A new store has

opened in Parkes,
Ooshka - fresh, funky
clothing for little peo-
ple.
Ooshka is the pas-
sion, hobby and inter-
est of Michelle
Mullaney and has grad-
ually grown into an up-
and-coming business in
Parkes.
From a very young
age I was taught to sew,
knit and crochet,
Michelle said.
Having a very
clever mother who
even today is my go-to
person for tips and ad-
vice on knitting in-
stilled a love of all
things handmade.
(Her handknitted
blankets and rugs are
available in store under
the brand Ooshka by
Nan).
Michelle moved
back to Parkes to start a
family after 15 years
working in the corpo-
rate world in Canberra.
My mother-in-law
(Marian Toohey)
reignited my passion
for sewing introduc-
ing me to patchwork.
This combined
with my love of kids
fashion led to the be-
ginnings of Ooshka in
July 2011, Michelle
said.
Ooshka started de-
signing and making
handmade childrens
clothing selling them
on Facebook.
This then moved
into sourcing funky,
quality brands and
opening a baby bou-
tique located upstairs at
the Commercial Hotel -
still stocking our own
Ooshka by Nan and
Ooshka Handmade
products.
Having now made
the move to 234
Clarinda Street (next to
Betta Electrical) we
have branched out into
all things for little peo-
ple including furni-
ture, soft toys, bedding
and accessories.
We stock brands
such as Rock Your
Baby, Sapling Child,
Oobi, Aden & Anais,
Alimrose, Lucky Boy
Sunday, Sophie the Gi-
raffe, Walnut shoes,
Love Luck and Won-
der, Kip and Co, Incy
and our own Ooshka by
Nan and Ooshka Hand-
made.
We have a love for
things that are that little
bit different, quirky and
funky while still main-
taining quality and
practicality at afford-
able prices, Michelle
said.
by Katherine
Cannon, CSU work
experience student.
On a cold and miser-
able Tuesday morning,
four volunteers from
Northparkes Mines gave
their time to give back to
the community by giv-
ing a much needed hand
to the garden plot at
Parkes Public School.
The miners are part
of a Volunteer Leave
Program which allows
them to offer skilled
labour to the community
whenever possible.
The program is a
unique opportunity for
Northparkes employees
to volunteer within work
or outside hours and
contribute their time on
various programs around
the town.
Brooke Lees (North-
parkes Community and
External Relations Ad-
visor) believes the pro-
gram is best made by the
people and not by finan-
cial incentives.
The program was
designed due to the no-
tion that the best contri-
bution to the community
could be made by our
people, not our money,
Brooke said.
Through the skills
our workforce brings to
the Parkes and Forbes
areas we can provide as-
sistance to businesses
and community groups
alike that they wouldnt
otherwise have access
to.
Mines are often crit-
icised for taking skills
from the area, this pro-
gram breaks that myth.
We are able to show
that mining actually
brings skills and through
this program we are able
to share these skills with
the community.
The program offers
two days leave which al-
lows the employees to
receive a free leadership
experience in the com-
munity.
The first project took
place in May 2013 at the
Parkes PCYC.
Other volunteering
has included work at St
Vincent de Paul, Legacy
cake bake, Parkes Little
Athletics, Peak Hill
Hospital Fete, and oth-
ers.
The garden plot at
Parkes Public School
was the latest.
Since the program
started 58 people have
taken part since 2013,
with another 61 employ-
ees so far in 2014.
Two of the four min-
ers who gave up their
time, volunteers Tim
Somers and Tom Smith
expressed a positive re-
sponse to the program.
Its a terrific pro-
gram, great to give back
to the community, Tom
said.
Being involved in
the community is great.
Its good to get out of the
workshop and do a good
deed.
All employees en-
gaged have seen first
hand the benefits of the
program, and the posi-
tive impact its making.
Interestingly the
highest take-up has been
from the underground
crews who took part in
the Memorial Hill
Restoration Project,
alongside Parkes Shire
Council, the SES, and
Rotary.
The Northparkes Vol-
unteering Program has
proven itself as a sus-
tainable program that
will continue to have a
pleasing impact for the
future.
PARKES CHAMPION POST | Monday, June 30, 2014 |www.parkeschampionpost.com.au | 3
Some of the regions
best swimmers could be
competing here next Feb-
ruary if an application by
the Parkes Swimming
Club to host the Moun-
tains and Plains Area
Summer Championships
is successful.
Parkes Shire Council
right behind the applica-
tion and has forwarded a
letter of support to the or-
ganisers of the champi-
onships.
The Mountains and
Plains area encompasses
Glenbrook in the east to
Condobolin in the west.
It is more than 10
years since a carnival of
such magnitude was held
in Parkes.
In recent years the
championships have been
hosted by Lithgow, Or-
ange and Bathurst.
If the Parkes Swim-
ming Club is successful
it is expected more than
300 swimmers from
across the region will
compete.
This would result in
not only the competitors
but their families, coaches
and friends staying in
town for the weekend.
Mr Ben Howard
(Councils Acting Direc-
tor Operations) said coun-
cil was proud to support
the application.
Parkes Swimming
Club can reflect with
pride on its contribution
to the community over
many decades, he said.
Cr Michael Green-
wood suggested the date
should be checked to
avoid clashing with other
events in February.
There will be 1,000
kids here that month too
for the Little As champi-
onships and you certainly
wouldnt want the two
events to clash, particu-
larly in regards to accom-
modation, Cr
Greenwood said.
!From page 1.
diocese most recently the Bishop of Armi-
dale, Bishop Michael Kennedy.
Bishop Kennedy said the appointment of
Bishop-elect Macbeth-Green would be a new
beginning for the diocese.
He has a well-grounded faith and possesses
the human attributes that will equip him to be a
good pastor to the people of this rural and out-
back diocese.
With his experience in country parishes he
understands the joys, struggles and challenges of
country parishes and their people.
Mayor of Parkes, Councillor Ken Keith, said
Parkes was proud to host such an important event
on behalf of the diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes.
Council will host a civic reception in the
Coventry Room of the Parkes Shire Library and
Cultural Centre on Wednesday night to formally
welcome important church representatives from
throughout Australia and overseas and to recog-
nise such a major event on the diocesan agenda
being held in Parkes.
Cr Keith thanked parish priest Father John
Keeble and the diocesan organising committee
on their attention to detail to ensure the success
of an event from which thousands of Catholics
around western NSW will derive so much bene-
fit for years to come.
Lending a helping hand - Tom Smith, Geoff Woods, Shinya Takemoto,
Toshihito Toyoshima, Hitoshi Ito, Mitsuhiro Yokata, Paul Brown, Tim
Somers; front, Takayuki Seto and Alice Zhao.
Community
benefits from
volunteer
program
The garden plot project at Parkes Public School receives some attention.
Marian Toohey checks out the large range of stock in Ooshka.
Fresh, funky new business
Marian Toohey (back), Ellie Toohey and Michelle
Mullaney (owner), and front, Cooper Toohey in
Ooshka .
BISHOP ORDINATION
TO BE HELD IN PARKES
Bid for swim titles