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The Toowoomba Hospice sent out a ‘Free Dress Challenge’ to all the schools on the Darling Downs and in the Lockyer Valley this year and in all, 23 Schools and Businesses accepted the challenge and raised just over $9,300.00!

Toowoomba Hospice Chairman Mr. Graham Barron OAM said the Promotions and Fundraising Manager Mark Munro encouraged all the Schools and businesses to have a free dress day to raise funds for the Toowoomba Hospice. These funds will assist the daily operations of this important community facility, providing palliative and respite care for all ages”

There were 2 prizes awarded: 1st being $100.00 worth of Book Vouchers (for the school) and the 2nd being a DVD Player (which was donated back by the business that won). To make it fair for all schools and businesses, especially the ones with a smaller student/staff population, we divided the total money raised by student/staff population at the participating school and business to obtain an average raised per participant” said Mr. Barron.

The winners this year are Drayton State Primary School and Peter Snow & Co Real Estate. The Hospice is looking forward to sending out the Challenge again for next year and hope to have double the amount of schools/businesses participating.

For more information on the 2011 Free Dress Challenge contact the Hospice on 4659 8500 or Mark Munro 0415 439 088.

Over $2,780.00 was raised recently for the Toowoomba Hospice from a Walkathon conducted by the Darling Downs Region Scouts and Girl Guides

The Highest Fundraisers from the Scouts and Girl Guides were on hand to receive their special certificate of appreciation from the Toowoomba Hospice.

Mr. Barron said that he wanted to reassure all those who donate money to the Hospice that it stays here The Hospice is a ‘Local Charity’ and I am very proud to say that the money raised locally stays locally to support local families on the Downs and Lockyer Valley”

Glen and Ida Kendrick have once again been named Chronicle Garden Competition Grand Champions. The Kendricks were announced winners before an audience of about 200 officials and fellow gardeners in the President’s Room at City Golf Club.

Mrs Kendrick believes it was teamwork and dedication from May through to September that got them over the line. We work well together. We both enjoy it and we both feel rewarded by the results,” she said. Every year is a challenge with different conditions and there is always something going wrong, but it brings such great joy to us and to other people.”

The Kendricks’ garden is at 11 Montclair Close, Middle Ridge. This year the Kendricks installed a new garden along a previously bare wall, completing a corridor of colour down the western side of their house.

The Chronicle Garden Competition is sponsored by Heritage Building Society and Toowoomba Regional Council.

Details by courtesy of The Toowoomba Chronicle

A public lecture conducted by the Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Society, Toowoomba

An expert on all things Parisian, Thirza Vallois will present a public lecture on the gardens of Paris for the Toowoomba Group of the Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Society (ADFAS) on 21 September.

Everyone who has visited Paris is struck by its wonderful public gardens including the Tuileries, the Luxembourg and the Jardin des Plantes. In her illustrated lecture Thirza Vallois will take us on an historical journey through the gardens from the medieval to contemporary ones.

Thirza Vallois has lived most of her life in Paris. She holds several post-graduate degrees from the Sorbonne University including the prestigious agregation, is an acclaimed author, lecturer and broadcaster.

Thirza’s  lecture will be given in the Glennie Room, The Glennie School, Herries Street, Toowoomba on Tuesday 21 September starting at 6.45 pm and will be followed by supper.

Members of the public are very welcome to attend. The cost is $20 for persons who are not members of ADFAS and $10 for students.

For further information about this lecture and about membership of ADFAS contact the Secretary of ADFAS, Toowoomba on 07 4636 6164.

It was a scintillating evening at the Empire Theatre, Toowoomba on Monday, 13th September with the 2010  Carnival of Flowers Young Ambassador Awards Presentation Ceremony.

The 13 entrants stepped out on to red carpet on arrival at the Empire forecourt,  where an informal reception was taking place with fire twirlers, and drinks and nibblies.

Adjourning indoors,  the audience was treated to musical entertainment, past and present Carnival Queens and Ambassadors, and the Awards presentation ceremony, compered by Channel 10 Weather Girl, Amanda McLeay.

The TCOF Young Ambassador Program Committee called on three judges, Tony Minasi, Ann-Marie Ryan and Mary Wagner to ultimately select the individual awards.

The 2010 Young Ambassador was announced by Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor, Peter Taylor.

See and Hear the Announcement

And the Winners are:

2010 Young Ambassador Award: Lauren Gray (Sponsored by Downlands College)

Congenial Award (joint winner) Lauren Gray (Sponsored by Downlands College)

Fundraising Award: Lauren Gray (Sponsored by Downlands College)

1^st Runner-up: Nicole Whiting (Sponsored by FK Gardner and Sons)

Encouragement Award: Lauren Blakeley (Sponsored by Horizon Wealth Invest)

Congenial Award (joint winner): Kate Harley (Sponsored by Ambrosiussen Accountants and Advisors)

Entrepreneur Award: Dave Granfield (Sponsored by Star GardenTown Café and Chipironi Mountain Coffee)

All entrants, Dave Granfield, Lauren Blakeley, Kate Harley, Lucy Mayne, Leila Carrick, Nicole Whiting, Staicee Barber, Lauren Gray, Sarah-Jane MacDonald, Coralie Mainwaring, Natalie Webb, Jim Forsyth and Akech Manyok, can hold their heads high, having helped raise $30,000 this year for the Toowoomba Hospice and the Kath Dickson Centre, and truly embracing what it means to be an ambassador for the region.

Each year the TR Register Australia holds a National Meeting and Concours with the host venue moving annually from state to state. This year it is to be held in Toowoomba.

TR Register Australia was formed in the mid ‘70s to facilitate restoration and preservation of English Triumph Sports Roadsters manufactured from 1953 to 1961 (TR2, TR3 and TR3A).

The Queensland organisers of the 2010 TR Register National Meeting and Concours have chosen Toowoomba as the host destination at this time of year due to the proximity to the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers. The opportunity to see Toowoomba in ‘full bloom’ has sparked the interest of many Register members and their partners with almost 70 vehicles and 150 members attending from all over the country including Tasmania and Victoria.

The Concours is an annual judging where each entered vehicle is lined up and judged – with awards available in a number of categories. It will be held from 9am to 4pm on Saturday, September 11 at the Godsall Street Oval of Queens Park. All welcome.