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A fund raising night to be held Friday 20th November at the Stock Exchange Hotel will this year raise funds for Camp Quality. Julie Forster from Perfect Parties and Picnics said she has chosen Camp Quality to be the recipients from this years fund raising event.
As a national not-for-profit organisation, Camp Quality is there for families living with cancer for the entire journey, from diagnosis through treatment and into remission.
Camp Quality’s object is bringing fun and optimism into the lives of children living with cancer, and in keeping with their objectives Julie says a fun packed night is planned for the November 20th.
Live band Dirty Water” will provide the music for the event and Cleo the Clown will also make an appearance.
Julie has been supported by many businesses that have provided gifts and vouchers for the multi draw raffle to the value of $1000.
The evening will start at 4.30 pm with the meal being served at 6 pm.
Cost of the evening which includes a ticket in the multi draw raffle & meal is $15.00. For further information Phone 0438463577 or check out the internet at www.perfectpartiesandpicnics.com

The Lions Club of Toowoomba West will again stage Toowoomba’s Christmas Wonderland of Lights in December. The move from the Burstow Funerals site to the Botanical Gardens of Queens Park last year proved very popular and there are plans underway to make the event bigger and better.

Toowoomba’s Christmas Wonderland has now grown to be one of Queensland’s biggest light extravaganzas with over 45,000 people visiting the lights display each year since 2006. In all, close to $200,000 has been raised for charity and the Lions Club of Toowoomba West is keen to keep the established tradition going.

A project team has been established, comprising Lions club members and representatives of community based, non-profit organisations, to plan this year’s event. The major beneficiaries this year include: Toowoomba Hospital Foundation, Lifeline and Toowoomba Hospice, with a number of other local charities to benefit.

The Toowoomba Regional Council has once again approved the use of the Botanical Gardens for this year’s event. This site is considered to be excellent, being close to the CBD, with adequate parking and an ambiance that is ideally suited for holding a Christmas lights wonderland. Already many sponsors have committed to the event and many more are being sought. Toowoomba’s Christmas Wonderland will run from the 5th December to 24th December 2009 in the Queens Park Botanic Gardens.

The Toowoomba Hospice has arranged a bus to take in the local wineries on Sunday 18 October 2009.

Winery Tour organizer Mrs. Christine Siebuhr said this years tour is taking in wineries from Stanthorpe, Castle Glen, Ballandean, Golden Grove, Heritage Winery and Granite Ridge. Ticket price is $50 per head and includes morning tea, lunch, coach travel and wine tasting”.

Book your tickets today on 4633 3014 the Bus will be leaving the Hospice about 7.30am and back approximately 7pm, there will be a pick ups from K-mart and Clifton tickets are limited!

Promotions and Fundraising Manager Mr. Mark Munro said this is Christine’s’ 7th year in organizing the annual Hospice Winery tour Christine does a fantastic job in running and co-ordinating this fundraiser for the Hospice, Christine has raised just over $10,000.00 for the Hospice with these trips and that’s a wonderful effort from someone who does it on their own!”

Toowoomba Hospice is a not-for-profit, community facility, caring for people with a terminal illness and their families, at no cost. The Hospice is located in O’Quinn Street and needs to raise valuable funds to keep the service running.

Mark Munro, Promotions and Fundraising Manager has also forwarded images of pea sized which fell in the grounds at O’Quinn Street, Toowoomba from the first hailstorm of the season on Tuesday afternoon l3th October.

HMAS Toowoomba has successfully thwarted a piracy attack by answering a call for assistance and conducting a boarding of a suspect vessel, 50 miles off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden.
Late on Sunday night Australian time (September 20), Toowoomba responded to an emergency radio call from the Merchant Vessel BBC Portugal, which reported sighting a boat carrying a group of armed individuals closing at high speed.

Under the command of Commander Ivan Ingham, Toowoomba immediately responded to the developing situation by moving to the scene at high speed to investigate and provide assistance.
While Toowoomba closed in, a coalition P3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft and a naval helicopter from another coalition warship joined the scene and provided surveillance of the suspect vessel.
The helicopter crew confirmed sighting weapons and also reported that the crew of the suspect vessel was seen disposing of several items including a ladder as the helicopter arrived at the scene,” Commander Ingham said.

On reaching the suspect vessel, Toowoomba launched her boarding team to investigate, search, disarm and seize. The quick response by HMAS Toowoomba and the coalition helicopter ensured that the incident did not escalate into a direct attack on the merchant vessel. Further, the ship’s presence in very close proximity to the scene ensured that the persons suspected of planning acts of piracy were not able to resist the arrival of our boarding party and ensured that our teams were able to conduct a thorough and effective search,” Commander Ingham said.
The search of the suspect vessel revealed a cache of weapons including a Rocket Propelled Grenade launcher (RPG), six AK47 Assault Rifles, a G3 Assault Rifle and a large quantity of ammunition.

Routine questioning of the persons suspected of planning acts of piracy by Toowoomba’s boarding party confirmed that the occupants of the suspect vessel were from nearby Somalia. The occupants denied their intention to attack the merchant vessel and denied planning piracy activities.
Toowoomba’s personnel confirmed the suspect vessel had sufficient food, water and fuel to make the return journey back to Somalia,” Commander Ingham said.

HMAS Toowoomba is now continuing with counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden region.

Michelle Sunderland of Toowoomba and Erin Esplin of Glenvale, have gained new skills to support cancer patients by completing a three day contemporary cancer therapies course offered by Cancer Council Queensland in Brisbane this week. Ms Sunderland and Ms Esplin, Registered Nurses at St Vincent’s Hospital Toowoomba, were awarded a scholarship worth approximately $1,000 enabling them to attend the course to advance their cancer care skills.

Fourteen participants from throughout Queensland were selected and offered the scholarship based on their written application.

The course also provided an overview of community services provided by Cancer Council Queensland including the Cancer Council Helpline (13 11 20) and the Cancer Counselling Service.

Lyndal Bass

Media and Communications Advisor

Cancer Council Queensland

That loveable and ageless character Humphrey B Bear will return to Toowoomba Saturday (24th October) to officially launch the 2009 Toowoomba Hospital Children’s Appeal at Clifford Gardens Shopping Centre. The Humphrey B Bear Show” will be free to the public with balloons and lots of fun on offer for families and their children.

Countless thousands of children throughout Australia have grown up with Humphrey B Bear and have been captivated by his wonderful caring, loving nature. Children young and old love to cuddle the adorable bear and they will have the chance to get up close and personal with this fun-loving character in Toowoomba.

Toowoomba Hospital Foundation CEO Peter Rookas says it is a real coup getting Humphrey again to launch this year’s appeal. After having Humphrey launch previous appeal’s, we decided let’s get him back. Humphrey B Bear is an icon with kids of all ages in Australia and is renowned for his work with children. When approached, he was only too willing to make the trip up the hill to the Garden City again for such a special occasion. We hope the families of Toowoomba and district will turn out to see the show and help launch this year’s appeal.”

Mr Rookas says this year’s appeal is targeting $60,000 for much needed vital equipment for Children’s Health. Following careful consideration, we have identified needs within the Special Care Nursery & Children’s Ward at Toowoomba Hospital. Our ongoing success with previous appeals gives us great optimism that we can achieve our goal this year.”

The Appeal will run from the 24th October to 20th November with a number of major events including the wonderful production of A Christmas Wish” at the Empire Theatre and a Tropical Shirt Friday. There’ll also be a special family movie screening at Birch Carroll & Coyle Cinemas.

The The Humphrey B Bear Show” will commence at 10.30am with the launch of the appeal at approx. 11.00am on the Main Stage, Clifford Gardens Shopping Centre, Saturday 24th October, 2009.

Peter Rookas
CEO
Toowoomba Hospital Foundation
peter_rookas@health.qld.gov.au
Ph. (07) 46166166

A local business referral group in town called Toowoomba Backscratchers” has kindly ‘Adopted a Room’ for $3,500.00 to the Toowoomba Hospice making a grand total of over $36,000.00 since the Hospice became their charity July 2003.

Mrs. Naomi Wilson the immediate past president said As the name infers, our breakfast meetings are designed so that members are aware of other persons in other industries to whom they can refer work.  Whilst there is no compulsion to refer to other members of the group, it is naturally the intention of such an organisation and with every referral the Hospice is given at least $1.00”

Mr Mark Munro Promotions and Fundraising Manager said since attending the breakfasts not only has the Hospice been given over $36,000.00 dollars in donations from the group, the businesses also donate their time in helping by way of offering services We have a great variety of professionals in the group who offer their service either free of charge or at a discounted price”

Mr Munro said An added benefit of the group is the fellowship of like-minded business people who are interested in developing their individual businesses.” For more information on Backscratchers please call the Secretary Owen Raabe on 0746 323 434.