As the Sunshine Coast public showed its community spirit for the athletes of the Mooloolaba Tri, so too did they show their support for Bloomhill Cancer Help at the Mooloolaba Triathlon Festival this year, raising over $4,500 for the charity.

The sunny weather and fantastic race events encouraged both competitors and the public to support the local charity throughout the festival weekend of 26^th to 28^th March.  The proceeds will be presented to Bloomhill this Friday, 30 April at 10am.

Bloomhill Cancer Help, which assists people throughout the Sunshine Coast to live with cancer, is very grateful to USM Events, organisers of the Triathlon, for once again selecting Bloomhill as the nominated charity this year, which provided an opportunity to raise funds and awareness at the Triathlon.

Bloomhill vice-president and Triathlon competitor, Brett Graham said USM had really shown their strong support for the charity and the work they did which included offering practical as well as emotional support for people with cancer and their loved ones, including counselling, support groups, complementary therapies and transport.

“This year is the second year USM has chosen to support Bloomhill at the Mooloolaba Triathlon and we look forward to continuing this successful relationship with USM Events for many years to come.

“Bloomhill relies on the generosity of the public and without the strong support from the Sunshine Coast community, we would not be able to continue assisting over 700 people throughout the Coast to live well with cancer,” he said.

The dedicated team of Bloomhill volunteers rallied together throughout the festival weekend not only receiving support by selling raffle tickets and collecting donations, but also a fantastic turn out at the Bloomhill Breakfast Barbecue at The Courier-Mail Superkidz event.

“It is always great to see the tremendous support we receive at the Mooloolaba Triathlon Festival every year,” said Brett.

He said everyone at Bloomhill was very excited about the thousands raised and were looking to being presented with the funds on Friday.

One of Australia’s most admired and entertaining professional speakers, Amanda Gore, will be helping others to find ‘the Joy of Change’ at Bloomhill’s May Motivational Morning Tea on Thursday, 6^th May.

Known as the “people whisperer”, Amanda Gore is a Brisbane born-internationally acclaimed speaker and author, with a long list of credentials including training in stress management, psychology and occupational health.

“Amanda has received raving reviews from other charities and businesses and we are really excited to have her speak at our morning tea,” Bloomhill Cancer Help manager of patient care Anne’ Braaten-Pow said.

Bloomhill Cancer Help is a Sunshine Coast based charity that provides support and assistance to people and their loved ones who are affected by cancer. Operated by a team of dedicated professional staff and volunteers, Bloomhill offers emotional support through counselling, support groups, respite care in the home and a range of complimentary therapies and other services.

Cancer affects people in so many ways and the emotional difficulties that often the whole family experience is often overlooked. Every day at Bloomhill we witness what an enormous difference it makes in peoples lives when they have the right support around them.

Anne said the main focus of Bloomhill is to help people to live well with cancer and that the monthly Motivational Morning Teas can give people tools and techniques to achieve this. She said however anyone could come to these morning teas, which allowed the community to also experience what a beautiful place Bloomhill was.

“The morning teas and particularly Amanda’s presentation is designed to give people new ways to think about and deal with stress and change, to balance work and life, to laugh more and rediscover joy.

Amanda Gore said “it is joy, rather than happiness that most people seek. Happiness is about wanting something more, bigger or better. Where as, joy is about giving, connecting and helping others. Joy is the perfect antidote to depression”.

“The aim is to enter a joyful state of contentment, inner peace and the feeling that ‘all is right in my world,” Amanda said.

Amanda said she hopes to inspire people to live and work more effectively through improving emotional and social intelligence, relationships and connections, enthusiasm and attitudes to lead a life of less stress and more joy.

Some people look forward to being pampered on their birthday but not Lyn Howard, of Lyn’s Place, she is throwing open her doors and throwing a Ladies High Tea party to raise money for Bloomhill.

“I just want to do something worthwhile for a great local Sunshine Coast charity,” Lyn said.

The High Tea Ladies Luncheon will be held on 27^th May at Lyn’s Place, Minyama, from 12noon until 2.30pm.

Bloomhill is very grateful for Lyn’s ongoing support which helps enable the charity to help people with cancer and their loved ones throughout the Sunshine Coast to live well with cancer.

“Like many others, I have been personally affected by cancer,” Lyn said.

“At the time there wasn’t any kind of organisation like Bloomhill around which is why I feel that it is so important to support such a unique and special charity.”

Bloomhill Cancer Help is based in Buderim 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 complimentary therapies and other services.

Bloomhill president Jenny Carroll said Bloomhill relied on the money raised through fundraising activities, OP shops, donations and grants to continue their high level of care and valuable services.

“The services we provide at Bloomhill are only made possible because of the generous support we receive from local businesses and people like Lyn.” Jenny said.

Lyn said she didn’t like being made a fuss of so celebrating her birthday by putting on a fundraiser for Bloomhill was perfect for her.

“I am thrilled that I am able to give something back to an organisation that constantly gives to others,” said Lyn.

The Ladies High Tea will be held from 12noon to 2.30pm at Lyn’s Place, 66 Jessica Boulevard. The lunch will include tea and coffee along with gourmet sandwiches, scones, a selection of cakes and sweets, quiches and croissants and plenty of lucky door prizes to giveaway for $40 per person, with profits going directly to Bloomhill.

Each table seats 8 people and places are limited. If you interested in eating good food with good company and supporting a worthwhile charity, please book your ticket by calling 5477 5420 or email lynhoward@bigpond.com.

She’s a miracle really – often she cooks, cleans, is the family chauffeur, counsellor, tutor and nurse not to mention any work she does outside the home, so this Mother’s Day why not pay tribute to your Mum in a healthy way.

According to best-selling low-fat cookbook author Annette Sym, looking after your Mum is something we should do more than one day a year.

“We should be doing things to make our Mum’s feel vibrant, fantastic and full of the energy they need to be so amazing and whether it’s once a year or more often, we should be encouraging Mums to look after themselves!,” the low-fat cooking queen said.

So as a Mum of three and grandmother of one, Annette has put her experience to the test and come up with a list of her top five ways to make Mum feel special:

1. Give her breakfast in bed
2. Ban her from the kitchen for 24 hours
3. Give her a card or a present that you have made or created
4. Write her a poem or letter on why you love her so much
5. Vouchers for spoiling mum such as facial, massage, pedicure.

“In today’s world many mothers are guilty of neglecting their health in the busy day-to-day struggle to get everything done. Food can uplift us and give us the energy to maintain our strength throughout the day but it needs to be healthy food so the effect is long-lasting,” she said.

Annette said that maintaining a balance in the food we eat was essential. The Symply Too Good To be True cookbooks provide the answers to weight loss, with recipes that help everyone to adopt a healthy lifestyle that they can maintain easily and have sold more than 3 million copies.

And for the fans who have been screaming out for more, this winter Annette will be launching Symply Too Good To Be True Book 6, which is “two books in one” with over 100 ways to all new tasty, healthy, low-fat cooking as well as the 28 Day Weightloss Masterclass, with a bonus audio/video CD including motivational messages, weightloss diary charts and a Shopping List.

“Cooking the Symply Too Good To Be True way means you don’t have to miss out on your traditional favourites. My new cookbook has many delicious treats that means you can indulge yourself with a guilt-free conscience,” Annette said.

All Annette’s cookbooks SYMPLY TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 (when it is released) are full of recipes that use ingredients that help to reduce anxiety, stress and low-energy. Foods such as fish, wholegrain rice, pasta and cereal rich in fibre, oranges, green tea, almonds and a variety of fruit and vegetables help to maintain energy and stress levels.

“These are foods that are perfect for busy Mums or anyone else who has to stay on top of their game,” Annette said.

“However when people are stressed these are unfortunately not the foods we usually reach for – instead it is the foods that contain high amounts of sugar and saturated fats; such as caffeine and processed food that give a sense of contentment initially, but after a few hours leave us feeling tired, stressed and irritable,” she said.

“So this Mother’s Day give something to your Mum that will benefit her health and boost her confidence. Take the time and demonstrate to her that you care, by making a nutritious meal that tastes great.”

All Annette’s cookbooks SYMPLY TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, her CD-ROM MENU PLANNER and GET MOTIVATED & LOSE WEIGHT DOUBLE AUDIO CD are sold in all good newsagencies or visit Annette’s website www.symplytoogood.com.au.

The newly appointed Board of Directors for the Innovation Centre is focused on creating new jobs by expanding the Sunshine Coast’s knowledge-based economy and supporting the growth of the Business and Technology Precinct that is developing in Sippy Downs.

Innovation Centre Chief Executive Colin Graham said he welcomed the new five-member board, all of whom had strong specialised skills that would benefit the Centre and the Sunshine Coast business community.

“The Sunshine Coast has traditionally been very reliant on tourism but for the region to become truly sustainable we must build a much more diverse economy – an economy more able to cope with an economic downturn or even just bad weather.

The newly appointed Innovation Centre board sees strong opportunities to create new jobs in new industries, using the rapidly growing University as a distinctive asset for business attraction and growth.” Mr Graham said.

“This is something the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Innovation Centre has been working towards since it was established in 2002 and we have achieved a great deal including supporting the start-up and growth of over 55 businesses and creating around 350 jobs.

“Now we are moving into a new stage of development, steadily expanding the services we offer – beyond the 30 plus businesses located within the Innovation Centre – and running business events to build a productive entrepreneurial network across the Sunshine Coast region.

“Our biggest priority is to continue to advance the development of the Business and Technology Precinct at Sippy Downs, working closely with the University, Sunshine Coast Regional Council, the private sector and others.

“The last two years have seen over $100 million investment in underpinning infrastructure so our key objective is to support the establishment of a business community that employs more than 6000 knowledge-based workers and for Sippy Downs to become Australia’s first true university town,” Mr Graham said.

He said with such a major task ahead, the Innovation Centre had carefully selected the new board, with each member offering specific skills to advance the Centre’s mission.

The new members of the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Innovation Centre Board include two senior representatives of the University and three from the Sunshine Coast business community.  The members are: University Vice Chancellor and President Professor Paul Thomas AM, who maintains his position as Chairman; University Pro Vice Chancellor for Regional Engagement, Professor Mike Hefferan, who has been appointed as a new director and Deputy Chairman; Dr Karen Woolley, CEO of Proscribe who has been reappointed for a new term; Westpac Regional General Manager Mike Schwartz and entrepreneur and angel investor John Nicholson.

Professor Paul Thomas AM has overseen the development of  the Innovation Centre since its inception working with CEO Colin Graham and the team to ensure its success.

Professor Mike Hefferan brings a strong background in property and business precinct development and while working for the Queensland Government was responsible for much of the ‘Smart State’ initiative which included the establishment of the Australian Institute for Commercialisation – where he was the interim CEO – the establishment of Aviation Australia and the i.lab Incubator at Toowong.

Dr Karen Woolley who continues to be a strong advocate for the Innovation Centre and business development on the Sunshine Coast, has more than twenty years experience in clinical research and medical writing and is the CEO of Proscribe, an international medical communication company based in Noosa. Karen is a former Sunshine Coast Business Woman of the Year and Queensland Business Owner of the Year.

John Nicholson, also based in Noosa, originates from Western Australia and has strong background in accounting – cofounding a Perth based practice that grew to 50 staff within 3 years. In more recent years, John has been an angel investor and helped to grow an online fitness education business with over 60,000 subscribers, which sold to a major player in the UK in 2007.

Michael Schwartz has extensive global experience in banking, finance, IT and communications, has valuable direct experience with IT start-up companies and is passionate about the Innovation Centre and its drive to create new jobs on the Sunshine Coast. Mike was also previously a General Manager at Telstra, VP at Goldman Sachs and a Management Consultant with the Boston Consulting Group.

About the Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast:

Established in 2002, the Innovation Centre, a University of the Sunshine Coast company, aims to create new jobs in new industries for the Sunshine Coast region.

Located on the edge of the USC campus, the Innovation Centre is currently home to over 30 private companies in the clean-technology, digital and creative industries and offers world-class business support for entrepreneurs and growing companies.  To date, the Innovation Centre has supported the start-up and growth of over 55 businesses, creating around 350 jobs.

The Innovation Centre facility includes a Business Incubator and Business Accelerator which provide serviced offices, high speed fibre connections, consulting support, investment readiness and networking for both start-up and growth businesses.

The Innovation Centre is at the hub of the Business and Technology Precinct taking shape around the University of the Sunshine Coast. Over $100m has been invested in infrastructure in the last two years – including roads, a bus station and dark fibre optic cabling – to help advance the Precinct which has the potential to provide skilled jobs for over 6,000 people in the next 10 – 15 years.

The Innovation Centre also runs an extensive program of business events – attracting over 4,000 people to date – designed to help local entrepreneurs to connect with each other and the University and build a productive network.

For more information visit www.innovation-centre.com.au

“The Triumphant Child: Caring for your new born: How to enjoy the first 60 days as a new mom”, the latest book by Sunshine Coast-based parenting company, Sixty Second Parent, has only just been launched but already it has won the prestigious Disney iParenting Media Award for ‘Outstanding Product’ in the US.

The second book in the Triumphant Child™ Series, launched just a year ago, offers expert medical advice and practical parenting solutions for new mums in that critical first 60 days, and was written due to popular demand after the first book, “The Triumphant Child: A Practical guide to raising two, three and four year olds”, was launched.

Sixty Second Parent CEO Steve Huff said the books followed on from the development of the company’s informative and interactive parenting website – www.sixtysecondparent.com.

He said operating out of the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Innovation Centre, Sixty Second Parent had thrived in it’s first 18 months of operation.

“The initial idea came about when experts Dr Olson Huff and his daughter in law, Nicole Rawson-Huff created a series of radio messages called the One Minute Parent in 1997. They were a hit and so we decided to take the business to a new level,” he said.

“Its fantastic that the books and the website have been so well received and we are very excited about be acknowledged by Disney iParenting.”

After years of content creation and researching the target sector, the business then launched in 2008 the website and is now continuing with the development of the series of practical parenting books.
Steve said choosing to primarily target the U.S market – where Dr Huff is a leading paediatrician – we believe we are able to communicate with a larger segment of their target customers.

“Running the business from the Innovation Centre is perfect,” Steve said.

“We have everything we need to run our business in the U.S. from right here on the Sunshine Coast with the benefits of a fantastic lifestyle, that’s the beauty of technology.”

The new book, Caring for your newborn: How to enjoy the first 60 days as a new mom, Dr. Olson Huff and Nicole Rawson-Huff, Eds.; Soft cover; Nonfiction; $19.95 U.S. ISBN: 978-0-9822841-2-4 is available to purchase, with Australian shipping options at the book series’ new website www.thetriumphantchild.com.

What people say about the books:
“Everything you need to give your baby the best start in life…an essential for all new moms.”
David T. Tayloe, Jr., MD, FAAP
President, American Academy of Pediatrics

The University of the Sunshine Coast’s Innovation Centre runs a Business Incubator and Business Accelerator to aid the start-up and growth of knowledge based businesses on the Sunshine Coast, through providing high-tech office space, mentoring, networking opportunities and business development support.

The talented fabric artists at the Buderim Craft Cottage will this winter be presenting their 4^th Biennial Exhibition of wearable art ‘Visions IV’.

This year’s Visions IV exhibition and sale by the Craft Cottage’s Fabric Art and Surface Design Group in July is set to be the most spectacular yet with internationally experienced artists all working to present garments created especially for the event.

Fabric Art and Surface Design Group president Lyn Gooch said the group has 20 members, all practicing textile artists working in many different mediums, silk, wool and cotton.

“Our members produce exquisite art to wear, textile pictures and wall hangings.  These works use many techniques, hand dyeing fabrics, machine and hand embellishment, Nuno felting, Shibori- traditional and modern,” Lyn said.

“A wearable art garment may take weeks to complete.  A work will begin with an idea, a unique design,” she said.

“Just imagine starting with that idea, having to start with a white piece of silk or other fabric, then having to hand dye and sometime machine embellish it before drafting your own pattern and hand making it to complete your ideas.

“You may then realize why members of the group become obsessed with their work.”

Everyone is welcome to come along and see this year’s unique designs with the exhibition to be held in Buderim Craft Cottage Atrium Gallery with the invitation-only official opening on Friday 16^th July at 7pm. The exhibition will then be open to the public on Saturday 17^th from 9am – 4pm, Sunday 18^th from 9am – 3pm, with the gallery display open all week and the following weekend, Saturday 24^th from 9am – 4pm and Sunday 25^th 9am – 12noon.   The Buderim Craft Cottage is at 5 Main Street, Buderim, behind War Memorial Hall on corner Church and Main Streets.  Entry is by gold coin donation. Enquiries Lyn (07) 5445 6113 Jill (07) 5477 6029.

Lyn said this year’s Visions IV exhibition would feature the group’s challenge display of ‘Wearable Art with a futuristic theme’.  There will also be a display of work from the Maroochydore High School year 10 Textile Students.

The Sunshine Coast Literary Association is encouraging entries into the WARM 2010 Writers competition, which closes at the end of April.

The competition is open to aspiring writers in the Sunshine Coast and Gympie area, with four entry categories including junior, young adult, open poem and open short story.

SCLA president Hari Kotrotsios said the Sunshine Coast Literary Association was a not-for-profit association dedicated to nurturing, showcasing and celebrating literary talent throughout the Sunshine Coast region, with the annual awards being a key part of that charter.

“This year the SCLA is celebrating the third anniversary of the competition, with the winners to be showcased at a special Awards Dinner on 17 June at Cartwrights Restaurant, at the TAFE Campus, at Mountain Creek,” Ms Kotrotsios said.

“Already we have received some great entries, so we are encouraging everyone to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and get their entries lodged by the 30 April deadline.

“Entrants will then be in the running for the cash prizes available for each category – $200 for first place and $50 for second, as well as a Readers Choice award in each category to be decided by a panel of SCLA members.

Ms Kotrotsios said the competition was designed to be a platform to showcase the depth of talent of writers throughout the region.

“It is said that everyone has a book in them, though most never even get started but here on the Coast there are many writers, published and yet-to-be-published already hard at work on their manuscripts.”

“Last years competition featured some exceptional works so we are eagerly awaiting this year’s entries.”

The cost of entering is $5 per entry with a maximum of three entries per candidate.  Entries close on Friday, 30^th of April 2010. Entry details and forms are available online at the SCLA website – www.scliterary.org , or by emailing info@scliterary.org.