PACIFIC HIGHWAY OVERVIEW OF WOOLGOOLGA TO BALLINA … · Brian Carter if he would resume his membership of the committee to which he has agreed. ... If interested please contact Eric

GRAFTON U3A SEPTEMBER 2016 PAGE 1

GRAFTON U3A INC. (UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE) PO Box 688 Grafton NSW 2460 www.grafton.u3anet.org.au

“Sharing our knowledge, skills and experience in a friendly convivial way”

SEPTEMBER 2016

JABBERFEST–10AM 12 SEPTEMBER 2016–GRAFTON COMMUNITY CENTRE

PACIFIC HIGHWAY OVERVIEW OF WOOLGOOLGA TO BALLINA UPGRADE

Representatives from the Woolgoolga to Ballina project team will present an overview of the Woolgoolga to Ballina Pacific Highway upgrade. Roads and Maritime has engaged Pacific Complete to partner with the Pacific Highway Office to deliver the 155 kilometre upgrade, which is Australia’s largest regional infrastructure project and the last highway link between Hexham and the Queensland border to be upgraded to four lanes. The project commenced in May 2015 with the Woolgoolga to Halfway Creek section. Current activities along the 155 kilometre route include developing the detailed design and carrying out early work. The project is on track to open to traffic by 2020. When complete, the 155 kilometre Woolgoolga to Ballina Highway upgrade will:

Reduce overall length from 180 kilometres to 167 kilometres, saving about 13 kilometres in travel distance

Allow for a higher posted speed limit of up to 110 km/h

Reduce travel time from 130 minutes to about 105 minutes, saving 25 minutes

Reduce crash rates by an expected 27 per cent due to divided carriageways

Improve travel reliability through better flood immunity, fewer incidents and more readily available alternative routes


AUGUST JABBERFEST WRAP Proceedings were opened by honorary auditor Warren Morrow chairing the Annual General Meeting attended by 126 members, which following the usual formalities resulted in David Thompson being elected President for the ensuing years backed by a strong executive and committee. Presentations were then made to Maree Burrows and David Abrahams in acknowledgment of their years of service on the committee and life membership was bestowed on Vreni Voigt for her many years as leader of many courses and interest groups. Members were provided details of the next outing for the Bushwalking group to Shelley Beach and David Abrahams sought expressions of interest in taking over his role of webmaster. Prior to the morning tea break, members were alerted to the informative display stands of the Armchair Travel, Chess, Bushwalking, Mahjong and Mens Shed groups. Following morning tea, members were entertained by Good Vibes singing group, a performance from the guitar group before the ukulele group took to the stage. Dorothy Hillis completed the morning’s entertainment with three readings from compositions by members of the Creative Writing group. The lucky chair prize was won by Colleen Morgan. David Thompson thanked members for their attendance, noted that next Jabberfest

would be held on Monday 12 September and then closed the meeting.


PRESIDENT’S LETTER…. Dear Members Thank you to everyone that attended the AGM and Jabberfest meeting in August. A special thanks to Warren Morrow, who presided over the elections and agreed to be our honorary auditor for the 2016-2017 financial year, and to all who stood for the committee. Thanks also to everyone who supported the nominations. Thank you to our newest committee member Glad Anderson for standing for the committee.

Following the meeting, Peter Sinfield realized that our regular committee meeting conflicted with another commitment and so decided to resign. However, a special thanks goes out to Peter as he then agreed to take on the Web Masters Job from David Abraham, in lieu of the committee’s membership position. At our initial board meeting, it was decided to invite Brian Carter if he would resume his membership of the committee to which he has agreed.

Unfortunately, it was a sad occasion in that we farewelled David Abraham from the committee and from the difficult job of getting the speakers programs working on the computer. Thank you David for your many years of up front work for U3A. No he is not leaving, just relaxing and enjoying the meetings from the audience and working at the Mens Shed. A beautifully crafted Lazy- Susan made by the Mens Shed was also presented at the AGM to Maree Burrows in recognition of her service to U3A.

I am keen to hear from any members on suggestions and both Mary-Lou and I would especially love to hear of any possible speakers. While I will be chairing the next two Jabberfests, we have decided that it is a good idea to continue rotating the task within the committee.

David Thompson

Phone – 6644 7782

NUMBERS, NUMBERS, NUMBERS AT OUR SEPTEMBER JABBERFEST, Kevin Dixon will deliver a short 10- 15 minute talk on Numbers. There are many different types of numbers and without delving deeply into mathematics, he will explain the different types of numbers and their uses.

An example: A PERFECT number is one in which its factors, excluding itself, ADD to itself.

Q. Can you find the first two perfect numbers before the next meeting?

2016-7 COMMITTEE

DAVID THOMPSON PRESIDENT GLADYS ANDERSON COMMITTEE

ALYSAN PENDER VICE-PRSIDENT MARY-LOU BROWN COMMITTEE

CAROLE CAIRNS SECRETARY BRIAN CARTER COMMITTEE

BRUCE CARLE TREASURER PAT CONNOLLY COMMITTEE

FIONA DUGGAN COMMITTEE

DENNIS KELLY COMMITTEE

NICK REEVE COMMITTEE


COURSE/GROUPS UPDATE ARMCHAIR TRAVEL

At our next meeting on 27 September at the U3A Rooms from 2.00-4.00pm Shirley Tees will be describing her travels in The Apple Isle – Tasmania. Contact Magda Mussared 6644 9309 and join us for a wonderful journey.

MENS SHED SNIPPETS Our Mens Shed has come up with another brilliant piece of work – The Pebbles Tracking Dog Trophy – to be presented to the Tracking Dog of the year by NSW National Parks Department Environment Division. The work of Master Craftsman, Greg Ryan, it is carved from Jacaranda and housed in a lovely Rosewood kennel! It will no doubt be in keen demand. David Abrahams

TABLE TENNIS The table tennis group continues to operate on Tuesdays from 2.00 – 4.00pm at the Grafton Golf Club and new players would be most welcome. If interested please contact Eric Wheeler 6642 1857 or David Thompson 6644 7782.


CHRISTMAS IN JULY LUNCHEON – 31 JULY Forty seven Grafton U3A members joined with fifty plus members of Clarence River U3A for a wonderful celebration of Christmas in July at the Harwood Hilton. Great weather, good company, food, wine, entertainment and camaraderie in a picturesque setting overlooking the Clarence River. A big thank you to Clarence River U3A for hosting this event and to our own Carole Cairns and Alysan Pender.



THE TABLECLOTH Beautiful story….makes you understand that things happen for a reason. The brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first ministry, to reopen a church in suburban Brooklyn, arrived in early October excited about their opportunities. When they saw their church, it was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their first service on Christmas Eve. They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc. and on Dec 18 were ahead of schedule and just about finished. On Dec 19 a terrible tempest – a driving rainstorm – hit the area and lasted for two days. On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church. His heart sank when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit, beginning about head high. The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor, and not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas Eve service, headed home. On the way he noticed that a local business was having a flea market type sale for charity so he stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful, handmade, ivory coloured, crocheted tablecloth with exquisite work, fine colours and a Cross embroidered right in the centre. It was just the right size to cover up the hole in the front wall. He bought it and headed back to the church. By this time it had started to snow. An older woman running from the opposite direction was trying to catch the bus. She missed it. The pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 minutes later. She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered up the entire problem area. Then he noticed the woman walking down the centre aisle. Her face was like a sheet. “Pastor,” she asked, “where did you get that tablecloth?” The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials, EBG were crocheted into it there. They were. These were the initials of the woman, and she had made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria. The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor told how he had just gotten the Tablecloth. The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria. When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next week. She was captured, sent to prison and never saw her husband or her home again. The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth; but she made the pastor keep it for the church. The pastor insisted on driving her home as that was the least he could do. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for a housecleaning job. What a wonderful service they had on Christmas Eve. The church was almost full. The music and the spirit were great. At the end of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many said that they would return. One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighbourhood, continued to sit in one of the pews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he wasn’t leaving. The man asked him where he got the tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to one that his wife had made years ago when they lived in Austria before the war. How could there be two tablecloths so much alike? He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for her safety, and he was supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and put in a prison. He never saw his wife or his home again all the years in between. The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier. He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman’s apartment, knocked on the door and he saw the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine.


LATERAL THINKING PUZZLER COINS OF THE REALM Why are 1988 pennies worth more than 1983 pennies? Last Month’s Solution – DEATH IN A FIELD The man had jumped from a plane, but his parachute had failed to open. It was the unopended package by his side.

NEW MEMBERS We welcome new member – Janet Pritchard. We trust that you enjoy your association with Grafton U3A and take the opportunity to avail of the various courses/interestgroups on offer.

LUNCHEON – FIVE MILE HOTEL On 28 August, a beautiful sunny Sunday, 15 hungry souls gathered for a very enjoyable and sociable lunch at Five Mile Hotel on the Armidale Road. Everyone enjoyed their meals and the gourmet pie, chicken and herb on the day, was beautiful. Those who partook of the cherry ripe cheesecake and the banana, chocolate and liqueur cheesecake were very happy with their choices, no crumbs remaining on their plates. Fiona Duggan

GEMs for Enquiring Minds Graying but grinning: Despite physical ailments, older adults happier - Got A Blurred Photo? Here's How To Sharpen It Up Tricks You Didn’t Know Google Chrome Can Do Zinc lozenges help most patients recover earlier from the common cold

Forget The day’s troubles

Remember The day’s blessings

READYING FOR NBN IN THE BUSH LOGON: Adding wood to make the barbie hotter LOG OFF: Not adding any more wood to the barbie. MONITOR: Keeping an eye on the barbie. DOWNLOAD: Getting the firewood off the ute. HARD DRIVE: Making the trip back home without any cold tinnies. KEYBOARD: Where you hang the ute keys. WINDOWS: What you shut when the weather's cold. SCREEN: What you shut in the mozzie season. BYTE: What mozzies do MEGABYTE: What Townsville mozzies do. CHIP: A pub snack. MICROCHIP: What's left in the bag after you've eaten the chips. MODEM: What you did to the lawns. LAPTOP: Where the cat sleeps. SOFTWARE: Plastic knives and forks you get at Red Rooster. HARDWARE: Stainless steel knives and forks - from K-Mart. MOUSE: The small rodent that eats the grain in the shed. MAINFRAME: What holds the shed up. WEB: What spiders make. WEBSITE: Usually in the shed or under the verandah. SEARCH ENGINE: What you do when the ute won't go. CURSOR: What you say when the ute won't go. YAHOO: What you say when the ute does go. UPGRADE: A steep hill. SERVER: The person at the pub who brings out the counter lunch. MAIL SERVER: The bloke at the pub who brings out the counter lunch. USER: The neighbour who keeps borrowing things. NETWORK: What you do when you need to repair the fishing net. INTERNET: Where you want the fish to go. NETSCAPE: What the fish do when they discover a hole in the net. ONLINE: Where you hang the washing. OFFLINE: Where the washing ends up when the pegs aren't strong enough.

EDITOR CONTACT Contributions to the Jabber Journal are always welcome. We reserve the right to edit or refuse material submitted for publication. Closing date for the October edition of the Journal is Monday 26 September 2016. Editor Dennis Kelly [email protected]

Documents

PACIFIC HIGHWAY OVERVIEW OF WOOLGOOLGA TO BALLINA … · Brian Carter if he would resume his membership of the committee to which he has agreed. ... If interested please contact Eric