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Crows Nest Regional Art Gallery’s acquisitive sculpture competition prize winners for 2010 were announced recently at the official opening held at the Crows Nest Community and R S L Centre, Crows Nest.

Cr. Bill Cahill, Portfolio Chair for Environmental and Community Services officially opened the exhibition.

Grand Champion Acquisitive prize of $2,500 sponsored by Toowoomba Regional Council was awarded to Michelle Kudell for her work “We Are Not Alone Nor For Ourselves Alone: Gaia’s Tree Homeorhesis”- recycled books.

Runner Up- Prize of $1000 sponsored by Crows Nest & Highfields Branches of Heritage Building Society was awarded to Karen Canning for “Cocoon” made from wire and beads.

Toowoomba Regional Artist prize of $750 sponsored by Crows Nest & Highfields Branches of Heritage Building Society was awarded to Tiffany Shafran for “The Cosmonaut 2010” – a found object assemblage.

Highly commended prizes of $250 sponsored by the gallery were awarded to Phil Willy for “The Masses Are the Message” created in Raku fired ceramic, wood and wire and Keith Mitchell for “Black Dog Star” – a creation in resin.

Commended certificates were awarded to Elissa Bellert for “Tiptoe Through The Teapots” – mixed media – recycled/reclaimed materials and Franzesca for “Thought” in ceramic.

Judge for 2010 was Polish born Beata Batorowicz who migrated to Australia in 1984. She is currently a Visual Arts lecturer in Spatial Construction at USQ Toowoomba, Qld. She is renowned nationally for her textile and sculptural artworks which playfully unravel and retell western art history’s grand narratives through critiquing canonical art figures.

Gallery co-ordinator Jo Petrou presented flowers to Grand Champion winner Michelle Kudell & Judge Beata Katorowicz who commented on the variety and high quality of the exhibits.

The exhibition at the Community and R S L centre continues until November 28th. Opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Sunday 11.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Visitors are invited to vote for the People’s Choice Award which will be announced at the end of the exhibition.

Phone the gallery on 4698 1687 for further information.

Photos and Story by Jenny Gersekowski

The Toowoomba Hospice has a ‘FEVER’…..YES you’ve got it  – ‘Melbourne Cup Fever’!

Promotions and Fundraising Manager Mr Mark Munro from the Toowoomba Hospice said the Hospice is holding its Annual Melbourne Cup Lunch on the 2nd November from 11.30am at Café Valetta and tickets are now on Sale, “Ticket price is $45 per head which includes a complimentary glass of champagne and nibbles upon arrival and  includes a delicious 2 course lunch. There will be prizes for the best dressed female and male, and there will be sweeps”

For Bookings phone Café Valetta on 07 4632 0332

In a world first, the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) and City University of Seattle have collaborated to develop a bachelors level accounting degree designed around the United Nations Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

The GRI is an international standard for business to report against a range of key indicator protocols under the categories of economic, strategy and profile, product responsibility, society, labour practices and decent work, human rights and the environment. By co-accrediting two new courses developed by CityU of Seattle, to be delivered in the existing USQ Bachelor of Accounting and Sustainable Business (BASB), the program has become the first to comprehensively embed the principles of the GRI within the curriculum. USQ BASB Program Coordinator Dr Geoff Slaughter said while many programs dealing with sustainable business cover the general principles of the GRI, USQ was the first to use the GRI indicator protocols as a basis for curriculum development.

This will give our students a great advantage, as they will have a clear understanding of what the GRI protocols entail and how to report against them,” Dr Slaughter said. The BASB program is accredited by the Australian Certified Practicing Accountants (CPA) Association and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia (ICAA). It is designed to produce graduate accountants equipped for a world where sustainable business, and all its associated reporting requirements, is not only a reality but a priority. To achieve this, unlike normal accounting degrees, there are courses in environmental science, sustainable business, sustainable accounting and finance. The program now also includes two newly co-accredited CityU courses of Corporate Social Responsibility and Fair Labour Practices.”

Associate Dean of the CityU School of Management, Tom Cary said the GRI principles are the future of responsible businesses. We are preparing students to have a thorough, detailed knowledge of its requirements. The partnership between USQ and CityU brings a unique and global perspective on sustainable business for the students.”

Dean of USQ Faculty of Business, Professor Allan Layton, said the relationship USQ has with CityU has the added benefit of including a number of co-accredited courses allowing graduating students of the USQ BASB to also qualify for the award of CityU Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Sustainability.

Students thereby receive two degrees – one from Australia and one from the US – for their four years of study of the USQ BASB, a really terrific outcome for students,” Professor Layton said.

Director of USQ Springfield Campus, Doug Fraser, said the redesign of the program more clearly defined what sustainable business education was about.

About the University of Southern Queensland

The University of Southern Queensland (USQ) has forged a reputation as one of Australia’s leading providers of on-campus and distance education programs in Australia. With more than 75 per cent of students studying via distance or online, USQ is at the cutting edge of flexible delivery of resources and technology. From Arts, Business and Education to Sciences, Engineering and Surveying, the University continues to develop programs and courses that reflect the changing needs of society. USQ has three campuses located in Toowoomba, Springfield and on the Fraser Coast and welcomes international students from more than 100 countries each year.

About City University of Seattle

Founded in 1973 in Seattle, Washington, City University of Seattle is a private, not-for-profit university that serves more than 8,000 students worldwide each year, with more than 45,000 alumni worldwide. City University of Seattle’s mission is to change lives for good by offering high quality and relevant in-class and online education options to any person in the world with a desire to learn. The university is comprised of the School of Management, the Gordon Albright School of Education, and the Division of Arts and Sciences. Headquartered in the Pacific Northwest, City University of Seattle offers classes at locations throughout Washington, Canada, Mexico, Slovakia, Greece, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Romania, the Czech Republic, and China as well as through its collaborative arrangement with USQ in Australia. www.cityu.edu

Jo-Ann Sparrow, USQ Media, +61 7 3470 4119

With Bush Verse becoming more and more popular, there were visitors who  travelled many kilometres to attend the Poets Breakfast held at the Highfields Pioneer Village recently. The Breakfast  is part of the annual Crows Nest Community Festival. Guest poet Janine Haig from Eulo/Chinchilla area recited various poems including some from her books “I Hope Yer Sheep Get Flyblown” and “Always Wear Clean Knickers.”

Janine won the Bronze Swagman competition in 2003 with her poem “Not Gone” which she performed at the breakfast. She has recited poetry with ‘Cowboy Poets’, won various overseas trips and recited in U S A in Denver, Colorado and  Elko, Nevada.

Fairholme College Year 10 student Georgia Steele (15) from Bowenville also recited several of Janine’s poems, and well known poet Ron Selby and camp oven cook and poet Ned Winter recited poetry with their usual humour.

Winners of the poetry competition sponsored by Heritage Crows Nest & Highfields Community Branches were:-

Senior Poet:- Sam Greer,

Junior Poet – Alex Duff

and

People’s Choice Award –

Val Eldridge.

The recipients of funds raised at this year’s breakfast are the Highfields Scouts/Guides and the Highfields Pioneer Village.

Heritage Crows Nest & Highfields Community Branches is a joint venture between Progressive Community Crows Nest Ltd (PCCN) and Heritage Building Society. Under the Heritage community banking model, profits are distributed to community organisations, charities and special community events. 50% of branch profits are put back into the local community.

Submitted by Jenny Gersekowski

The Toowoomba Hospital Foundation & the Hear & Say Centre will be the beneficiaries from a Melbourne Cup luncheon hosted by members of the Toowoomba West Lions Club & Quota International Toowoomba on Tuesday 2nd November 2010 at Angelo’s House in Herries Street, Toowoomba.

A sumptuous luncheon that will feature champagne and savouries on arrival at 11.00am, a main course and desert plus coffee & tea with handmade chocolates, all provided for guests at just $55 ticket that also includes a ticket in the major multi-draw raffle and the chance to win the Angelo’s House $100 dinner voucher lucky door prize.

Coomera Houseboat Holidays on the Gold Coast have donated a houseboat holiday for the charity auction plus there will be accommodation packages at Coolum Caprice on the Sunshine Coast & Dayboro Cottages to be won & lots more prizes in the multi draw raffle. The usual Melbourne Cup sweeps will be conducted plus there will be a fashion parade from Bramptons and prizes for the Best Dressed.

For table bookings and more information contact Angelo’s House on 4659 9200.