From February 1 to March 30 the Carpet Court Storybook Challenge will be open to children in grades one to four in the Ballarat store region. Entrants must describe what they love most about their local community and provide an illustration.
Students wishing to enter can pick up an entry form for the Storybook Challenge from Ballarat Carpet Court, their local participating primary school, download one from www.facebook.com/CarpetCourt or email storybook@carpetcourt.com.au.
Eligible entries will be displayed on www.facebook.com/CarpetCourt where the public can vote to determine the top five finalists.
Finalists will be judged by a panel at Carpet Court, including a successful children’s author, with winners for each participating store announced from 16 April 2012.

Flooring Grants for Schools
As well as providing books and reading mats for winners of Carpet Court’s Storybook Challenge, participating schools can win the chance to have their school floors made-over with Carpet Court’s new Flooring Grants for Schools initiative.
Whether it’s new vinyl for the cafeteria, hardwood floors for a striking reception, or fresh carpet in the classroom, Carpet Court’s Flooring Grants provide up to $10,000 of the latest flooring products for schools. Terms and conditions apply.
Schools whose students participated in the Carpet Court Storybook Challenge will be invited to apply for a Flooring Grant when the local winners are announced.

Carpet Court Learning Network
The Storybook Challenge is part of a wider community initiative called the Carpet Court Learning Network aimed at fostering literacy skills among Australia’s youth. Under this initiative, 2012 will see Carpet Court sponsor the Children’s Charity Network in support of their Young Australian Writing & Art Awards and book giving program Carpert Court Book Drop For Kids, while also running the Carpet Court Storybook Challenge and Carpet Court Flooring Grants program.

Friday 27 January 2012 – Live Nation are thrilled to announce that popular entertainer Denis Walter and soprano sensation Greta Bradman will support international superstars Il Divo at their upcoming show in Melbourne at the iconic Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Tickets are on sale now from Ticketmaster.

Entertaining Australians for more than four decades, Denis Walter remains one of Australia’s most successful performers.  Denis burst onto the Australian entertainment scene in the early ‘70s and remains as popular as ever today, hosting 3AW’s high-rating afternoons program as well as performing at many corporate and charity events across the country. In November 2011 Denis released his 16^th album, Songs From A Southern Land – Volume One. This included Denis’ unique interpretation of Australian classics including Ship Song (Nick Cave), Wings Of An Eagle (Russell Morris), One Perfect Day (Little Heroes), Girls On The Avenue (Richard Clapton) and an acoustic version of Cold Chisel’s Forever Now.

Greta Bradman has recently emerged as one of the foremost sopranos of her generation. Greta is a beautiful young singer with a powerhouse voice and commanding stage presence, and has received rave reviews across Australia for her performances. Music runs deep in Greta’s family, with a jazz musician father and both grandfathers talented amateur musicians. Particularly close to Greta’s heart is a song she recorded written by her grandfather, the iconic Australian cricket legend Sir Donald Bradman. This was the only new recording featured in a compilation of songs selected from his own record collection for a double CD release Don Bradman: The Music He Loved (ABC Classics 2009). In addition to having two award-winning independent CDs, Greta received an ARIA nomination for her debut solo album with Sony Music, Forest of Dreams (2010) and was shortlisted as Best Newcomer in the 2010 ABC Limelight Magazine Awards. In 2011 Greta released her second album with Sony Music, Grace, to much critical acclaim.

The world’s most successful classical crossover group, Il Divo, won the hearts of media and fans alike during their November visit to Australia where they announced their upcoming national tour at Melbourne Spring Carnival. Their Australian tour kicks off on Valentine’s Day at the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday 14 February 2012. Fans can look forward to all the emotion, beauty and power of Il Divo’s unique vocals and operatic arrangements as they take audiences on a journey that combines opera, pop and musical theatre.

“We’re so excited to be kicking off our 2012 tour in Australia. Valentine’s Day, performing at the Sydney Opera House, is going to be such a memorable start to a world tour … it really feels like coming home. It’s a country full of my favourite things: Tim Tams, Whale Beach, shopping on Chapel Street and one of the best zoos in the world. We can’t wait to have the time whilst on tour to enjoy it all!” – Sebastien Izambard (Il Divo)

With a new show designed by Creative Director, Brian Burke (Artistic Director of ‘La Reve’ & Celine Dion’s five-year run of ‘A New Day’ at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas) and the support of the Il Divo orchestra, the 2012 tour promises to incorporate a stunning visual and musical mix of fan favourites as well as premiering songs from their new album Wicked Game.

The record-breaking quartet – Swiss tenor Urs Buhler, baritone Carlos Marin from Spain, French pop artist Sebastien Izambard and tenor David Miller from the USA first came together in 2003, the culmination of an exhaustive search by music producer Simon Cowell to find four singers of distinctive individual gifts who could, as a group, create musical magic. The results have been stunning – with more than 25 million album sales, 150 gold and platinum discs, more than 2 million concert tickets sold and the only crossover classical album Ancora ever to enter the US Billboard Top 200 at number 1.

Don’t miss your chance to experience the magic of Il Divo live in 2012. Il Divo Wicked Game is out now through Sony Music Entertainment. Greta Bradman Grace is out now through Sony Music Entertainment. Denis Walter Songs From A Southern Land – Volume One available now.

FOR FULL TOUR & TICKET INFORMATION VISIT WWW.ILDIVO.COM

Since launching last September with big name acts including Colin Hay and Mark Seymour, 2012’s inauguralRiverboats Music Festival is set to rock the mighty Murray from 17-19 February. With just 3 weeks to go, the festival is thrilled to have recently added 22 piece Congolese Choir ‘The Angel Voices Band’ to the incredible line up.

The Angel Voices Band is a group of 22 young Congolese musicians and singers hailing from Shepparton, Victoria. Formed in the backyard of a band member’s house back in 2006, the Angel Voices aim to promote a harmonious society free of racism and based on a respect for all Australians.

Angel Voices have performed across the Goulburn Valley at events including the Shepparton Arts Festival, the Shine Multicultural Youth Festival and National Youth Week, as well as being featured on the ABC’s 7.30 Report in September 2010.

This year’s City of Ballarat Harmony Fest will be celebrated with a strong Koorie contingent and the Ballarat and district Aboriginal Co-operative will be out in force to celebrate with other local Aboriginal organisations.
Led by the Koorie Night Markets in Alfred Deakin Place, BADAC will have a stall featuring Aboriginal inspired jewellery, souvenirs, flags, pins and much more and will also have some fun traditional Aboriginal games for the kids and some creative art and craft activities!
BADAC is excited to be involved this year and predicts Harmony Fest will be another great event for Ballarat!

For those who don’t know this project started with the “Supporting Community Issues” a joint project run by ACU and UB.  From the many opportunities to work with various community groups, Voice FM had four 3rd year teacher students from ACU put their hand up to work with us.  From our first meeting when we discussed various options they undertook to write a program to assist us in our endeavours to engage education facilities.  The result was a complete package for Voice FM and Teachers.  The students, Matthew Hoey, Paul McAloon, Mark Tanis and Rowan Walker called the project “KOTA” Kids On The Air.

The package prepared by Mat, Paul, Mark and Rowan streamlines what Voice FM has to do.  It is written by student teachers in a way that engages teachers to understand why this is such a great project and how it can be implemented in their classrooms and schools.  It links to the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) at level 3, students “Civics and Citizenship”, “Interpersonal Development” and “English”.

The KOTA project has been written specifically to give children the opportunity to experience how a radio station works and to work with Voice FM to develop, produce and record their own radio show.  This program will provide children with an insight into the world of radio broadcasting that they would not have otherwise had, giving them a taste of the work involved and providing them with realistic expectations of a career in radio.

An integral part of this project is the refurbishing of our old caravan and a Merlin 8 mixer has been purchased and our fabulous volunteer technicians have installed the mixer which will be used for the first time at Harmony Fest 2012 Ballarat.

The Voice FM team look forward to working with schools located in the Ballarat Region initially and assuming a successful outcome of the pilot project we hope to include schools within the Central Highlands Region.

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Part 2 – Helen chatting with Andrew about a specific example of a town in Europe using straw for energy and how that could happen here in Ballarat

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Link to the Federal Energy Draft White Paper mentioned in today’s discussion – Energy White Paper

This press release arrived at the station yesterday and Voice FM is proud to include the article and photo in support of Pat Farmer and Red Cross…

They said he’d never make it. They were wrong. Today Australian ultra runner Pat Farmer raised the Red Cross flag at the South Pole after the greatest run in history.
Inevitably, there was a glitch, for nothing great is ever easy. Pat’s support vehicle with his guide and supplies broke down an agonising 8 km from the Pole, so Pat abandoned the crew, and ran on alone to the Pole, where he broke down with emotion, and then planted the white flag with the big red cross in the ice at the very bottom of the world.
Pat is currently in a tent at the US base, with his feet in warm water drinking a bottle of champagne. He’s spoken to his children, Brooke and Dillon and is replaying the entire experience in his head with an enormous feeling of deep satisfaction.
“I’ve endured a lot on this run, but the people of Africa and East Timor and South America who have no clean water or have been victims of flood, earthquake, fire and famine do it very tough too” said Pat.
In his mission to raise funds for the Red Cross, Pat set out from the North Pole in early April, and ran through Canada, the United States, Central America and South America to his final destination in Antarctica, the South Pole. The 21,000 km epic trek saw Pat brave -40 degree Polar region snow blizzards, become lost in the blazing deserts of Peru, dodge polar bears, snakes, crocodiles, armed bandits and rogue militias, and narrowly miss being wiped out by an out-of-control truck. Running an incredible average 80km every day, with no days off, he has suffered dehydration, stress injuries and pushed through unimaginable pain.
“This run will take a toll on my body for as long as I live,” he says, “but every step, every frustration, and every moment when I’ve considered, but rejected the thought of lying down and not running another kilometre, has been worth it. Running long distances is my gift, my way of making a difference. The money I raise by inspiring people from all over the planet to donate to Red Cross clean water and sanitary projects in the third world will save lives. I’m asking all Australians to dig deep and support this exceptionally important work”
Red Cross CEO, Robert Tickner says, “Pat Farmer is an inspiration to all humanity.  Red Cross is extremely proud and grateful to have a supporter like Pat Farmer who has given his all in an amazing feat of physical courage and endurance to raise awareness and funds for water and sanitation projects around the world.”
Pat’s Pole to Pole run, however, is not quite over. Pat had to cut short his run through Chile and Argentina to make the last flight to the Antarctic in time to reach the South Pole before worsening conditions there made running impossible. He will now fly from the Pole back to where he stopped running in Puerto Montt, Chile, and then embark on the final leg of his run, 2,500 km down to Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego, at the bottom tip of the Americas, to finish his run. Then, he says, “I’m going home to be with my children Brooke and Dillon in Sydney, rest up at the beach and have that meat pie with potatoes I’ve dreamed about.”
To support Pat Farmer and donate to Red Cross water and sanitation projects, go to www.poletopolerun.com  or visit the Red Cross website www.redcross.org.au.
Photographer:  Keoki Flagg