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- 6 September 2006
Pedals for Preschools Charity Ride
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Page: 1570
Mr STEVE CANSDELL (Clarence) [5.31 p.m.]: I speak first about community-based preschools. Next Friday is the community-based preschools day of action. I urge people to get in contact with their local community-based preschool and become involved in protesting about the lack of sufficient funding. I have been involved for three years now in community-based preschools through the Pedals for Preschools charity ride each August. The ride this year started on 14 August with the launch at Grafton. On 15 August in Casino two busloads of kids and more than 100 mums and kids with balloons marched down the main street to raise awareness of their plight, raise some much-needed dollars and hopefully influence Government and Opposition policy. The first day of the ride was on Wednesday 16 August when we rode to Evans Head. Alyson Kelly, the director there, organised a pyjama party with all the kids and the mums. Fortunately, I did not have to dress in my pyjamas to go down the main street and hit up all the businesses, but I did have to do the tooti-tar when we got back.
Ms Linda Burney: In pyjamas?
Mr STEVE CANSDELL: No, I did not have to. If anyone wants to look ridiculous they can do the tooti-tar. It is a lot of fun. In the afternoon, at Wardell, Sharon Foran, the director, organised afternoon tea and games for the kids and mums. On day two at Coraki morning tea was organised by Virginia Brown. We then went on to Casino Christian Preschool with Alanna Bailey, and afternoon tea at Jumbunna with Robyn Townsend. We finished at St Mary's Community Preschool, where director Kathy Taylor organised a pirate dress up day with all the mums, dads and kids. It really was a great way to finish off the day. On Friday we rolled out to Tucabia-Coldstream preschool. Sally Tatarynowicz organised a wooden horse race and obstacle course. I had my own wooden horse. We have a lot of fun there. I should have stayed on the wooden horse because within three quarters of an hour of riding away from Tucabia on the way to Maclean I clipped the back wheel of my co-rider, landed on the Pacific Highway on my head and was in hospital with severe concussion for six hours.
The first big message to the kids from my crash was to wear a helmet: my helmet saved my life. The second lesson was to concentrate all the time while you are on the road. I had the weekend off but on Monday I was back on the road again. I went to Lawrence with Mandy Northham. I made a cameo appearance at Maclean with Kim Starkey. Then we went back to Grafton and Robyn Nixon at Jack and Jill Preschool, Amanda Lancaster at Jacaranda, and Fiona Funnell at Westlawn. All the mums, dads and kids turned out for the games.
Tuesday 22 August saw us go to Nana Glen and Glenreagh, where Lisa Ralston and Narelle Cheeseman organised a stuffed Stevie scarecrow with band-aids all over it to highlight the accident. To raise money they had cow poo lotto. I will not go into that: we come from the country and it is a country sort of game that we raise money with. The next day, Wednesday, we went to Yamba with Kerry Hulm. At Iluka Preschool there was a bikeathon. They have a great bike track there. Lee Hackfath is the director. At Coutts Crossing on Thursday there was a bikeathon and a bike dress-up. Jenny Ryder gave me a teddy bear with band-aids all over it to remind me of the accident. At Copmanhurst we had lunch and a bikeathon with Copmanhurst Public School. Marilyn Cutting is the director of the community-based preschool there.
We raised nearly $11,000 for community-based preschools. None of that could have been done without the great support of businesses, clubs and the community in general. In the remaining time I will mention the supporters. I first thank my co-rider, Wayne McGann, an ex-policeman who came with us all the way. I blame him for the accident! Frank McGrath drove the support vehicle. He almost ran over me three times but overall he did a pretty good job. I also thank Ron Bell, the manager of radio 2GF/FM104.7 and the station, the Northern Star and Daily Examiner, Northern Co-op Meat Company, Country Energy, Dave and Carol Munroe from McDonald's at Grafton—I congratulate them on the birth of their baby girl—Grafton District Services Club, One Zero/Fleet Logistics, Cansdell Signs, which I have no connection with, Casino RSM Club, Bananacoast Community Credit Union, Clarence Valley Council, Yamba Bowling Club, Grafton Mitsubishi, Black Toyota, Woodburn Evans Head RSL Club, Maria and Michael Walsh, Richmond River Sun, Yamba Golf Club, Roches Hotel, Maclean Services Club, Westlawn Investment, Telstra Countrywide, Blue Goose Hotel, Ray White Real Estate, South Grafton RSL Club, Bendigo Bank, Red Rock Bowling Club and Grafton Travel, Clarence Valley Review, Yamba Disposals, and a late starter, Bunnings. Bob and Judy Little from the Maclean SPAR supermarket are great supporters of community-based preschools. [Time expired.]
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