northern beaches," Mrs Skinner said. "Community health services play a crucial role in reducing the pressure on our health system by keeping people out of hospital and functioning at their best in the community."
Both our local representative Rob Stokes and the NSW Health Minister reiterated this “demonstrates the continued commitment to transform Mona Vale Hospital to ensure that it offers the community exceptional health care services long into the future.”
More HERE
Front Entrance of the new Mona Vale Community Health Centre building
The view north from the new Mona Vale Community Health Centre.
Pittwater Rural Fire Brigades Bush, Boats and Boatsheds Training Exercise
At noon on May 1st each year firefighters services worldwide 'Sound-off' which The Firefighters Day website explains is ‘A special time to stop and reflect on the sacrifices made by firefighters is held on the first Sunday in May at noon local time each year when fire sirens sound for 30 seconds followed by a minute’s silence in memory of, and respect for, all firefighters who have been lost in the line of duty or passed on before us. This is known as the “Sound Off“.’
On Sunday May 1st here, the Pittwater and Warringah RFB and NSW Fire and Rescue teams converged on Pittwater for a training exercise. Crews were tested on their abilities to work on water and remote areas with difficult access and operating from boats.
Assisting with transport and logistics were the NSW Police Force, NSW SES Warringah / Pittwater Unit (NSW SES) and Marine Rescue along with Fire Boats from Scotland Island Rural Fire Brigade and West Pittwater Rural Fire Brigade.
On May 4th, since 1999, what was previously the European Firefighters Day, observed on Saint Florian's Day, the patron of firefighters, became International Firefighters Day.
International Firefighters' Day was instituted after a proposal was emailed across the world on January 4, 1999 due to the deaths of five Victorian fire fighters during tragic circumstances, while they were battling a wildfire near Linton, Victoria.
Training remains one of the main aspects of International Fire Fighters Day.
In New South Wales the NSW RFS holds its annual internal bravery and service awards on St. Florian's day. This year, nine individual and ten group recipients were acknowledged by the Commissioner, including Warringah Pittwater District's Officer Alex Chesser.
This week we share some of last Sunday's training exercise, with thanks to and courtesy of Deputy Group Captain & Ingleside Brigade Captain Sean McLoughlin, so all of us can see what our resident firefighting volunteers do when so many of us have a day of rest.
More HERE
Mona Vale Hospital Auxiliary Community Stalls Raising Funds: Avalon - May 2016
Pittwater - Autumn 2016: For Mums on Mother's Day - a Flower of Love
Mountain Devil or Honey Flower(Lambertia formosa)
These flowers hold profuse amounts of nectar and are pollinated by honeyeaters. Although L. formosa is uncommon in cultivation, it is straightforward to grow in soils with good drainage and a partly shaded to sunny aspect.
Specimens of Lambertia formosa were collected by botanists Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander during Lieutenant James Cook's landing at Botany Bay between April and May in 1770. These are thought to have been obtained from vegetation currently known as the Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub that occurs in sandy areas near present-day La Perouse. It gains its common name from the horned woody follicles, which were used to make small devil-figures and from the fruit's resemblance to a devil's head.
The Honey Flower blooms Autumn through Winter in Pittwater - the above image was taken this week. More on this beauty, and why it is a flower of love, plus a few other Mother's Day flowers and words, run as this Issue's Pictorial
Coastal or Native Rosemary (Westringia fruticosa)
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