Anzac Services
The weather is set to be ideal for the annual Anzac Day service in Soldiers' Park at 11am today, and even those who like the Dawn Service will only have to cope with a predicted 9 degrees - a fair bit warmer than last weekend.
If you intend to participate in the march, please assemble at the Coles carpark at 10.30am.
Many local organisations will lay wreaths during the service, but individuals are also welcome to lay floral tributes at the cenotaph.
Council staff do a great job to have Soldiers' Park looking good each and every Anzac Day.
National portraits
The 2019 National Photographic Portrait Prize exhibition opens at the Collie Art Gallery tomorrow evening and runs until June 9.
Collie is the first stop on the exhibition's national tour after its opening in Canberra in February.
There will be special explanatory tours of the exhibition on Saturday, May 4 at 2.30pm, and Sunday, May 5 at 11am.
Tactile selves
A free workshop will be held in conjunction with the National Portrait Prize exhibition, from 10.30am to 12.30pm on Saturday, May 4.
The workshop will explore how textiles function in some portraits.
To take part in the workshop, please bring a clear photograph of yourself, a drink and a snack.
The workshop, to be run by staff from the National Portrait Gallery, is suitable for adults and for children aged eight or more.
Author speaks
Author Leigh Straw will be speaking at the Collie Library tomorrow from 6pm to 8pm, about her family connection to Collie.
One of her books deals with post traumatic stress syndrome and the effects of war on the armed forces, including a Collie man.
The session is free.
Ladies' night markets
Treat yourself, your mother, your sister-in-law or your friends to a ladies' night markets at the Collie Italian Club on Friday, May 10.
You can support local home-based businesses, have a bite to eat, a glass of wine and shop till you drop.
Busy weekend
After a very cold start on Friday, things warmed up in Collie as visitors flocked to the Country Music Jamboree, and family members visited for the weekend.
It was good to see a number of local venues opening to cater for the visitors, a taste of what could happen if tourism really takes off.
Holiday travel
The school holidays are coming to an end, so there will still be plenty of traffic on the roads as people head home.
If you are travelling, please take care.
Don't drive tired, and keep to the speed limits.
It is better to arrive safely a little bit later than to become another bad traffic statistic.
Children will be heading back to school next week, so please watch out for them on the roads, and observe the 40kmh limit around schools.
Chimney fires
A unwanted new local record was set last weekend, when local firefighters had to attend three chimney fires in one day.
With the cold snap catching people unawares, not everyone had thought to have their chimneys and flues cleaned.
If you haven't already done so, take time to get your chimney cleaned now.
Use dry wood in your stove or heater, as this reduces the smoke haze, and it is more efficient too.
Use Smartburn in your heater as it reduces the buildup of soot.
Free skin cancer clinic
Collie Lions, with the Lions Cancer Clinic, will hold a free skin cancer check from 9am to 3.30pm on Sunday, May 5.
Australia has one of the highest incidences of skin cancer in the world, so it pays us all to have frequent checks in the interest of early detection of what can be a deadly disease.
Skin cancers come in a variety of forms, ranging from not very serious to the deadliest form, melanoma.
Most of us either know someone who has had one of more skin cancers, or have had one or more ourselves.
Treatment is very effective in the early stages, so do make an appointment by ringing Terri on 0429 903 372.
Music
Classical music lovers may wish to help raise funds for cystic fibrosis at Peel Manor House on Sunday, April 27, when Opera at the Manor will be held from 12 noon to 3pm.
Performance by Divalicious, and a sumptuous high tea, with bubbles on arrival, will cost $85 per person, but proceeds go to a great cause, cystic fibrosis.
For more information go to www.peelmanorhouse.com.au.
News
I had a lady growl at me this week for not including news in this column about her grand daughter, who had won a prize at university.
I explained I needed people to tell me when great things happen to people from our area.
Please, do not assume that I know everything, and don't be hesitant about contacting me.
If you know someone local who has done well, let me know, so I can include it in this column.
Send it in
Items for not-for-profit organisations are welcome for this column.
You can email information to me at nrg@highway1.com.au by 5pm on Mondays, or drop off notes in my mailbox at 87 Jones Street.
Please include a contact name and phone number in case I need to check any of the information you have provided.
