_{^{Register Now}}! The world’s largest fund-raising event is taking off on the 28th & 29th of this month. The Cancer Council ACT wants you to be a part of this race to make a difference. 

Relay For Life is a 24 hour community event to raise funds for The Cancer Council ACT. It’s open to everyone in the community with teams of 10-15 working in shifts to keep their baton moving in a relay style walk or run around the AIS Athletics Track.

This year’s Relay will be held on 6pm Friday 28 March – 6pm Saturday 29 March.

Teams camp at the grounds, with a showcase of local talent including dance, sport, movies and bands keeping everyone excited throughout the day and motivated through the night.

As dusk settles at each event, candle tributes are laid along the inside of the track, for the start of the Candlelight Ceremony. For a small donation, anyone present at the venue can have their own candle tribute to honour and support someone living with cancer or in memory of loved ones lost. Bags inscribed with messages of love, grief and support emit a warm glow from the candles placed within.

Grab your mates, grab a baton and help us raise funds for cancer research, prevention, treatment, education, and support

^{_{Register a team now}} – on-line at www.relayforlife.org.au

or

Contact Rebecca on 6257 9999 or email [email protected]
 

Our nation’s capital is always buzzing with activity, and the Vision Australia centre located in the heart of Canberra, is no exception. Just ask Centre Manager Eileen Muscat, that’s if you can catch her!

“The centre is extremely busy but it makes for a fantastic atmosphere to work in”, says Eileen. “Clients love our central location, and although it can be very noisy at times with all the activity, clients are forgiving because we are so accessible!”

Each year, the centre makes around 300 referrals to clients across the Territory. Services provided by the centre’s highly skilled team of 12 are wide-ranging, covering: employment, independent living, counselling, adaptive technology and training, adaptive living skills, early childhood education and children’s services.

“Many of our clients are elderly,” says Eileen, “But due to our range of children’s’ services, we also get a lot of youngsters through the centre.”

The centre also runs some terrific services in the region, including a Low Vision Clinic and visual assessments in south coast clinics located in Merimbula, Bega, Batemans Bay and Moruya.

The Canberra team has developed strong partnerships within the community, particularly with Guide Dogs NSW/ACT for orientation and mobility training, and with local schools and TAFEs where regular talks are given.

Every day there are small success stories emerging from the centre. Whether it’s a child learning how to orientate themselves independently with a cane, or an older person being placed in gainful employment – behind every client there is a story of personal triumph, and the team are there to provide support and encouragement at every turn.

“We’re a close bunch,” says Eileen, “And we are all motivated by a shared goal: wanting to make a difference in the community by providing excellent services to clients.”

And make a difference, they do!

If you are a Canberra resident, or just passing through, why don’t you pop in and pay them a visit.
 

 For more information call Vision Australia on 1300 84 74 66 or visit www.visionaustralia.org

Vision Australia in Canberra is located at 2nd Fl, 22 East Row, Canberra.

AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEST YOUR STRENGTH AND COMPETE AGAINST THE OTHER STRONG MEN & WOMAN IN THE REGION – THE HEAVY WEIGHT CHALLENGE

Between 11.30am & 3pm participate in the Caber Toss and Shot Putt and you could be invited to participate in the Heavy Weight Challenge. There are two aspects to the Heavy Weight Challenge. One event requires contestants to throw a heavy weight over a bar that increases in height and the other involves throwing for distance. For males the weight is 30kgs & for females 18Kgs. Participants must be over 18 years of age. Medallions will be awarded to the winners.

Photographer Greg Ford Photography.
Admission to grounds
Adult: $15
Child: $5
Family: $35

Street Parade 9.30am
Official Opening 10.30am
Games 11.30am to 3pm
 

2007 Stats…

Last year there was an increase of 35% in hours worked by the volunteers and considering the inclement weather and the size of the crowd the results are outstanding. 

The total amount of money disbursed was $66629; this is by far the largest amount of money ever disbursed back into the local community by the Brigadoon committee. The breakdown of the disbursements is $51729 to local volunteer & charity groups and $14900 to Pipe Bands participating at the gathering.

The overall total of monies distributed to the local community charity and volunteer groups since 1981 is $534096, and to attending pipe bands $142402 making a grand total of $676498. This is surely something that those who have had any involvement in the Brigadoon committee over the years can be justly proud of and something the local community groups no doubt appreciates.

Brigadoon is like a magnet it attracts people from all walks of life, many who make the annual pilgrimage to meet up with friends and family to get together for a day that is fun, festive and family orientated.

All too often, we take for granted that someone else will sponsor and support the various activities that take place in the Southern Highlands. The Bundanoon Highland Gathering would like to take this opportunity to publicly express their deep gratitude to the local businesses and personalities who supported them. It is only through the generosity of people and organisations like them that we at “Brigadoon” can achieve our goals, maintain the already evident enthusiasm such a wonderful cultural showpiece, and continue to promote the Southern Highlands as a "Must See" tourism location in New South Wales.

There are 36 activities/games at Brigadoon and each one needs a sponsor, so if you would like to join our wonderful sponsors listed below please phone the Publicity Officer on 4883 7471 and become part of Brigadoon.

Major Sponsors

The Bundanoon Highland gathering is extremely grateful for the outstanding support and sponsorship from the following organisations.

• National Australia Bank, Peppers Manor House,
• Walkers Shortbread (Scotland), Irn-Bru (Scotland)
• Macqueen Auctioneers & Valuers, Mittagong. Furry Software, Bowral
• Southern Highlands News, Bowral. 2ST, Bowral
• Peter Rocca Real Estate, Bundanoon. Solar Springs Health Retreat, Bundanoon.
• Allan Mackay, Autos-Peugeot Moss Vale. Argyle Street Auto Port, Moss Vale
• Gordon MacDonald Electrical, Bowral the Bundanoon Club
• Jardinique Pty Ltd. Bowral Belisa Cashmere, Bundanoon
• Bundanoon Pharmacy Telstra Shop, Bowral
• Cartridge World, Bowral Pru Goward, MP, Member for Goulburn.
• Argyle Beauty Therapy, Moss Vale Sunnatarm Monastery, Bundanoon
• Harvey Norman, Moss Vale. Silver Teapot, Moss Vale.
• Tudor House, Moss Vale

It is with great pleasure the Bundanoon Highland Gathering announce the Chieftain of the Day for 2008 will be Mr John Stewart CEO of the National Australia Bank accompanied by his wife Sylvia.
Mr Stewart, a Scot (of course), was asked to be Chieftain in recognition of the NAB’s long and distinguished association with Brigadoon as a major sponsor and supporter of the gathering.
The NAB’s outstanding contributions to the gathering has enabled Brigadoon to continue to present the expected high standard of Bands, events and of course the Tartan Warriors for the entertainment of the community .
The committee sincerely hopes that Mr Stewart and his Wife Sylvia thoroughly enjoy themselves and take away many happy memories of their day at Brigadoon.

John Stewart
Group Chief Executive Officer National Australia Bank
John Stewart is Group Chief Executive Officer of National Australia Bank (NAB), a position he has held since February 2004. In that time, he has led a major turnaround of the organisation, with a particular focus on developing its executive talent and culture and setting the forward growth strategy. Since John took up the Group CEO position, NAB’s market capitalisation has risen by 60%.
The Group comprises four key businesses: NAB – the Australian retail bank, and MLC, the Clydesdale and Yorkshire banks in the UK, the Bank of New Zealand, and nabCapital.
John joined the Group in August 2003 as Chief Executive, Europe and Principal Board Member.
Before NAB, John was Deputy Chief Executive of Barclays PLC, a position he was appointed to following the acquisition of Woolwich PLC by Barclays in October 2000. His responsibilities included management of the Personal Financial Services and Private Client divisions, the Wealth Management business, and the successful delivery of the Barclays/Woolwich integration program, which delivered ongoing benefits of £400 million per annum to the group. John was appointed to the Board of the Woolwich in 1995 as Group Operations Director and became Chief Executive in 1996.
John has had a long and successful career in the finance industry since he first joined the Woolwich in 1977.
John is Chairman of the Australian Bankers’ Association (ABA), a Director of the Business Council of Australia (BCA), a member of the Scottish Enterprise’s International Advisory Board (IAB), which provides an international perspective on and insights into Scotland’s future economic opportunities, and recently was a member of the Prime Minister’s Task Group on Emissions Trading.