New documentary ‘Smiling for Smiddy – The Long Road’

Our latest documentary ‘Smiling for Smiddy- The Long Road’, which follows the journey of a group of friends raising money for cancer research in memory of their mate, Adam Smiddy, who died of cancer in 2006.

Through “The Long Road”, Adam’s mother, Maria, tells not only her own intensely personal story about losing her son but also the unforgettable legacy created by his friends to ensure Adam is never forgotten and that a cure is found for this insidious disease.

To view the trailer, see below. [vimeo]http://vimeo.com/19425498[/vimeo]

New documentary ‘Smiling for Smiddy – The Long Road’ to premiere in Brisbane

Our latest documentary ‘Smiling for Smiddy- The Long Road’, which follows the journey of a group of friends raising money for cancer research in memory of their mate, Adam Smiddy, who died of cancer in 2006.

Through “The Long Road”, Adam’s mother, Maria, tells not only her own intensely personal story about losing her son but also the unforgettable legacy created by his friends to ensure Adam is never forgotten and that a cure is found for this insidious disease.

The documentary is set to premiere in Brisbane later this month in the UQ schonell Cinema on Tuesday, 22 February at 7pm.Tickets are $10 for adults of $4 for children. All funds raised will go towards Smiling for Smiddy’s fundraising efforts.

To purchase tickets go to http://www.materfoundation.org.au/Events-and-Campaigns/Current-Events/-The-Long-Road–Documentary-Premiere.aspx.

To view the trailer, see below. [vimeo]http://vimeo.com/19425498[/vimeo]

Don’t miss your chance to attend Literary Summer School

WARM Coast logoAspiring writers are lining up for a spot at the Sunshine Coast Literary Association’s popular Authors’ Summer School so if you don’t want to miss out on securing a seat, then don’t waste another minute.

President of the SCLA, Bryan Ward said the association had received lots of bookings for the Summer School from writers across the Sunshine Coast.

“There are new emails in our inbox everyday with enquiries and people booking for the Summer School,” Bryan said.

The Summer School will be held across two evenings, Thursday 3rd February and Thursday 10th February at the University of the Sunshine Coast.  Hosted by industry professionals, the classes aim to provide writing enthusiasts of all levels with ‘need to know’ information, practical advice and feedback they need to become award-winning short story authors.

“They also aim to prepare writers for our annual writing competition, which will be open to entries from 7th February.

“The competition is open to aspiring writers in the Sunshine Coast and Gympie area, with six entry categories including junior short story, junior poem, young adult short story, young adult poem, open short story and open poem,” Bryan said.

The classes will be presented by two of the University of the Sunshine Coast’s creative writing educators, Nike Bourke (also co-director of the Olvar Wood Writers Retreat) and Naomi Stekelenburg, and will focus on all aspects of short story writing.

The first two-hour session will focus on the basics of short story writing including narrative construction, plot, character, setting and style, and will examine the origins of ideas and include a workshop-style brainstorming session with the opportunity for feedback.

During the second session, the evening will centre on the common pitfalls of short story writing including some strategies to overcome them and will also have a workshop where participants will have the opportunity to put pen to paper and share some of their own ideas.

Nike Bourke said she was really looking forward to working with a wide variety of writers at the Short Story Bootcamp.

“Workshops are a great way to meet other writers, find out the truth about how judging competitions work, and get on-the-spot feedback and answers to your questions,” Nike said.

“Naomi and I have both judged a lot of competitions, and over time it’s easy to see what kinds of stories really grab a judges’ attention and keep them reading,” she said.

“The bootcamp provides us with the opportunity to share those insights with a select group of writers, and give them lots of hints and tips about how to fine tune their short stories,” she said.

The classes will be held in Lecture Theatre 3 at USC and will begin at 6:15pm for a prompt 6:30pm start, concluding at 8.30pm each night. For SCLA members the classes are $25 for one session or $40 for both, and for guests one class is $30 or $50 for both. Positions are limited, so make sure you book your seat today.

For more information about the program, biographies of both our talented presenters or to book you seat for the summer school please visit the What’s On section of the SCLA website, www.scliterary.org or call 5450 2691.

New Opengear office to meet UK and European Business Growth

Opengear logoBRISBANE, QLD – January 19, 2011: Opengear (www.opengear.com.au) today announced the opening of a UK subsidiary with offices in Slough in the South E ast of England, close to West London. Opengear is a leading provider of next generation enterprise-grade remote infrastructure management solutions and their new office will enable them to meet the growing business opportunities in this area.

“Our open source platforms give network managers the virtual hands to securely monitor, access and control computing equipment and smart devices in remote sites. European nations are being driven to manage their economies more effectively and they are leading the way in smartening up their distributed infrastructure operations, Bob Waldie, CEO of Opengear said.

We are seeing tremendous growth opportunities in this region. One leadership example is solar power where Europe has more than 70% of the global cumulative photovoltaic installed capacity – and they certainly don’t enjoy 70% of the world’s sunshine!”, Bob said.

Opengear delivers its management products in Europe through distributor partners. UK distributors are S-Connect Limited and Entrix Computing Limited. In setting up the UK office Opengear has relocated one of its lead engineers there to work with customers and channel partners. The company has also set up an online store http://www.opengearstore.co.uk to ensure prompt sample delivery.

As luck would have it the home of the engineer who relocated from Opengear’s R&D office in Brisbane to work at the Opengear Limited office was submerged in the recent devastating floods here last week. This event, plus other tales of community suffering from the floods prompted Opengear to initiate an internal program to donate profits to help flood victims in Queensland.

Effective first January and going through to end March, we have committed to donate 25% of all sales revenues from our online store in Australia, and 5% of sales from our USA estore and our new UK estore to the Queensland Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal,” Bob Waldie said. “So if someone in Australia buys a CM4148 console server from us online for $2070, we will donate $517 of that to flood relief.”

SCLA to host Short Story Bootcamp

WARM Coast logoThe Sunshine Coast Literary Association is bringing back its popular Authors’ Summer School in 2011, which will provide writing enthusiasts with the tips and tricks to become award-winning short story authors.

This short story bootcamp is suitable for writers of all levels from beginners to advanced and will be held across two evenings, Thursday 3rd February and Thursday 10th February at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Presidents of the SCLA, Bryan Ward said the summer school also aims to prepare writers for our annual writing competition, which will be open to entries from 7th February.

“The competition is open to aspiring writers in the Sunshine Coast and Gympie area, with six entry categories including junior short story, junior poem, young adult short story, young adult poem, open short story and open poem,” Bryan said.

The classes will be presented by two of the University of the Sunshine Coast’s creative writing educators, Nike Bourke (also co-director of the Olvar Wood Writers Retreat) and Naomi Stekelenburg, and will focus on all aspects of short story writing.

The first two-hour session will focus on the basics of short story writing including narrative construction, plot, character, setting and style, and will examine the origins of ideas and include a workshop-style brainstorming session with the opportunity for feedback.

During the second session, the evening will centre on the common pitfalls of short story writing including some strategies to overcome them and will also have a workshop where participants will have the opportunity to put pen to paper and share some of their own ideas.

Nike Bourke said she was really looking forward to working with a wide variety of writers at the Short Story Bootcamp.

“Workshops are a great way to meet other writers, find out the truth about how judging competitions work, and get on-the-spot feedback and answers to your questions,” Nike said.

“Naomi and I have both judged a lot of competitions, and over time it’s easy to see what kinds of stories really grab a judges’ attention and keep them reading,” she said.

“The bootcamp provides us with the opportunity to share those insights with a select group of writers, and give them lots of hints and tips about how to fine tune their short stories,” she said.

The classes will be held in Lecture Theatre 3 at USC and will begin at 6:15pm for a prompt 6:30pm start, concluding at 8.30pm each night. For SCLA members the classes are $25 for one session or $40 for both, and for guests one class is $30 or $50 for both. Positions are limited, so make sure you book your seat today.

For more information about the program, biographies of both our talented presenters or to book you seat for the summer school please visit the What’s On section of the SCLA website, www.scliterary.org or call 5450 2691.

Thinking of Queensland flood victims

The team at Reflected Image PRoductions would like to express our greatest sympathies for all those who have lost loved ones and belongings in the disastrous Queensland Floods and hope the cleanup happens as swiftly as possible.

Give the Christmas gift passed through generations for centuries

JK logoIt is that time of the year again, when you are eagerly trying to find that ‘perfect gift’ for Christmas.  But, Jenny King, the Sunshine Coast’s very own crochet queen believes the art of crochet could be that perfect gift.

With her new store located in Marcoola, the self-confessed crochet addict hopes that her passion for crochet can be learnt and enjoy by many this Christmas.

“With Christmas approaching crochet kits make great gifts. Giving someone the ability to create something with their own two hands is so special and unique,” Jenny King said .

The new store, Jenny King Designs, at Shop 1, 932 David Low Way, Marcoola makes it easy to choose your gift and Jenny can also offer impromptu crochet lessons for beginners when making a purchase. With her range of designs from crochet dolls, intricate beaded bags, jewellery, to your favourite football team footy, rugs there is a gift suited to everyone’s tastes.

Jenny’s passion for crocheting has been alive since she was just 10-years-old when she was first taught the simple two stiches. She has passed on her love of crochet since the 1990s and has been an author of 13 crochet books and countless patterns and designs. She has taught crochet around Australia and internationally.

“Crochet is so simple and quick, everyone can do it no matter what skill level. We have some exciting new plans for 2011 but in the meantime making someone a gift you have created will show that person you love just how much you care for them and it will be a gift that can be treasured,” Jenny said.

This Christmas do something different and be creative. Create someone you love a gift from the heart, a gift that will prove to them just how much they mean to you. Getting a gift knowing that someone has put time and effort into it is much more valuable than an expensive item purchase from a chain store.

If you think it is too hard to create that special gift on you own Jenny King operates her personalised crochet classes at her store location.

“Nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it. Crochet is not difficult and you will be able to create that perfect gift before you know it” said Jenny.

“I wanted to share my passion with other people so that everyone can see how easy it is and so the skills we learnt from our ancestors are not lost with the passage of time.”

Crochet has been around for centuries, providing enjoyment and pleasure to many. Jenny’s passion for crochet is undeniable and through her ability to create the most beautiful and creative gifts there is bound to be that perfect gift for someone you love this Christmas.

For more information about Christmas gift ideas or the crochet classes, visit the store open from 10am to 4pm, Monday to Saturday or call Jenny on 07 5450 7077.

Celebrate Christmas with special Sunshine Coast Literary Association Discussion Evening

WARM Coast logoThe Sunshine Coast Literary Association (SCLA) is celebrating the festive season with a special Christmas Discussion Evening on Tuesday, 14th December.

Members and visitors are welcome to attend and participate in discussions on the Association’s 2011 program, talk and network with other writers and share a celebratory drink.

The evening will also feature an author talk by Coast children’s author Angela Bueti, creator of Wow Books 4 Boys. Her books follow a pair of cheeky monsters, Scratch and Patch, as they embark on a range of adventures. The series is specially designed to assist with language development in boys aged between 4 and 8 and is full of colourful illustrations, humour and action that would inspire any boy to turn the page.

The evening will be held at Rivers Café in Cotton Tree, on the corner of 2nd Avenue and the Esplanade. If you would like to purchase a meal and share an informal chat then come along at 6pm or just join us for Angela Bueti’s presentation and the discussion from 7pm to 8.30pm.

In the spirit of Christmas, a complimentary glass of wine and piece of cake will be provided by the Association, with other delicious meals and drinks available for purchase from the Café menu. The discussion and presentation portion of the night is free for members and $2 for visitors.

SCLA president Bryan Ward said the evening would be a great opportunity to celebrate Christmas with fantastic and inspiring company.

To RSVP for dinner or the discussion portion, please e-mail info@scliterary.org or phone 0414 635 407 or visit the SCLA website for information on how to become a member www.scliterary.org.

Avoid getting a Santa’s belly this Christmas by following these Symple steps

STG logo (purple&pink)

Christmas time is filled with the most delicious and delectable treats and for most of us it’s a time to push those diets aside and over indulge on the foods we love to eat.

Weight Loss Queen, Annette Sym, believes enjoying the Christmas treats doesn’t mean destroying those weight loss goals that you have worked so hard to achieve.

“By following a few simple tips Christmas can be a time of enjoyment and fun without having to put on those extra kilos you worked so hard to get rid of,” says Annette.

The festivities, food and parties that come with the Christmas season can often result in starting the New Year with unwanted extra weight and regretting those December indulgences. Annette encourages you to be smart when it comes to this year’s Christmas.

“The festive season can be a battle for all of us, we have so much food to choose from and this can often result in eating too much of all the wrong things” said Annette.

“Having a good time does not always mean eating the wrong foods, when going to Christmas functions look for the healthy alternatives such as:

  1. Don’t arrive hungry and avoid the deep fried fatty appetisers if possible
  2. Choose the low fat options if available such as low fat dips
  3. Load your plate with fresh salad and avoid those covered in high fat mayonnaise and dressings.
  4. Lean meat, chicken roasted instead of fried and fresh seafood are ideal choices
  5. Avoid high fat desserts and instead indulge in the wonderful summer fruits available.
  6. To lighten the Christmas pudding add low fat ice-cream or custard instead of cream.

It’s the surprise package that nobody wants – a scale that displays extra kilos after the festive season is over. Annette believes this does not have to be the case, and by following a few symple steps you can give the gift of good health to yourself instead this Christmas.

“If you have successfully lost weight over 2010, the last thing you will want to do is blow it all in December,” Annette said.

Annette’s top five seasonal tips are:

  • Increase your exercise time or level to help compensate for overeating.
  • Avoid overindulging when attending functions. If you don’t want to be tempted then make sure you eat before you go out, and then you can still enjoy  a small amount of what is being offered at the function. Arriving  on an empty stomach may set you up for overeating and a weakened resistance when out!
  • Take your good intentions when dining out and remember that little pickers wear big knickers.
  • If you go to a luncheon, then have a light dinner that night to help balance out.
  • Reduce or avoid having too much alcohol. Alcohol is wasted calories and also can be the cause of an undisciplined attitude that makes you eat too much or the wrong type of foods.
  • Try to have more good days than bad. Write down how much you are eating on the days when you have outings and then reduce your food intake over the following days to counteract it. This is how I manage and it works really well.

Annette’s cookbooks SYMPLY TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and the new Book 6, are sold in all good newsagencies and Borders bookstores or visit Annette’s website www.symplytoogood.com.au.

Charity documentary wins Qld award

smiddy logo“Smiling for Smiddy – A Journey of Friends”, a documentary telling the unique stories of a group of people cycling from Brisbane to Townsville in memory of a lost mate, has just picked up an award for excellence.

Winning Best Documentary at the 2010 Queensland Multi Media Awards, the documentary tells the stories of 50 cyclists who took part in the 2009 eight-day Smiling for Smiddy ride, from Brisbane to Townsville.

Reflected Image PRoductions filmmaker Ryan Early credits the win to the stories of all the people involved.

“It is the willingness of everyone involved to share their very personal stories that made the documentary such a success,” Ryan said.

Ryan, who is now post-producing a new documentary about the 2010 ride, said Smiling for Smiddy was an important charity made up of amazing people, formed in memory of Adam Smiddy, who died aged 26 in 2006.

“In its four year history, Smiling for Smiddy has raised more than $1.5million for cancer research, with the 2009 ride raising more than $500,000.”

The Queensland Multi Media Awards recognise excellence in print, television, radio and multi-media.  Judged by industry professionals from Sydney and Melbourne, the film took out the award against some stiff competition including Win TV Rockhampton’s ‘Qld on Fire’ and Wild Cam Australia’s ‘Life Beneath Canopy’.

“To me, what made the final result unique was the fact that people spoke so openly about their personal motivations to do the ride, and their experiences with cancer,” Ryan said.

Even the films soundtrack was inspired by the ride an original soundtrack created inspired by the song Journey of Friends which was a collaboration between Award winning singer songwriter Mishelle Bradford Jones, Peter Koppes from legendary Australian band ‘The Church’ and Ryan Early, who penned some of the lyrics while filming the ride.

“We are proud that Journey of Friends helped Smiling for Smiddy raise funds for cancer research and are looking forward to having the new “Smiling for Smiddy – The Long Road” documentary of the 2010 ride ready for viewing soon,” Ryan said.

For more information about Smiling for Smiddy visit their website.  You can also view a clip of the documentary below:

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/8054311[/vimeo]

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