L - R Jane and Gillian before training

Gillian Brown from Glenmore Park and Jane Caldwell from Blackheath have been chosen to represent Australia in the International Breast Cancer Paddlers Commission dragon boat, manned entirely by breast cancer survivors, in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee pageant on the Thames in London in June.
The flotilla of more than a thousand boats will be the largest in history on the Thames, and the first of its kind in over three hundred years. Gillian and Jane will paddle 13 miles downstream, from Hammersmith Bridge, leading the Queen’s barge as far as Tower Bridge. The crew is composed of survivors from seven countries across the world – breast cancer crosses all boundaries – and this event will challenge all levels of our fitness – physical, mental and emotional.
The boat will be under the control of Professor Don McKenzie, the sports physician who initially established the wonderful physical and psychological benefits of dragon boat paddling for survivors of breast cancer. It is a wonderful opportunity to maintain, on an international arena, public awareness of breast cancer, to promote the search for a cure, and to help women who’ve been diagnosed live full and active lives after treatment.
Gillian and Jane are members of Pendragons Abreast, who train at the Sydney International Regatta Centre at Penrith. The club welcomes breast cancer survivors and their supporters to join them.
The team have to fund themselves including the cost to access the boats in London. Sponsorship or donations are welcome. Contact the editor or the group for details.
To find out more about dragon boating, contact either Gillian: 0413 151 467, Jan: 0428 242 667, or (Sports) Fiona 0408 747 906.

Glenmore Park students Joshua Jones and Matthew Salafia

Joshua and Matthew are Year 10 students at McCarthy College and are part of a team clearing invasive weeds from the banks of the Nepean River. They are working with the Sydney Bass Fishing Club.
McCarthy Catholic College and Sydney Bass Fishing Club have teamed up to restore the native state of about a hectare of land along the Nepean River, in a joint project to educate young people about land care issues.
In February, Federal Member for Lindsay, David Bradbury, met with the students and fishing club members who have already clocked up more than 300 hours removing weedy vegetation, which had been choking out native plants, as well as collecting native plant seeds for replanting.
Mr Bradbury said it was great to see local residents and students giving up their time to conserve the local environment.
“The Nepean River is an icon of our community and it is so important that we protect its natural integrity.”
The project received a $6,420 Community Action Grant, under the government’s Caring for our Country initiative. The next round funding applications for Community Action Grants are open until the 27th of March. For more information about the grants, phone 1800 552 008 or visit www.nrm.gov.au.

Congratulations to Mrs Webb and Mrs Curran whose drama item ” Lights out ” was selected to open the State Drama Festival in 2011. Students from K- 6 in Glenmore Park will travel to Sydney Seymour Centre on 28th October to represent our school. Well done you are our Shining Stars!