Time is running out to attend the finest fundraising event of the year, Bloomhill’s Mooloolaba progressive dinner, ‘Gastronomic Wander’ on Wednesday, 1 June.

This unique event will be held at three of Mooloolaba’s leading restaurants and aims to raise money for Bloomhill’s major fundraising campaign, Target 300. The dinner promises to whip guest’s tastebuds into a frenzy with a smorgasbord of fine food on offer in true progressive dinner style.

The evening will kick off at 6pm with entrees overlooking the exquisite view of Mooloolaba at 4^th Floor restaurant, followed by an authentic Italian meal at Via Italia finishing with dessert served by award-winning Hot Pipi’s.

Bloomhill Cancer Centre is a Buderim based charity that provides support and assistance to those living with cancer. Operated by a team of dedicated staff and volunteers, Bloomhill offers counselling, transport to appointments, respite care and a range of other complementary therapies.

With more than 800 members and growing, the Bloomhill Cancer Centre in Buderim has reached maximum capacity and is in desperate need of an extension to enable it to help more people with cancer and their families on the Sunshine Coast.

President of Bloomhill, Jenny Carroll said the event is a great way to sample the culinary talents of the Mooloolaba restaurants whilst supporting a worthy cause.

“Bloomhill doesn’t receive any government funding, so we rely on the money raised through generous community support and fundraising activities to continue our services”.

“We encourage everyone to come join us on the “Gastronomic Wander”, supporting a great cause has never tasted so good!” Jenny said.

To assist with fundraising efforts, a monster raffle is also being held with over $2000 worth of exciting prizes including a brand new DELL laptop, Noosa Springs Golf and Spa voucher, Mary Kay beauty packs, Myer and Sunshine Plaza vouchers and much, much more. Raffle tickets can be purchased before or during the event.

Tickets to the “Gastronomic Wander” are selling fast. For only $75 per person, tickets include a welcome drink, entree, a main meal and dessert, and the chance to win some amazing lucky door prizes.

To purchase tickets for this unique event please call Reflected Image Productions on 07 5450 2691.

You can pay by credit card, cheque or money order made out to “Bloomhill Cancer Help”.

Members of the Sunshine Coast Bushwalkers Inc. can now feel safe walking the vast bush lands and national parks of the Sunshine Coast, thanks to a grant from the Buderim Foundation.

Sunshine Coast Bushwalkers Inc. was one of six recipients to have received a 2010 grant from the Buderim Foundation, receiving $1500 for their Safety in Bushwalking project. The money enabled the group to purchase two McMurdo Fast Find Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs), two first aid kits and a set of UHF two-way radios.

President of the Sunshine Coast Bushwalkers Inc, Malcolm Rodley said the club took the duty of care of their members very seriously and this equipment was much needed, particularly during their remote walks.

“The two-way radios are used to communicate within larger groups and to ensure every team member is accounted for,” Malcolm said.

“Our groups often walk in areas without mobile phone reception so the PLBs are definitely important to maintain the safety of every walker,” Malcolm said.

Personal Locator Beacons are an emergency device to be used if injury or accident was to occur in an area without mobile reception. Once activated, the PLB sends out a signal to a satellite, which then forwards the signal along with the PLBs GPS coordinates to Emergency Response Services. These coordinates are then used by either ground or air search parties to precisely locate the bushwalkers.

The Buderim Foundation aims to enrich and enhance the quality of life for Buderim and its residents, past and future. Since starting its Grants Program in 2008, sixteen local organisations have received grants totaling more than $30,000. Those eligible include local non-profit organisations that are able to provide services to the Buderim community.

“The Sunshine Coast Bushwalkers have a strong connection with Buderim. We hold our monthly meetings at the Buderim Craft Cottage and more than a third of our members come from the Buderim area,” Malcolm said.

Chair of the Buderim Foundation, Paul Clark said as a not-for-profit public company, the foundation relied on the generous contributions of local businesses and citizens in order to continue providing grants to quality local community projects and groups.

Grant applications for 2011 open on 13 June and close on 29 July. Application forms and grant guidelines can be found on the Buderim Foundation website from the 6 June 2011.

For more information on the Buderim Foundation or the grants program, please visit, www.buderimfoundation.org.au.

Queensland-based solar company, Auzion, has received national recognition for their latest product innovation, becoming a finalist at this year’s Annual Manufacturers’ Monthly Endeavour Awards.

In fact CEO Mark Leckenby is heading for Melbourne for the Awards presentation on 25 May where the AuziMax Energy Maximiser, Auzion’s custom-designed energy management system, is a finalist in two of categories – the Environmental Solution of the Year, for products designed to reduce environmental impact and manufacturing operations, and Consumer/Trade Product of the Year.

Auzion CEO, Mark Leckenby, said it was great for the Auzion team to be acknowledged for all their hard work, just as the AuziMax received Australian Standards approval, the final stage before it goes into commercial production.

“We are extremely proud of our AuziMax and feel very honoured to be recognised, and we are excited to see the winners announced next Wednesday,” Mark said.

The AuziMax is a revolutionary management system that enables customers to monitor energy in the home or business via an Internet portal and maximise their savings by potentially reducing their energy consumption by as much as 20%. The device allows the user to track their energy consumption, view a detailed breakdown of where and when energy is being used and set energy budgets and targets.

“We have big plans to continue making solar power work for our customers so they can reduce their impact on the environment and save money, without altering their lifestyle,” Mark said.

Auzion’s philosophy and innovation extends from research and the development of clean, green renewable energy. Operated by a team of highly trained professionals, Auzion provides cost-effective, total energy management solutions for residential, educational, industrial and commercial sectors and holds accreditations with the Clean Energy Council and the Association of Building and Sustainability Assessors.

“Our success so far can be attributed to our consistent focus on improvement and research. In this industry especially, it is vital to stay up to date with the latest technology and innovations,” Mark said.

Established in 2003, this year will be the 8th Consecutive year for the awards. Deemed as Australia’s premier national awards for manufacturing excellence, the awards celebrate and recognises the achievements and essential role manufacturing plays in Australia’s economy.

Winners will be announced at the awards presentation dinner on Wednesday, 25 May in Melbourne.

For more information about Auzion or to book a site visit, please call 1300 35 45 75 or visit www.auzion.com.

Bloomhill Cancer Help will host the ‘Gastronomic Wander’, a progressive-style dinner, at three of Mooloolaba’s finest restaurants on Wednesday, 1 June.

An effort to raise money for Bloomhill’s Target 300 campaign, the event will offer guests the opportunity to sample the notorious food-stylings of 4^th Floor, Via Italia and Hot Pipis in progressive style, with each venue providing a dinner course.

With a combination of modern Australian and Italian cuisine, this exclusive event is sure to tantalise the tastebuds of all lucky enough to get tickets.

Bloomhill Cancer Help is a Sunshine Coast based charity that provides support and assistance to those affected by cancer and their families. Operated by a team of dedicated volunteers and staff, Bloomhill offer a range of services and complementary therapies including counselling and transport to appointments.

Target 300, Bloomhill’s latest fundraising campaign, aims to raise $300,000 to fund a much-needed extension to the Bloomhill Centre in Buderim, to cater for an increased number of clientele requiring their services.

Bloomhill President, Jenny Carroll said the event was a great chance to sample the culinary talents of Mooloolaba while supporting a great cause.

“Progressive dinners were a huge hit in the 1950’s and we are bringing back the trend with a five-star quality twist – why enjoy just one great restaurant when you can have three!,” Jenny said.

“As a non-profit organisation, our services are only made possible by the generous contributions of the community and our on-going fundraising events, like this one,” Jenny said.

The event is the brainchild of University of the Sunshine Coast Public Relations students who are mentored by Michelle Smytheman, University Lecturer and Co-Owner of PR and video production consultancy, Reflected Image PRoductions.

As part of their fundraising efforts, the students are also selling tickets in a monster raffle, with prizes totalling more than $2,000 up for grabs.

Tickets to the ‘Gastronomic Wander’ are only $75 per person and include a welcome drink, entrée, main meal and dessert and the chance to win some great lucky door prizes.

Payment can be made by credit card, cheque or money order made payable to ‘Bloomhill Cancer Help’. Spaces are limited, so book your seat today by calling Reflected Image PRoductions on 07 5450 2691.

Queensland environmental company, Fumunda, is making waves worldwide with their latest innovation in marine mammal saving technology which is set to be adopted by KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board in South Africa.

Natal Sharks Board have jumped on board to become the latest country outside Australia to place orders for the new cutting-edge pingers.  Also showing interest in the new whale-saving devices is the Western Australia Pearl Fishing Industries.

Samples of the new F3 Whale Pinger have also been delivered to the US National Marine Fisheries Service who are keen to trial the Pingers in Alaskan waters where large numbers of migrating Humpback whales pass by commercial fishing nets.

General Manager of Fumunda, James Turner said that fishing net bycatch is a major animal welfare problem, killing an estimated 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises each year.

Fumunda, part of the Titley Scientific Group, designs and manufactures marine acoustic alarm devices, commonly known as pingers, which are used to prevent the incidental entanglement and subsequent drowning of marine mammals in fishing nets. The new Pinger was designed specifically to alert Humpback whales and utilises new technology, operating on a low frequency which is easily heard by Whales.

“The new pinger sends out a low-frequency signal which is right in the best hearing range of Humpback whales ” James said.

The F3 Whale Pingers are the latest in a series of pingers from Fumunda designed to protect marine mammals.  Fumunda also produce the F10 Porpoise and F70 Dolphin pingers which are in use by commercial fishers around the world.

“Pingers not only will prevent the unnecessary deaths of countless marine animals but also benefit fishing industries by reducing the costs associated with replacing and repairing damaged nets,” James said.

“Having our new whale Pingers used in international waters is a huge feat for us and we are hoping that other countries will follow suit,” James said.

This break into the international market follows the company’s success from last year, when the Queensland Government added the whale-saving pingers to the shark nets that line the beaches of Queensland. The whale pingers are also in use on shark nets in New South Wales.

Former Queensland Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland, Tim Mulherin said that the State would continue using the new pingers during this year’s whale migration season after last year’s decline of entanglements.

For more information about Fumunda or their new range of marine mammal-saving pingers, please visit www.fumunda.com or call 07 5450 2764.

Unit owners need to be aware of new legislation relating to Contribution and Interest Schedule Lot Entitlements, which are used to calculate the annual fees payable by each owner within a body corporate, according to leading Queensland body corporate management company, Archers Body Corporate Management.

The new “Body Corporate and Community Management and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2010” came into force on 14 April 2011 and has implications for every member of a body corporate in Queensland.

Archers Body Corporate Management director Andrew Staehr said while the legislation introduced many changes, one of the most significant would mean that an owner who had been affected by a lot entitlement change could apply to have the lot entitlements for their complex reverted back to what they were before being changed (pre-adjustment entitlements).

“There have been a number of court cases where penthouse and larger unit owners have successfully argued that they shouldn’t have to pay significantly more than other unit owners which led to changes in lot entitlements across the board,” Mr Staehr said.

Mr Staehr said the new rules would allow an owner who had been affected by a lot entitlement change to lodge a motion with their Body Corporate Committee to have the entitlements changed back to the pre-adjustment entitlements.

An owner will have until the 14^th April 2014 to lodge a motion but once lodged, there was a process which must be followed by the body corporate to revert back to the pre-adjustment entitlements which involved, amongst other things, determining whether any units within the scheme had been affected by one of the following criteria:

• a lot has been subdivided;
• two or more lots have been amalgamated;
• the boundary of a lot has changed; or
• the scheme has been affected by a material change that happened after the pre-adjustment order entitlements were decided

Mr Staehr said there are also a number of other changes introduced by the legislation including additional requirements for Disclosure Statements and rights of termination; and the introduction of a new “Two Lot Scheme” module to make management of these smaller schemes much less onerous for their owners.

“Undoubtedly unit owners will have a myriad of questions relating to the new legislation and what it means for individuals and bodies corporate. Archers Body Corporate Management have secured some of Queensland’s leading body corporate lawyers who will be providing a detailed explanation of the new legislation as one of the main topics at the first round of Education Seminars for 2011 Mr Staehr said.

The Education Seminars, to be held throughout Queensland, are free for all to attend and will also include information on disaster planning with tips on mitigating damage in the event of future natural disasters, which is very relevant given the effects of Cyclone Yasi and the widespread flooding throughout Queensland.

The Seminars will be held in the following locations and times:

• GOLD COAST | 4th May 2011 5.30-7.00PM | Level 2, Q1 Resort & Spa, Hamilton Avenue, Surfers Paradise  RSVP by 3rd May 2011 to 07 5503 0700

• BRISBANE | 5th May 2011 5.30-7.00PM | The Landing at Dockside, 44 Ferry Street, Kangaroo Point | RSVP by 4th May 2011 to 07 3002 2600

• SUNSHINE COAST | 10th May 2011 4.30-6.00PM | Rumba Resort, The Esplanade, Caloundra | RSVP by 9th May 2011 to 07 5458 4500

• WHITSUNDAYS| 12th May 2011 5.30-7.00PM | Shingley Beach Resort, Shingley Drive, Airlie Beach | RSVP by 11th May 2011 to 07 4946 4508

• PORT DOUGLAS | 18th May 2011 5.30-7.00PM | Sea Temple Resort & Spa, Mitre Street, Port Douglas | RSVP by 17th May 2011 to 07 4031 6633   FREE RETURN BUS PROVIDED FROM CAIRNS & PALM COVE – Please register

• TOWNSVILLE | 19th May 2011 5.30-7.00PM | Rydges Southbank, 23 Palmer Street, Townsville | RSVP by 18th May 2011 to 07 4031 6633

For more information or for assistance with any aspect of body corporate management, please contact your nearest Archers Body Corporate Management office by visiting our website www.abcm.com.au or email info@abcm.com.au

The Sunshine Coast Literary Association is helping to bring authors into the 21^st Century with an introductory social media workshop, ‘Authors Without Borders’.

The workshop is a practical introduction to the world of Facebook and will be held on Saturday, 28 May at the Coolum Beach Christian College.

SCLA President Bryan Ward said the aim of the workshop was to help authors understand social media and learn how to get involved.

“Social media can be a very powerful promotional tool for authors because it allows for social interaction, networking and feedback,” Bryan said.

“Just like a business, it is important for authors to connect and communicate with their fans, customers and like-minded individuals, and social media provides the perfect platform,” Bryan said.

“It is also a great way for authors to enhance the creative process by engaging others in conversation.”

The workshop will be presented by Kiki Robinson, a self-confessed ‘geek girl’ and web consultant from The Web Mob.  Drawing from her years of experience in the digital field, Kiki will show participants just how easy it is to build a Facebook page and use it effectively, with examples of how successful authors use social media both online and offline.

“It is easy once you know how,” Kiki said.

“Social media has been around for years, so for authors who haven’t ‘jumped on the bandwagon’ it would be wise to do so soon,” Kiki said.

“The workshop is open to authors with all levels of social media knowledge. We will conduct a pre-workshop questionnaire for participants to ensure every person gets the most out of the workshop,” she said.

Running from 9:30am to 12:30pm, the session is $40 for members and $50 for non-members.

For more information about the workshop and Kiki Robinson, or to make a booking, please visit the What’s On section of the SCLA website, www.scliterary.org or call 5450 2691.

The Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast is continuing to help young businesses generate vital funds to grow their businesses during some of the toughest economic times Queensland has experienced in decades.

In fact, just in the past 3 years, the Innovation Centre has helped entrepreneurs in its network raise more than $8 million in equity investments and grants and a further $2.3 million in loans.

Add to this the $4.4million, visiting R&D tax concession experts RADBE Consulting has helped raise for Sunshine Coast businesses in the same period and it is not surprising that the Innovation Centre has been recognised as an international hotspot for innovation and entrepreneurship.

Innovation Centre entrepreneur-in-residence Nigel Hall said in the last three years it had become more and more difficult to get investment.

“The global financial crisis has affected all areas of investment, with investors in all areas considering their investment decisions more carefully,” Mr Hall said.

“This means entrepreneurs have to do more work to attract investment in the increasing competitive environment which is why programs like ours are important.

“Here at the Innovation Centre, we work closely with entrepreneurs through our business development program focusing on five key areas including business planning; sales and marketing; strategy; finance; and operations & systems,” Mr Hall said.

Mr Hall said equity investment in young businesses could come from one of four different areas: friends and family (sometimes called friends, fools and family in the industry); angel investors, high net-worth individuals; venture capital third party managers; and/or industry partners.

“Now regardless of which area your investors come from, they have all been adversely affected by the GFC, which in Queensland so far this year has also been compounded by the effects of the natural disasters experienced.

“For this reason it has never been more important for entrepreneurs to spend more time ensuring they have done their homework and business planning which is what we help them with,” Mr Hall said.

As part of the Innovation Centre’s commitment to growing businesses and the economy on the Sunshine Coast, this year it is continuing to run its business development and networking program.

The next event in that program is April’s Enterprise Tuesday event on Tuesday 19^th April featuring business incubation and investment expert, OneVentures Innovation Fund General Partner, Anne-Marie Birkill, who will present “Gathering resources to make your ideas happen”.  Enterprise Tuesday runs from 4pm sharp to 6.30pm. Tickets are $33 per person. For more information visit the events page of the Innovation Centre website – www.innovation-centre.com.au.

Mr Hall said the Sunshine Coast, like many other areas in Queensland still reliant on tourism, was struggling and that was why it was so important to continue to nurture business in the area.

“The Sunshine Coast has to develop a more robust economy that is less reliant on the tourism industry.  We have the talent and the expertise and with the continuing commitment of stakeholders in the region such as the Innovation Centre, the University of the Sunshine Coast, the Sunshine Coast Regional Council and other levels of government, we could become national leaders in areas such as clean technology, digital and creative industries.