A trio of University of the Sunshine Coast students will join Bloomhill Cancer Help in hosting the “Gastronomic Wander”, a progressive dinner to

help raise money for Bloomhill’s Target 300 campaign on Wednesday 1 June.

The three Public Relations students, Liberty Moore, Elodie Obkircher-Vela, and Johanna Staffas, who are mentored by Michelle Smytheman from Reflected Image Productions, are all eager to start putting their studies and enthusiasm into action for a good cause.

The students are organising an exciting evening in Mooloolaba where guests will eat at three of Mooloolaba’s finest restaurants, 4^th Floor, Via Italia and Soave in progressive dinner style made famous in the 1950’s.

The event will raise money for Bloomhill’s Target 300 campaign, which is aimed at funding a desperately needed extension to the Bloomhill Cancer Help Centre in Buderim, to accommodate the increased number of clientele it is servicing.

Elodie Obkircher-Vela said the event was a great opportunity to give back to the community whilst getting the chance to put her studies into action.

Johanna Staffas, originally from Sweden moved to Australian in 2009 to complete her Public Relations degree at USC and to experience the coast lifestyle.

“It has been an incredible experience to complete my degree here, the people are wonderful and I’m excited to start using my studies to plan such a fun event,” Johanna said.

Bloomhill Cancer Centre is run by a team of dedicated staff and volunteers who rely on contributions from the community to provide services to people with cancer and their families throughout the Sunshine Coast.

Liberty Moore said she hopes the event will draw in people of all ages who are guaranteed an exciting night out and a unique dining experience.

Tickets for the progressive dinner will cost $75 per person and include a welcome drink, entree, main meal and dessert and the chance to win some exciting prizes.  As part of their fundraising efforts the students are also selling tickets in a monster raffle in the lead up to and at the event.

The tickets for this special event are available for purchase from Reflected Image PRoductions.  You can pay by credit card, or cheque or money order made out to “Bloomhill Cancer Help”.  To reserve your place today, phone 07 5450 2691.

Time is running out to enter the 2011 Sunshine Coast Literary Association’s Annual Writers Competition.

Entries close on Friday, 29 April so get in fast to ensure you don’t miss out. The competition is open to aspiring writers in the Sunshine Coast and Gympie area, with six entry categories including junior short story, junior poem, young adult, short story, young adult poem, open short story and open poem.

President of the SCLA, Bryan Ward said the competition has always received a great response from Sunshine Coast writers and is sure this year would be no different.

“Our panel of judges are really looking forward to reading this year’s entries, especially following the calibre of entries received last year,” Bryan said.

“The competition is designed to provide an outlet for talented writers to showcase their work to their peers and receive valuable feedback from professional and accomplished writers,” he said.

There are six categories in this year’s competition including:

• Category 1: Open Short Story, to a maximum of 2500 words.
• Category 2: Open Poem, to a maximum of 40 lines.
• Category 3: Young Adult (High School, Years 8-12) Short Story, to a maximum of 1500 words.
• Category 4: Young Adult (High School, Years 8-12) Poem, to a maximum of 40 lines.
• Category 5: Junior (Primary, Years 5-7) Short Story, to a maximum of 1000 words.
• Category 6: Junior (Primary, Years 5-7) Poem, to a maximum of 20 lines.

There are some great prizes up for grabs with each category winner taking home $200, $50 for second place and certificates for highly commended. A panel of experienced judges decide on the winners, which will be announced at the WARM Writing Competition Dinner on Thursday, 23 June. More details regarding the event will be available closer to the date.

The Sunshine Coast Literary Association is a not-for-profit association dedicated to nurturing, showcasing and celebrating literary talent throughout the Sunshine Coast region.

“Now in its third consecutive year, the WARM Writing Competition is becoming a key part of the Association’s character,” Bryan said.

“We encourage everyone to have a go, you never know, maybe they will discover a hidden talent,” Bryan said.

This year, the University of the Sunshine Coast is sponsoring the Young Adult Short Story category of the competition. More sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information email info@scliterary.org.

Each entry is $5 with a maximum of three entries per candidate. Entry forms and details are available online at the SCLA website, www.scliterary.org, or by emailing info@scliterary.org. All entries must be received by 29th April 2011.

The launch of Auzion’s exciting new AuziRack Mounting System and Wholesale Department, held on Wednesday, 23 March was a huge success and continues to go from strength to strength, already achieving media coverage from Channel 7, Win TV, View News, Sunshine Coast Daily and the Courier Mail.

Right: Courier Mail Article, 25 March 2011

Auzion, the solar energy experts, celebrated the launch of their AuziRack Mounting System and Wholesale Kits at the Innovation Centre on Wednesday, 23^rd of March.

Entrepreneur and founder of Auzion, Mark Leckenby, said the launch is the perfect chance to introduce the products to businesses in the Cleantech Industry and demonstrate their position as a leader in sustainable solar energy solutions.

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.

The AuziRack Mounting System is the brainchild of Mark Leckenby, who boasts more than 25 years experience as an electrical engineer. The product was developed along side with partner, G.James Glass and Aluminium, a company with over 100 years experience and a fantastic reputation in the Australian glass and aluminium industry.

“The system is Australian made and its design has been refined and perfected over time to ensure we are only offering the best quality products to our customers,” Mark said.

“It comes with a 10-year warranty, is rated for all Australian cyclone zones and has been approved by engineers,” Mark said.

Auzion also launched their new wholesale department at the event, becoming one of very few companies supporting both the local market and customers nationwide. Solar companies will now be able to access and purchase Auzion’s wholesale kits and custom-designed solar products which will all be available via their new wholesale website.

“The website is really easy to navigate. Simply register, peruse and buy,” Mark said.

“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.

“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.

“We also have the launch of another product on the horizon, our Auzimax Energy Maximiser which is set to launch in mid 2011 and hit the commercial market by the end of the year,” Mark said.

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

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

Auzion, an industry leader in sustainable solar energy solutions, is set to make an exciting announcement on Wednesday, 23 March that will offer the local solar industry a whole new way of operating.

The announcement will be made during an industry event held at the Innovation Centre foyer. Beginning at 10:30am, the event will include a short presentation and demonstration accompanied by a light morning tea.

Launching just two years ago, entrepreneur and founder of Auzion, Mark Leckenby said the announcement was regarding a new Auzion product innovation and the development of a quality industry tool that will provide substantial benefits and improve practices for solar companies operating on the Sunshine Coast and in South East Queensland.

“We are really excited to announce our big news, but we won’t be giving anything away until the event,” Mark said.

Auzion is an environmentally friendly solar company that advocates sustainable living. Auzion’s philosophy of innovation extends from research and development of clean, green renewable energy to business strategies to develop and grow the solar industry. Operated by a team of highly trained professionals, Auzion provides cost-effective, total energy management solutions for residential, educational, industrial and commercial sectors.

“Our proactive approach to research and development ensures we are providing our customers with the latest sustainable energy technology and this announcement will definitely prove our commitment to this,” Mark said.

Among those on the invitation list include prominent local Cleantech and solar companies, solar industry affiliates and company stakeholders.

“In this industry especially, it is vital to use the highest-quality materials and tools and to stay up to date with the latest technology and innovations,” Mark said.

“Auzion has successfully more than 1,600 grid-connected customers and we believe that is attributed to our extensive industry experience and strong focus on customer satisfaction,” Mark said.

For more information about Auzion or to arrange a site visit please call 1300 AUZION or visit www.auzion.com.

Entries are starting to roll in for the 2011 Sunshine Coast Literary Association’s Annual Writers Competition.

President of the SCLA, Bryan Ward said the competition so far had received a great response from Sunshine Coast writers.

Entries to the Writers Competition close on Friday, 29 April. The competition is open to aspiring writers in the Sunshine Coast and Gympie area, with six entry categories including junior short story, junior poem, young adult short story, young adult poem, open short story and open poem.

“The interest in the competition demonstrates the need for organisations like the SCLA,” Bryan said.

“The competition is designed to provide an outlet for talented writers to showcase their work to their peers and receive valuable feedback from professional and accomplished writers,” he said.

There are six categories in this year’s competition including:

• Category 1: Open Short Story, to a maximum of 2500 words.
• Category 2: Open Poem, to a maximum of 40 lines.
• Category 3: Young Adult (High School, Years 8-12) Short Story, to a maximum of 1500 words.
• Category 4: Young Adult (High School, Years 8-12) Poem, to a maximum of 40 lines.
• Category 5: Junior (Primary, Years 5-7) Short Story, to a maximum of 1000 words.
• Category 6: Junior (Primary, Years 5-7) Poem, to a maximum of 20 lines.

There are some great prizes up for grabs with each category having a $200 first prize, $50 second prize, a $25 Sunshine Plaza voucher for the top highly commended entry.  All winners will also receive a certificate.

All category winners will receive$200, with second place with $50 and Highly Commended entries. A panel of experienced judges decide on the winners, which will be announced at the WARM Writing Competition Dinner on Thursday, 23 June. More details regarding the event will be available closer to the date.

The Sunshine Coast Literary Association is a not-for-profit association dedicated to nurturing, showcasing and celebrating literary talent throughout the Sunshine Coast region.

“The WARM Writing Competition was first held in 2007 and has been run every year since 2009 so it is becoming a key part of the Association’s character,” Bryan said.

“We encourage everyone to have a go, you never know, maybe they will discover a hidden talent,” Bryan said.

This year, the University of the Sunshine Coast is sponsoring the Young Adult Short Story category of the competition.  More sponsorship opportunities are available.  For more information email info@scliterary.org.

Each entry is $5 with a maximum of three entries per candidate. Entry forms and details are available online at the SCLA website, www.scliterary.org, or by emailing info@scliterary.org.   All entries must be received by 29^th April 2011.

Bloomhill Cancer Help will be opening the roller-doors of their Distribution Centre on Saturday, 5 March to hold one of the Sunshine Coast’s biggest Garage Sales.

Bloomhill President, Jenny Carroll said the garage sale was a great chance for people to pick up some really good quality items for a fraction of the cost, and at the same time support a worthy cause.

The garage sale is just the start of a huge week of Bloomhill savings. From Monday, 7 March to Saturday, 12 March, Bloomhill will host their End of Season Sale, offering up to 30% off at all six Bloomhill Op Shops across the Sunshine Coast.

“You will be able to find all sorts of items at the garage sale and op shops during this week from furniture to appliances and white goods, of course clothing, and even sporting equipment,” Jenny said.

“There will be huge savings with prices to be slashed even lower than our normal Op Shop prices,” Jenny said.

Bloomhill Cancer Help is a Sunshine Coast based charity and provides support and assistance to those affected by cancer. Operated by a team of dedicated staff and hundreds of volunteers, Bloomhill offers counselling, transport to appointments, respite care and a range of complementary therapies and other practical help.

“Bloomhill doesn’t receive any government funding, so we rely on the money raised through our OP shops, donations, grants and fundraising activities, for us to continue to provide our high level of care,” Jenny said.

“The services we provide at Bloomhill are only made possible by the open-hearted support we receive from the local community and businesses.”

The Garage Sale is open from 7am to 12pm and will be held at the Bloomhill Distribution Centre at 10 Endeavour Drive, Kunda Park. There will also be free hot dogs.

The Bloomhill Op Shops are located in Buderim (Main Street), Maroochydore (First Avenue), Mooloolaba (Brisbane Road), Nambour (opposite hospital), Caloundra (Bulcock Street) and Noosa (Rene Street).

“We have received overwhelming support from the Sunshine Coast community in the past and we are sure there will be a great turn out to support us this time as well, and we encourage everyone to come down and take a look, you never know what treasures you may find,” Jenny said.

To find out more about Bloomhill visit www.bloomhill.com.au or visit a Bloomhill Op Shop.

Leading Australian Internet marketing firm, Traffika, is breaking into the international market with a new licensed company launching in India to service South East Asia.

The new company, Traffika Asia, in Hyderabad, is a real coup for Traffika which has made a huge impression in the Australian market since its launch a little more than two years ago.

Traffika Australia’s Managing Director, Matt Forman said this new partnership would not only demonstrate the quality of their business, services and brand to a new market but would also provide Australian clients with the opportunity to extend their reach into Asia and vice versa.

Traffika Asia will service areas of South East Asia including India, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. The new team will be led by entrepreneur, Traffika Asia CEO, Dinesh Jain, a former Google employee with more than 5 years of Adwords and Google Analytics experience. Prior to joining Traffika Asia, Dinesh managed the Google Analytics Agency Partner program in the Asia Pacific region. Dinesh also holds a Masters of Business and IT from the University of Melbourne.

“With Dinesh’s experience working with digital agencies throughout the Asia Pacific region he understands what makes agencies successful and deliver superior client results,” Matt said.

Dinesh said he chose Traffika because they shared the same mission and values in business with Traffika’s focus on client results and service.

“Traffika’s systems and business model are ahead of the curve and set the standard for other agencies to follow”.

“Asia is an emerging market and  so there is a huge opportunity to help businesses find new customers and grow their business,” Dinesh said.

“Traffika Asia will start out as a team of six but we are anticipating that number will double by the end of the year,” he said.

Traffika specialises in helping businesses drive quality online traffic to their online presence, and convert that traffic to bottom line results. Since it’s launch in Queensland, Traffika Australia has grown to be considered one of the top digital marketing agencies in the nation, attracting large clients including Bond University, Lorna Jane, Alibaba.com and Sunsuper.

Traffika’s rapid growth in the industry could be due to its unique underlying business philosophy that achieves great results for their clients every time and for their strategic approach, which carefully measures the effectiveness of every tactic they use.

“At Traffika, we are ‘results driven’, motivated by the success created by the campaign and achieving results clients expect rather than focusing on increasing client spend and commissions,” Matt said.

“It is astonishing to see just how far the business has come, and once we are successful in Asia, who knows where we will set our sights next,” Matt said.

“I am confident that with Dinesh leading the Traffika Asia team, it will follow along the same success path of Traffika Australia,” he said.

Easter is traditionally at time when Australian families spend time reconnecting. Queensland has always been a popular destination at this time of year but recent weather events have hit the Queensland tourism industry hard.

Sunshine Coast mum and author of Kids Welcome guidebooks, Sarah Pye, says much of Queensland has not been affected, yet visitors are still cancelling their holidays.

“Queensland hotels and attractions are encouraging visitors through the door with remarkable specials and discounts at the moment, just in time for Easter,” Ms Pye says.

“There is always a flip side to any crisis and families can save heaps on their holidays, while helping the relief effort.”

Ms Pye is passionate about making it easier for families to explore this beautiful state. Her guidebook Kids Welcome to Queensland includes reviews of over 1000 activities, attractions, tours, places to eat, places to stay throughout the Sunshine State. Many of the items are free or low cost. Each review saves valuable planning time with contact details and suitability in three age-groups: preschool, primary and teen.

Ms Pye will be sharing some of her favourite Queensland destinations and activities on the stage at the Brisbane 4×4 Show on April 9 and 10. Her talk “School holidays made easy” is scheduled for at 10.30am each day and her talk “The grandkids are coming!” is schedules for 1.30pm each day. She will also have plenty of family-friendly prizes to give away.

Kids Welcome to Queensland (RRP $24.95) is endorsed by Tourism Queensland and Playgroup Queensland. It been called “a must for every glove box” and one of “five top travel books”.  It is available at most bookshops or online at www.kidswelcome.com.au. Sarah Pye’s next book, Kids Welcome to New South Wales & ACT will be available in June.

“Queensland needs your help to get back on its feet,” Ms Pye says, “What better way than planning your Easter holiday at home?”

The creative minds of writers across the Sunshine Coast will be put to the test once again for the 2011 Sunshine Coast Literary Association’s Annual Writers Competition.

President of the SCLA, Bryan Ward said the competition was fierce last year, demonstrating the amazing abilities of writers on the Sunshine Coast.

Entries to the Writers Competition are now open and close on Friday, 29 April. The competition is open to aspiring writers in the Sunshine Coast and Gympie area, with six entry categories including junior short story, junior poem, young adult short story, young adult poem, open short story and open poem.

“This year we hosted a Short Story Summer School on February 3 and 10, which aimed to prepare entrants for the competition and get their ‘writing juices flowing’,” Bryan said.

“The competition is designed to provide an outlet for talented writers to showcase their work to their peers and receive valuable feedback from professional and accomplished writers,” he said.

There are six categories in this year’s competition including:

• Category 1: Open Short Story, to a maximum of 2500 words.
• Category 2: Open Poem, to a maximum of 40 lines.
• Category 3: Young Adult (High School, Years 8-12) Short Story, to a maximum of 1500 words.
• Category 4: Young Adult (High School, Years 8-12) Poem, to a maximum of 40 lines.
• Category 5: Junior (Primary, Years 5-7) Short Story, to a maximum of 1000 words.
  • Category 6: Junior (Primary, Years 5-7) Poem, to a maximum of 20 lines.

There are some great prizes up for grabs with each category having a $200 first prize, $50 second prize, a $25 Sunshine Plaza voucher for the top highly commended entry.  All winners will also receive a certificate.

All category winners will receive$200, with second place with $50 and Highly Commended entries. A panel of experienced judges decide on the winners, which will be announced at the WARM Writing Competition Dinner on Thursday, 23 June. More details regarding the event will be available closer to the date.

The Sunshine Coast Literary Association is a not-for-profit association dedicated to nurturing, showcasing and celebrating literary talent throughout the Sunshine Coast region.

“The WARM Writing Competition was first held in 2007 and has been run every year since 2009 so it is becoming a key part of the Association’s character,” Bryan said.

“We encourage everyone to have a go, you never know, maybe they will discover a hidden talent,” Bryan said.

This year, the University of the Sunshine Coast is sponsoring the Young Adult Short Story category of the competition.  More sponsorship opportunities are available.  For more information email info@scliterary.org.

Each entry is $5 with a maximum of three entries per candidate. Entry forms and details are available online at the SCLA website, www.scliterary.org, or by emailing info@scliterary.org.   All entries must be received by 29^th April 2011.