Page 1973 - Week 06 - Friday, 6 May 2005
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Community arts
Starlight Foundation
MRS BURKE (Molonglo) (11.40): There are a couple of things I would like to bring to the house’s attention. Firstly, I must thank Ms MacDonald and her staff—particularly Lisa Brill—for the third annual breakfast for the Heart Foundation. The room looks prettier and prettier each year, Ms MacDonald. All power to you on that one. We are looking forward to the fourth annual breakfast.
Another thing I would like to bring to members’ attention—those interested in the arts will appreciate this—is that I had the great pleasure of launching a ceramic and arts exhibition entitled Joy, which is well worth a look. The exhibition is a culmination of personal insight and research done by Narelle Fulwood and Leanne Stahl, whose exhibition aims to discover a distinction between happiness and joy.
We all know how easy it is to become too busy and self-absorbed. It is important to look at ways to help us to take time to reflect upon our own personal faith, learn to develop our personal talents and feel secure in ourselves to express these freely. The show includes luscious mixed media, acrylic collages and elegant full-bodied, lustred vessels. The intention of this exhibition is to bring hope and joy to our community in the midst of outer uncertainties in world events and inner daily struggles.
It is worth a look—I know it is down in the valley—by anybody who knows Tuggeranong and the wonderful work done by the Tuggeranong Arts Centre and the community centre there. The exhibition continues from 5 May to 15 May. It is open from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm on weekdays and from 1.00 pm to 4.00 pm on weekends at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre, on the corner of Cowlishaw and Reed Streets, Greenway. For those listening, you can contact them on 6293 4113.
Last but not least, I would like to talk about another important day. This is the day of fundraising efforts for the Starlight Foundation. Star Day is a vital fundraising day for the foundation to raise funds to support fantastic children’s programs.
Star Day is vitally important to help us raise much-needed funds to brighten the lives of seriously ill and hospitalised children and their families. With around 600,000 children hospitalised in any given year, Starlight is always there to help brighten their lives. Star Day is a fantastic opportunity for us all to offer our support—both financially and, if we can, by becoming volunteers.
I would say that a vote of thanks is in order for all the volunteers, who show their unwavering support for the important community work of the Starlight Foundation. We all know how much physical stress and emotional strain can be placed on a family when a child is hospitalised with a serious illness and is undergoing the rigors of treatment. This has an impact on a child experiencing the joy of childhood.
It is the challenge of Starlight to bring smiles to the faces of children who are hospitalised and to provide a distraction from the pain and boredom by offering fun activities and entertainment. Certainly I can speak from personal experience, having
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