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During the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly a roundtable dialogue organized by the Group of Champions on Women’s Economic Empowerment and UN Women, with the presence of the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, urged action to advance women’s economic empowerment.
At the current pace of change, it will take 170 years to close the economic gender gap, according to a 2016 report by the World Economic Forum. The event was an opportunity to call on world leaders to accelerate progress by taking forward the recommendations made by the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel (HLP) on Women’s Economic Empowerment, with a focus on leaving no one behind.
President of Costa Rica, Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera, co-chair of the Group of Champions and a longstanding advocate for gender equality, said: “There’s much left to do regarding gender discrimination and exclusion. I am confident that the Group of Champions will serve the UN as an example that gender equality can no longer be regarded as a horizon, but as a real need for all women who cannot wait to show the world what they are capable of.”
Speaking at the event, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on all partners to implement the commitments included in the HLP report. “Women’s Economic Empowerment is also a human rights issue. It contributes to building resilient economies and peaceful societies, and it is also a condition to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,” he said, adding: “Let us deliver on the promises we have made to bring sustainable peace to the world today.”
Read More: www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2017/9/news-event-hlp-wee...
Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown
The Secret Garden is so named by be because I very nearly missed it when I was wandering around the Gardens of St Erth. The entrance is partially obscured by a wonderful green bower, and were it not for a small amount of stonework around the pond and a bench at the far end, I would not have thought to go inside. It is actually called Koban's Pool; named for former owners Tommy and Penny Garnett's Labrador who loved to wallow there. The garden features shady foliage trees, shade tolerant plants and water pants that grow in profusion from the pond.
I spent a delightful Saturday with the Famous Flickr Five+ Group in Blackwood at the Garden of St Erth. As my first Famous Flickr Five+ excursion, I was just delighted by how kind and welcoming everyone was. I look forward to future trips to places I have never been (such as the garden of St Erth) with the Famous Flickr Five+ Group in the future.
In 1854 a Cornish stonemason named Matthew Rogers decided to pursue his luck in the goldfields around Mount Blackwood in Victoria, so he packed up his life in Sydney and journeyed south. His venture proved successful, as he became one of the gold rush's most successful miners.
In the 1860s, Matthew built a modest sandstone cottage from stone quarried from around Bacchus Marsh behind a boot factory in an area known as Simmonds Reef, just outside what was then the very busy and thriving gold mining community of Blackwood which at the time had a population of some 13,000 people. He named it "St Erth" after his Cornwall birthplace. The original title was dated 1867, but it is believed the house was built before then.
The sandstone cottage is typical of Victorian architecture found in Australia at that time. Built in Victorian Georgian style. It features a symmetrical facade of exposed sandstone brick with sash windows either side of the front door, all of which are characteristics of Victorian Georgian architecture. The shady verandah, today covered in curling wisteria vine, features elegant, slender posts, which is also typical of the architectural style, as is the medium pitch corrugated iron roof.
Matthew attached a wooden building to the western end of his neat stone cottage which served as the Blackwood post office for a time, and also a general store; both essential parts of the burgeoning community.
The gold rush lasted for twenty eight years. Matthew's daughter Elizabeth and her husband Jim Terrill continued to maintain the store, but as gold ran out, the wooden buildings of the town were moved to Trentham. For a time the house lay empty and the bush moved back in. Eventually it was bought by a group of Melbourne businessmen who called themselves the Simmons Reef Shire Council.
Today, "St Erth" is the Garden of St Erth; a wonderful garden featuring fruit trees, an espalier orchard, heirloom vegetables, perennials, daffodils, tulips, flowering shrubs and a plant nursery. The Garden of St Erth is one of two main sites in Victoria for the Diggers Club, who specialise in growing and selling heirloom variety plants and old fashioned exotic plants. The homestead forms the entry to the beautiful garden, as well as a shop showcasing the heritage seeds, gardening equipment and myriad gardening products in line with the Diggers Club's commitment to sustainable gardening. Outside there's a plant nursery with a wonderful array of trees and plants for sale. A pretty cafe offers drinks, cakes and meals indoors or out featuring where possible local produce and some sourced from the garden.
Matthew Rogers was born at St. Erth, Cornwall, on 11th June 1824, he arrived in Victoria in 1854 with his wife Mary, and came to Blackwood about 1855. Matthew and Mary Rogers were the wealthiest people in Simmons Reef. Matthew did well from his mine called "Mount Rogers Big Hill Mine". He is stated to have made a fortune out of ore that yielded one and a half pennyweights to the ton. Mary Ann Rogers was born in Hayle in Cornwall 24th June 1828. She looked after the store and the Post Office attached to the house. The Rogers had no children, and adopted a girl born in 1872, called Elizabeth. Mary Ann Rogers died on the 27th of August 1896, aged 68 years. Matthew Rogers died on the 6th of January 1902.
Nestled against the Wombat State Forest, the township of Blackwood was originally founded in 1855 during the Victorian gold rush. The township's post office was opened in September 1855, and was known as Mount Blackwood until 1921. The township has shrunk significantly since the gold rush ended, and today many of its properties are weekenders for Melbourne professionals. The town still has a main street featuring a post office and general store, a pub, a cafe and an antique shop. It still retains some of its original miners cottages beyond "St Erth". It is a quiet, sleepy town, and is a delightful retreat for some peace and quiet. Blackwood is perhaps best known today for its music and culture festival held in November. It attracts artists from across the world.
National award recognizes Army family’s service
By Rick Scavetta, U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern
LANDSTUHL, Germany – The first morning light creeps through Tawny Campbell’s window as she turns her bedroom light on, keeping her eyes closed in prayer.
Her thoughts for the Almighty mesh into a silent conversation with her husband, Sgt. Joe Campbell, an Army flight medic serving in Afghanistan – his second combat tour. She clings to her necklace pendant – a Scottish thistle that reminds her of Joe and their traditional Scottish wedding 10 years earlier.
“Who can I serve today? How can I make a difference in someone’s life? What can I do for you, Joe?” Tawny whispers. “Something to make it easier, something I can do here.”
Her daughters, Ceilidha and Rhynli, are waking up. She reminds them they are stuffing gift bags for deployed Soldiers with Project Rudolph – one of three charities that the Campbell family manages. Operation Angel gifts bring cheer to the wounded, sick and injured troops at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. Project Portrait offers military families portraits prior to deployments and baby photos for mothers who deliver while their spouse is deployed.
For their efforts, the National Military Family Association recently named the Campbell family as the Army Family of the Year. On Dec. 7, they were stateside to accept the award. Even Joe got a break from his tour in Afghanistan to attend.
“We’re just the figurehead of a larger group of people who support us and support Soldiers,” Tawny said. “It’s not our name, it’s our volunteering. For those who volunteer, this recognition is just as much for them as it for us.”
The award program recognizes “strong military families who embrace their service to the nation, are role models in their community, and understand that together they are stronger,” according to the association website. A friend from Fort Benning, Ga. nominated the Campbells, whose commitment to serving the military goes back several years.
Joe and Tawny, both from small towns in Idaho, met in high school. In 2001, after the 9-11 terrorist attacks, Joe’s National Guard unit was protecting a Utah chemical depot. That Christmas, while Joe voluntarily took guard duty for a friend, a first sergeant in a Santa suit delivered Joe his first Red Cross package. Inside was a letter from a boy, Nathan, thanking him for serving.
“Joe kept that letter. It meant a lot to him,” Tawny said. “We know the power of a hand-written letter at Christmas.”
By 2006, Joe was on active duty in Landstuhl. It was their first Christmas overseas, away from family, Tawny said. One early winter afternoon, while driving past the Burger King on Ramstein Air Base, the spirit of giving crept into their car. Tawny blurted out an idea.
“Let’s hand out gift bags at the air terminal,” she said.
“How will we do that,” Joe asked, shooting her a puzzled look.
“Well figure it out,” she said.
That year they passed out a hundred bags to troops at the Ramstein passenger terminal. Now, Project Rudolph is a full-scale operation, with the power of family bridging the Atlantic to support the effort.
Tawny’s brother Ian, back home in Idaho, made it his Eagle Scout project. Her parents, Ray and Cheri Archibald, now run the stateside operation. This year, her parents oversee the preparation of 7,000 bags for troops.
Even while deployed, Joe helps to pass out bags in Afghanistan as he did during a previous 15-month tour in Iraq. Days are often very busy for Soldiers serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 214th Aviation Regiment, a U.S. Army helicopter unit that provides medical evacuation for coalition forces.
Joe’s mornings also begin in prayer. He’ll look over scriptures while snacking from a care package Tawny sent. One morning, Joe’s stocking medical supplies. On another, he’s helping to rescue wounded comrades from the battlefield. To troops, the Joe’s unit is known as “Dustoff”—a nickname that goes back to the early days of Vietnam.
When medical evacuations missions arise, rotors on the UH-60 Blackhawk pound through the air with an urgency that can mean life or death. On one recent mission, Joe’s crew was off to Marjah, where patrolling Marines came across a young boy injured in a motorcycle accident. Joe helped open the boy’s airway while flying to the hospital. After quick re-supply, his air ambulance was once again aloft – back to Marjah to pick up an Afghan interpreter with an infected gunshot wound.
Three thousand miles away, back at the Ramstein Air Base food court, Tawny oversees volunteers stuffing Project Rudolph gift bags. Nearby, kids color Christmas scenes onto brown lunch bags. Each decorated bag then gets a handwritten note, a little bit of candy and a hand-made ornament. When the bag-stuffing morning is over, 700 bags are ready to ship.
By Christmas, 15,000 bags will be in the hands of troops as far away as Kyrgyzstan. Others will go to military bases in Kuwait, Iraq, Djibouti, Diego Garcia, Kosovo and Afghanistan.
As Project Rudolph gift bags make their way to deployed troops, Operation Angel gifts bring cheer to the wounded, sick and injured undergoing treatment in Landstuhl. More than once, Tawny and her daughters met someone who was evacuated from an Afghan battlefield by Sgt. Joe Campbell.
“It shows the power of a family,” Tawny said. “He helps to heal them, physically. We help by healing their hearts.
He gives them bandages. We give them smiles.”
In September, Ceilidha spent time cheering up a Soldier who was shot in Iraq. Afterward, he gave Ceilidha his Purple Heart medal. Tawny insisted he take it back.
“No, it’s just a medal,” the Soldier told Tawny. “Every time I close my eyes I think about being shot. I spent a time with you and your daughter and I haven’t thought about it once. That means more.”
Interactions like that motivate Tawny and her girls to continue. Ceilidha might break out a deck of cards or read from her favorite book, Shel Silverstein’s “Where The Sidewalk Ends.” A Marine once gave her his rank, but she’s glad to just see troops smile, Ceilidha said.
“I like to do service,” Ceilidha said. “It gives me a warm feeling inside.”
Raised among charity projects, the girls don’t know the holidays any other way, a fact that Tawny loves. Christmas is spent at the hospital, visiting patients. So is every Thanksgiving, Easter and Veterans Day, Tawny said.
“As a family, you can go out and do these things,” Tawny said. “Serve as a family.”
CEO Emily Westergaard of the By Degrees Foundation announced the latest development in its sustained commitment to DMPS students at all levels in the Northside feeder pattern on Wendesday, October 16th at Harding Middle School. Iowa State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald and DMPS Superintendent Dr. Tom Ahart spoke after Westergaard encouraging students to attend college and to use their newly opened college savings accounts.
Sometimes he wondered if it was worth doing. Occasionally he doubted his motives. However, he never forgot where the journey started and where it would end. He would see this through. One way or the other.
Dec. 1, 2011 marks Iraq's Day of Commitment. The ceremony hosted by the Iraqi government at Al Faw Palace, in Baghdad, Iraq would be the last of it's kind as U.S. forces continue to draw out of Iraq. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, took the opportunity to thank U.S. and Iraqi service members for all of their sacrifices that led to the end of an almost decade long war.
U.S. Forces Iraq
Photo by Staff Sgt. Caleb Barrieau
Related Photos: dvidshub.net/r/x9u2rk
Due to other commitments, I won't be doing my daily post for a couple of days. Normal daily service will be resumed on Monday!
In the meantime, with the end of the RHTT season, I am undertaking an RHTT 'dump' - that is my remaining RHTT shots for 2024 that didn't make the quality cut (not that my bar is that high!) but, nevertheless, need to be included in this year's RHTT album. If there was a way to just pop them in the album without subjecting you to them I would do that but, as far as I know, there isn't. So, with apologies, here we go!
ELYSIAN PARK - Within the Los Angeles Fire Department's training center, graduates of the Firefighter/EMS Magnet (FEMS) program were honored by civic leaders and LAFD leadership at a May 21, 2022 ceremony as their families cheered their accomplishment. FEMS provides a highly structured and progressive pathway for achieving academic, physical and life skills beneficial to a fire service career, including teamwork, leadership, courage and commitment. LAFD proudly presents the 2022 High School Firefighter/EMS Magnet Program graduates.
LAFD Event: 052122 - 2022 High School Firefighter/EMS Magnet Program Graduation
Photo Use Permitted via Creative Commons - Credit: LAFD Photo | Gary Apodaca
Connect with us: LAFD.ORG | News | Facebook | Instagram | Reddit | Twitter: @LAFD @LAFDtalk
New Year
Just like a new chapter in life. Recharged with full spirit. Blessed by love
* taken @ Gn Pancar, West Java
Entrance Walk to GET YOUR KNEE OFF OUR NECKS Commitment March Rally at Constitution Gardens along Lincoln Memorial North Elm Walkway, NW, Washington DC on Friday morning, 28 August 2020 by Elvert Barnes Photography
Visit Commitment March website at nationalactionnetwork.net/commitment-march-on-washington-dc/
Elvert Barnes 57th Anniversary of 1963 March on Washington COMMITMENT MARCH docu-project at elvertbarnes.com/57MOW2020
To my dear wife, after 7, oops 8 long years together, we grew to love each other more every day.
note: we got married Oct, 06. :-)
Gov Earl Ray Tomblin and 1st Lady Joanne Jaeger Tomblin lit the Christmas tree at the Capitol on Tuesday, Dec 6, 2016, during Joyful Night.
Welcome to Joyful Night!
As your Governor and First Lady we welcome you to the State Capitol to kick off our final 2017 Joyful Night celebration. We have cherished each holiday season we have spent with you, celebrating our state, our students and the arts!
This is a wonderful time of year, so while you are here we hope you will enjoy the sounds and sights of the season. Again this year we welcome the talents of West Virginia vocalists, instrumentalists and artisans whose commitment to the arts make the Mountain State a truly special place.
As you enjoy the evening and make your way from the tree lighting ceremony on the south side of the Capitol to the Governor’s Reception Room, please pay tribute to our first responders and military men and women who have sacrificed so much for our state and country. Many of these individuals are spending the holiday season away from their families, so we want to make sure we say “thank you” to those who serve, and for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. We hold you especially close to our hearts this holiday season.
Remember that this is a season of giving, friendship, family and camaraderie. These are the values that all West Virginians hold dear. Tonight is a joyful night, a night to reflect on our many blessings and extending goodwill to all.
We thank you for the privilege of serving the Great State of West Virginia as your Governor and First Lady for the past six years. May your holidays be filled with joy, laughter and love, and may you have a joyous New Year.
Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016
Holiday Trees
South - Lincoln Plaza - Norway Spruce
donated by Brenda and David Hanson,
Winfield, W.Va.
North Plaza Fountain Circle - Spruce donated by Ike Smith (Kanawha Roxalana Company), Charleston, W.Va.
Governor’s Mansion Foyer - Frasier Fir donated by Al and Louise Toliver of Crickmer Farms, Danese, W.Va. (West Virginia
Christmas Tree Growers Assoc.)
State Capitol Rotunda
6:30 p.m. – Concert Performance and First Lady’s Ornament Competition
Governor’s Reception Room
7 p.m. – Gold Star, Military and First Responder Recognition
• Governor and First Lady Tomblin salute military tree
• Sign holiday cards for military
Culture Center
7:25 p.m. – Concert and Refreshments
• Martin Luther King Jr. Male Chorus
• Visit Santa and Mrs. Claus
Governor’s Mansion
8 p.m. – Concert Performances and Reading
• Appalachian Children’s Chorus
• Artistree presentation
• Governor and First Lady Tomblin read • Governor’s School for the Arts:
Fr
om Nicholas County High School
Jordan Harper, piano
Jacob Martin, violin
• Christ Church United Methodist Chancel Ringers
First Lady Introduces Ornament Winners
Grades K–2: Mountain View Elementary Kindergarten Class, Hurricane
Grades 3–5: West Teays Elementary Fourth Grade, Hurricane
Grades 6–8: Baileysville Elementary & Middle School, Seventh Grade, Oceana
Grades 9–12: Notre Dame High School Art I Class, Clarksburg
• Toys for Tots holiday donations program
South Plaza Fountain
5:30 p.m. - Concert Performance
• Cabell Midland High School
• Hurricane Middle School
• Hurricane High School
• Poca High School
• Spring Valley High School
• Appalachian Children’s Chorus
6 p.m. – Tree Lighting Ceremony
Posting of the Colors
Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy
National Anthem
Pledge of Allegiance
Mountaineer Challenge Academy
Musical Performance
Appalachian Children’s Choir
Tree Lighting
Governor and First Lady Tomblin
Musical Performance - All Bands
Retirement of the Colors
Night
Joyful
Happy Holidays
Photos available for media use. All photos should be attributed “Photo courtesy of Office of the Governor.”
DRAWSKO POMORSKIE TRAINING AREA, Poland--Sergeant Jeffrey M. Szelewicki, a cavalry scout from U.S. Army Europe's 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) teaches a weapon familiarization course for Polish army officers here Oct. 29. The U.S. Army is supporting Steadfast Jazz 13 with participation from the 173d IBCT(A), one of U.S. Army Europe’s forward-based combat brigades and the 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, the U.S.-based ground force contribution to NATO Response Force 2014. Collectively, these forces represent the reinvigoration of U.S. participation in the NRF and the enduring U.S. commitment to NATO, Europe, and regional stability and prosperity. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. A.M. LaVey/173 ABN PAO)
Today, April 15 2014, saw the passing out parade of Bolton’s first volunteer police cadets. The ceremony took place at Bolton Town Hall with guests including Sir Peter Fahy, the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Jim Battle, Chief Superintendent Shaun Donnellan - Bolton’s police commander and Cllr Colin Shaw and his wife, Dee, the Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton.
In 2012, Sir Peter Fahy pledged to create a new Volunteer Police Cadet Scheme for young people in the region.
The scheme, developed by Sergeant Jane Butler and Youth Strategy Officer PC Andrew Marsden, is aimed at 13- 17 year-olds and provides a programme of weekly Cadet nights filled with activity, information and – hopefully – some fun.
The aims of the scheme include:
•Promoting and encouraging a practical interest in policing among young people,
•Providing training which will encourage positive leadership within communities which will include volunteering opportunities,
•Encouraging a spirit of adventure and developing qualities of leadership and good citizenship. Cadets will be given the opportunity to obtain a Duke of Edinburgh Award, First Aid qualification etc.
Cadets units will be based in areas where there is currently little to occupy local youngsters.
Volunteers will have to apply, stating their reasons for wanting to be part of the scheme and will be encouraged to remain with the scheme for as long as they can. On reaching the end of their time as a cadet, they will be given with advice on careers and business, help with CVs and information about any opportunities to remain with the Force.
The first cadet scheme has been developed with the support of the Co-op Academy, Blackley.
Cadets are currently completing a "probationary" period and have so far experienced drill, physical exercise classes and advice on subjects such as the effective and safe use of social media.
Further items on the curriculum are lessons on the law, public order awareness, phonetics and radio use, problem solving … and more drill!
A uniform will be worn but only issued on completion of a successful probationary period.
The scheme's team leaders are also volunteers and include schools based officers, PCSO's, special constables and university students, all contributing their own time to run each cadet night.
To build number of successful schemes across the region we are looking for help. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer team leader and can demonstrate a commitment and desire to "change hearts and minds" can contact Sergeant Jane Butler at volunteerpolicecadets@gmp.police.uk.
To find out more about Greater Manchester Police please visit our website.
You should call 101, the new national non-emergency number, to report crime and other concerns that do not require an emergency response.
Always call 999 in an emergency, such as when a crime is in progress, violence is being used or threatened or where there is danger to life.
You can also call anonymously with information about crime to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Crimestoppers is an independent charity who will not want your name, just your information. Your call will not be traced or recorded and you do not have to go to court or gi
Awarding ceremony for the IAEA Nuclear Security Essay Competition on the Future of Nuclear Security: Commitments and Actions. A side event organised by the IAEA Division of Nuclear Security and the Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom. IAEA Vienna, Austria. 7 December 2016
Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA
Photo caption: Freshman Sam Lemel looks for signs of hops downy mildew during a visit to the hops field at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center in Mills River. Lemel and his partner Bryce Spradlin worked this semester to design a rapid test for the pathogen.
The TIME Honors Science Research Course is an intensive, inquiry-based school-day course. Students learn about the process of science as they conduct original scientific research into topics of their own choosing. They are supported by both teacher and scientist mentors as they choose a topic of interest, develop a testable question, design a procedure, collect and analyze data and present their findings.
All Transylvania County Schools high school students (rising 9-12 graders) are eligible to apply for the course. Participants will be chosen through an application process that began in January of 2015, with application deadlines beginning Jan. 30. Course enrollment will be limited. Students will be chosen by an independent selection committee based on their demonstrated interest in science, potential for success in scientific research, and commitment to all components of the course.
Students chosen in 2015 will attend a trip to observe state research competitions in March and a summer field study week prior to the course. The school-day portion of the course will be held during the fall of 2015 in Brevard High School's Science Research Laboratory. Students will enter their work in one or more science competitions during the winter of 2016.
Why apply for the TIME Honors Science Research Course? Students benefit from doing research projects because they see how science applies to their own lives and community. They learn more about the process of science and what scientists do as they act as co-learners with teachers, scientists and other students. They discover new careers in science. While conducting research projects, students develop independence-no one is telling them exactly what to do or how to do it. They learn how to break down a complex, long-term project into manageable pieces, develop a plan of action, and follow it through. As they conclude their projects, students learn how to communicate their results clearly and persuasively to a variety of audiences as they contribute to the bank of scientific knowledge with their findings.
Students who have conducted long-term research projects are more competitive as they apply for college and scholarships. Top colleges want students who can write as well as possess analytical skills, creativity and a multidisciplinary perspective. Most of all they want people with a capacity for continuous innovation. These are skills gained from conducting original research. Doing a science project and participating in a competition can give students the opportunity to meet and spend time with others from around the world who have similar interests while competing for significant scholarships, travel, monetary awards and other prizes.
Current TIME students have recently completed the following research projects: Testing for the presence of estrogen-like compounds In Stevia rebaudiana (Cameron McCathern, Erin Smith and Sam Farrar); Electroantennogram response of Megacopta cribraria to chemical components in its defensive secretion (Abby Williams and Carly Onnink); Evaluation of honeybee health in Transylvania County: An assessment of Varroa destructor and Nosema levels (Ingrid Findlay, Aaron Neumann, and Hannah Lemel); Isolation, identification and screening of local wood rot fungi for the production of lignin-degrading enzymes (Hannah Field and Ryan Holland); Agrobacterium-mediated stable transformation of Coleus X hybridus plants using the floral dip method and B-glucuronidase (GUS) gene as a reporter system (Carver Nichols); Adapting the LAMP assay and culturing methods for hops downy mildew, Pseudoronospora humuli (Sam Lemel and Bryce Spradlin); The effect of antibiotics on the mortality of the hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae (Allison Reece and Lauren DuBreuil); Evaluation of VOC producing Diaporthe species for enzyme production (Joe Roberts, Lauren Tooley and Eliza Witherspoon); Identifica-tion and heavy metal remediation potential of fungi isolated from Duke Energy's 1964 Asheville coal ash pond (Ryulee Park and Aidan Spradlin); and studies on the walnut twig beetle (Pityophthorus juglandis) and its association with Geosmithia morbida (Crista Cali and Sarah Branagan).
Current TIME students would like to thank all who have helped with their research during the year including students, teachers, administration, parents and numerous scientists and community volunteers. Thanks go to 2014 TIME volunteers: Ken Chepenik, Don Wauchope, Paul Sisco, Jeanine Davis, Kelly Gaskill, Laurie Moorhead, Chuck McGrady, Page Lemel, Craig DeBrew, Ervin Kovacs, Chris Cali, Pat Montgomery, Tammy Bellefeuil, Adam DeWitt, Brian Heath, Amy Kinsella, Kelly Oten, Bryan Dubois, David Williams, Cindy Carpenter, Lisa Smith, Eric Caldwell, Jay Case, Andy VonCanon, Dan Harris, Danny Fender, Paul Sisco, Scott Pryor, Rene Timmons, Nancy Knights, Sheila and Marvin Holland, George Logsdon, Ed Burdette, Mary Ann Mickewitz, Crawford and Jeanette Lowe, Allen Frost, Ora Wells, Randy Oliver, Coby Schal, Bart Renner, Harriett Walls, Kaitlin McCreery, Gordon Riedesel, Summer Cortinas, Bruce Roberts, Roger Frisbee and Wes Freund. Special thanks go to Dr. Kent Wilcox and Mary Arnaudin, without whose help, guidance, and actions the class could not have been possible!
Funds for the TIME Science Research Course are provided in part by a grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund in addition to support from Transylvania County Schools and NC Cooperative Extension. Special thanks go to a growing group of community donors: the American Association of University Women, Pisgah Forest Rotary Club, PharmAgra, The Robertson Foundation, Merrill Well and Pump Company, Environmental Quality Institute, Roger Frisbee, June Litchfield, Peter Chaveas, Steve and Mary Beth Whitmire, Newell and Mary Witherspoon, Ed Buckbee, Kristine and John Candler, NC BioNetwork Labs, Kent Wilcox, Ken Chepenik, Ann Farash and Paul Onnink, Bee Cool Bee Supply and Pat Montgomery.
For more information, to apply for the research course, or to indicate an interest in volunteering or donating to the program, visit time4realscience.org.
© 2015, Transylvania County Schools. All rights reserved.
GP500.Org Part # 51401 Aprilia RS 125 Motorcycle windshield
gp500.org
GP500 motorcycle windshields
GP500.Org Part # 51300 Aprilia RS 125 Motorcycle windshield
Aprilia is a dream come true. The dream of an enthusiast, Ivano Beggio, who made up his mind to create a motorcycle company which would become famous throughout the world. And to become famous in the motorcycling world, racing and winning at maximum level is indispensable. Madness at a time when, one after the other, the great Italian and English companies were starting to disappear with the formidable Japanese in hot pursuit.
How often over the years, even after Aprilia had started to make a name for itself, they accused the Noale company of being "over ambitious". A rider who transferred from Aprilia to Honda at the end of the 1980s said in an interview: "At Noale, we were all a bit dazzled. We even thought we could beat the Japanese!".
The distinctive characteristic of Aprilia is the genius, the passion, the creativity and the faith common to Ivano Beggio and his closest collaborators, from the first motorcycles made by hand at the end of the 1960s, one-offs assembled with the heart, to enter the third millennium with a range going right up to 1000 cc and acquisition of a piece of international motorcycling history, Moto Guzzi.
In 1985, thanks to an agreement with Rotax, the first Aprilia four-stroke, the ETX 350, was launched, followed by the 600. True to the company's spirit, participation was also stepped up in the African raids such as the Pharaoh and the Dakar.
In 1985, the adventure of the World Speed Championships began with Loris Reggiani. You can find the full story of Aprilia on the tracks year by year in the racing section of this site.
At the same time, the commitment to motocross and trials was still strong. With the TX 311, Diego Bosis came second in the World Championship, winning in the United States.
On August 30, 1987, Loris Reggiani won the first 250 cc Grand Prix with the AF1. In the meantime, the road "derivation" model, reaching 30 hp thanks to the RAVE (Regulation Aprilia Valve Exhaust), was an enormous hit among young people - not to mention the later "Sintesi". Aprilia was making an ever greater name for itself on the international motorcycling scene, thanks to its characteristic innovation, image and flexibility.
It was not long before launch of the Pegaso 600, one of the mainstays of Aprilia production, and the Amico, the colourful, easy to ride scooter which confirmed Aprilia's gift for anticipating market trends and needs.
In 1992, Aprilia won its first world championship title - or rather, its first three. The Finnish rider Tommi Avhala won the rider's title and contributed to the constructor's title. A few months later, Alessandro Gramigni won the World 125 Championship.
In 1993, the new Scarabeo 50 was launched, becoming an unequalled success, followed in 1995 by the Moto - designed by Philippe Starck - with its absolutely unique styling. It is no accident that it is displayed at the New York Museum of Modern Art.
The same year also saw the birth of the exceptional RS250, one of the most successful sports motorcycles of all times. In 1996, the Leonardo - the maxi-scooter characterised by an ultra-efficient four-stroke four-valve engine - was launched.
In 1998 it was the turn of Sonic, the brightly coloured micro-scooter aimed at a young public and in 1999 of the RSVMille. This signalled Aprilia's entry into the maxi-motorcycle world, astonishing everyone with its extraordinary ridability and immediately becoming a standard setter in its class.
In the meantime, the company had already won a further thirteen world championship titles.
Aprilia began production at the end of the 1960s with the Amico and the Daniela, the first small diameter wheel mini-scooters. These were soon joined by the Colibrì, the first Aprilia hinting at that sporting spirit which would soon become so familiar - tapering, with a distinctive exhaust, forcing the rider to adopt a position as uncomfortable as it was sporty and aerodynamic. Despite the success of these early products, the most famous Aprilia in this initial period was the Scarabeo which made Ivano Beggio's first passion abundantly clear - motocross.
It was on the dirt tracks that the structure today so well-known and admired throughout the world as "Racing Aprilia" made its debut. It's true that in place of the multi-coloured TIRs, there was a Fiat 238, but the attention paid to graphics and a highly original image was patently obvious. Ivan Alborghetti was the Valentino Rossi of those years, in 1977 winning Aprilia the Italian 125 and 250 titles. Victories which led to a boom in replica bikes. After the Italian Championship, Aprilia went on to compete in the World Motocross Championships with Corado Maddii in the 125s. Few will remember that wearing the team colours in the 250s was the Japanese rider Torao Suzuki.
In the meantime, the Aprilia Development Department threw itself into another field very popular at the time, trials. This proved highly satisfying.
From the racing experience came a number of highly attractive road bikes, in particular the liquid-cooled 125 ST with single arm suspension. The more sporty STX immediately found a place in the competitive 125 road bikes market.
The 50 cc market also smiled on Aprilia and the company introduced motorcycles distinguished by an attention to detail and dimensioning extremely rare in the competition as can be seen in the AF1 or the ET.
FBI Stolen motorcycles
gp500.org/FBI_stolen_motorcycles.html
Motorcycles VIN Decoder
gp500.org/VIN_Decoder.html
Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality. It is the words that speak boldly of your intentions. And the actions which speak louder than the words. It is making the time when there is none. Coming through time after time after time, year after year after year. Commitment is the stuff character is made of; the power to change the face of things. It is the daily triumph of integrity over skepticism.
for more information on stray rescue and adoption, please drop by:
"Hong Kong Dog Rescue" site
www.hongkongdogrescue.com/public/index.php
"Animals Asia Foundation"
To love is to commit oneself to another, no matter what the hardship. Stay humble, stay forgiving, stay loving and stay true. :)
Orange the World 2018 -Thailand
Groups gather during the “EQUALITY TALKS: My story of ending violence against women” event on 23 November, 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The event was held to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and to open the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence. The event was organized by the United Nations Asia-Pacific Regional Coordination Mechanism Thematic Working Group on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (RCM TWG-GEEW), co-chaired by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), at the United Nations Conference Centre.
EQUALITY TALKS aims to raise public awareness and increase political commitment and action to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls. Under the global theme “Orange the World: #HearMetoo” the commemoration invited activists as story-tellers about ending violence against women. The event was attended by activists, women’s rights advocates, the diplomatic community, and UN personnel.
Throughout the 16 Days of Activism, the #DontTellMeHowToDress exhibition showcased victims’ clothing, challenging the notion that women’s appearance and behavior are to blame when they are assaulted and asked audiences to question the acceptance of sexual violence.
Photo credit: UN Women
Read More: www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/end-violence-against-women
U.S. Army Africa chef earns top honors in culinary competition
By Rick Scavetta, U.S. Army Africa
VICENZA, Italy – When Sgt. Ken Turman drizzled thickened meat juice around a plate of herb pork tenderloin crepinette, he was putting the finishing touches on an entrée that would take top honors at the 35th U.S. Army Culinary Arts Competition.
Turman, a U.S. Army Africa chef who works at Caserma Ederle’s South of the Alps dining facility, served as team captain for U.S. Army Europe’s team during the March 12 competition at Fort Lee, Va.
“Sgt. Turman's performance at the competition was exemplary,” said Maj. L. Trice Burkes, commander of Headquarters Support Company, U.S. Army Africa. “His accolades clearly represent years of commitment to the culinary field. We’re honored to have such an NCO among our ranks.”
Overall, the USARUER team earned 22 gold, nine silver and five bronze awards. The military chefs also earned the top team prize, the Installation of the Year award. It’s the first time since 1992 that a USAREUR team received the title. The USAREUR team also won the best team buffet table award.
“Sgt. Turman showed a keen ability to grasp advanced cookery skills and methods along with understanding the requirements of the rules established for the culinary competition, enabling him to be quite successful,” said Sgt. Maj. Mark Warren, from USAREUR’s logistics directorate, who managed the team.
The meal that won gold for the team included an appetizer of seared salmon on a bed of tagliatelle vegetables, served with a citrus wine cream sauce and tomatoes concasse. The main dish included the herb pork tenderloin crepinette and braised pork belly with savory crimini mushroom bread pudding, plus carrot and ginger puree served with pearl onions, peas and creamed Savoy cabbage. The natural jus-lie – thickened meat sauce – was the final touch.
Following the entrée was a desert of streusel-baked apple with mascarpone cream filling, pistachio sponge cake with raspberry cream and chocolate décor served with warm apples and raspberries in vanilla syrup with lemon.
Turman also served as captain of the student skills team. He received a silver medal in the senior chef of the year category and took gold in both the nutritional hot food challenge and in live hot food cooking. Turman was also selected to represent the Army during the Culinary Olympics World Cup this November in Luxembourg.
Warren is encouraged to see younger chefs like Turman develop skills and study the finer points of cookery, he said.
“I would expect to see great achievements and advancement in his future,” Warren said.
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Allesandra Benedetto, Delhi State University of New York, is awarded a medal by U.S. Army Master Sgt. David Turcatte in the dinning area of the Field House at Fort Lee, Va., March 3, 2010. Benedetto won two medals while participating in the 35th Culinary Competition. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Walter Reeves/Released)
Statue at Cantigny Park in Winfield, IL.
On the plague:
The strength of nations is derived from the commitment of the citizenry. In this work the artist, Jeff Adams, has linked the four figures physically and allegorically to reflect interrelationships philosophically and across time. These people show sacrifice, strength, courage, love, resolve and hope and in their commitment, we find the potential for good, for freedom, for a better world.
After walking about 3 kilometers through forests, Paratroopers of Company A, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, made their way from the air assault infiltration location and tactically moved on foot through thick vegetation. Their objective was to conduct a deliberate attack on the military operations on an urban terrain site known as Haaslat Village at Hohenfels Training Area Aug. 28. Exercise Saber Junction 2014 includes participants from the U.S., NATO allies and European security partners, conducting unified land operations at the 7th Army's Joint Multinational Training Command's Hohenfels Training Area. The exercise trains units in the simultaneous combination of offensive, defensive and stability operations while improving international interoperability, commitment to NATO and allied nations and strategic access to critical areas within the European Command's area of responsibility. More information about Saber Junction 2014 can be found at www.eur.army.mil/SaberJunction/ (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Christina M. Dion/Released)
Misty May-Treanor is one of the greatest players to ever set foot on a volleyball court. She works harder in practice than most people do in a tournament and still listens to her coaches without any Prima donna attitude whatsoever. I am lucky to have been able to see her play and realize just how special she is.
Pictured: A Royal Marine Crewman helps soldiers unpack their kit and equipment on a Tor.
Ten Tors is one of the biggest multi-agency, tri service civil contingency exercises in Britain. It is run by more than nine hundred military personnel - almost all of them Reservists - from all three branches of the Armed Forces, led by the Army’s 43 (Wessex) Brigade with its HQ in Tidworth, Wiltshire.
The 54th running of the event this year comes just months after military personnel, including Reservists from the South West , assisted local authorities, the Environment Agency and blue-light services during the floods, carrying out a range of tasks from sandbagging to engineering.
As a military exercise Ten Tors provides the Armed Forces with an invaluable opportunity to practice these life-saving civil contingency responsibilities, to enable the military - assisted by the emergency services, including The British Red Cross and the Dartmoor Search and Rescue Group - to be ready to help when they are called upon during a national emergency.
Brigadier Piers Hankinson MBE, Director of Ten Tors, is the Commander of 43 (Wessex) Brigade and was the Joint Military Commander for the South West during the flooding.
“The severe flooding across parts of the South West earlier this year clearly demonstrates the importance of such training and the ability to react to fast changing conditions and working in a multi-agency tri-service team. It also highlights the way that Reservists, who have wide ranging civilian experience and employment (from plumbers to accountants), train to operate with their regular counterparts under a One-Army ethos.”
Ten Tors:
As well as a vital high-level military exercise, The Ten Tors Challenge is also one of the biggest outdoors adventure events for young people in Britain today. In all, 2400 youngsters aged between 14 and 19 will take part in Ten Tors, with a further 300 youngsters with physical or educational needs taking part in the Jubilee Challenge.
The majority of the teams who enter Ten Tors are from schools and youth groups from Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. As usual, scores of scout groups, sports and ramblers teams and Armed Forces cadet units have accepted the challenge and are taking part.
Those teenagers taking on the Ten Tors Challenge will trek unaided over 35, 45 or 55 miles of some of the toughest terrain and highest peaks in Southern England relying on their navigational skills and carrying all their food, water, bedding, tents and other essentials as they go.
It is a feat they must complete as a team and without any help from adults and they’ll remain entirely self-sufficient during their arduous expeditions, including camping out overnight on the moor.
They do it for the challenge; to test themselves against one of the last remaining wildernesses in Britain. What they get in return for their months of hard training and commitment, as well as determination and bravery during the event itself, is an experience they’ll remember forever and the chance to learn a set of skills and values which will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
It’s a rite of passage which has played a positive and formative role in shaping the lives of more than a quarter of a million people.
NOTE TO DESKS:
MoD release authorised handout images.
All images remain Crown Copyright 2013.
Photo credit to read - Cpl Si Longworth RLC (Phot)
Email: simonlongworth@mediaops.army.mod.uk
richardwatt@mediaops.army.mod.uk
shanewilkinson@mediaops.army.mod.uk
Si Longworth - 07414 191994
Richard Watt - 07836 515306
Shane Wilkinson - 07901 590723
17-20 October 2016. Quito, Ecuador.
The Habitat III networking events provided a platform for national, regional and local governments, civil society organisations, parliamentarians, research and academia, grassroots organisations, women, children and youth, business and industries, foundations and philanthropies, professionals, trade unions and workers, farmers, indigenous people, media and older persons, as well as intergovernmental organizations to discuss specific topics of relevance and interest within Housing and Sustainable Urban Development. Networking events focusing on implementation and action-oriented initiatives for the New Urban Agenda were dominating the programme.
The networking events will have a duration of two hours and are an opportunity to build knowledge, strengthen partnerships and networks through sharing ideas and commitments in an effort to advance on the implementation of sustainable urban development in cities and towns around the globe.
Find out more at: habitat3.org/categories/networking-events/
Earlier this morning, Thursday 15 February 2018, a number of warrants were executed by GMP officers across Crumpsall, Harpurhey, Salford and Rochdale.
Following this morning’s action, 12 men and 1 woman are in custody after they were arrested on suspicion of supplying Class A drugs.
We have also recovered a significant amount of Class A drugs, bringing the total amount of drugs recovered as part of Operation Danube to an estimated value of ÂŁ60,000.
GMP’s Chief Inspector Paul Walker, said: “The past three weeks of action are the result of months of hard work investigating organised crime in the area.
“Today’s arrests show our absolute commitment to tackling the issue of drugs on our streets and protecting our communities.
“I’d like to thank the public, as without people sharing information about drugs in their area, we could not have carried out such an extensive operation.
“Please continue to let us know about any suspicious activity at the earliest possible opportunity- today’s action shows just how seriously we take these reports.”
Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or through the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
25th Annual Feb 14th Women’s Memorial March
Saturday Feb 14th, 2015
March starts at noon from Carnegie (Main and Hastings)
FB RSVP: www.facebook.com/events/1015580831792687
Download flyers and posters: womensmemorialmarch.wordpress.com/2014/12/27/march/
The first women’s memorial march was held in 1991 in response to the murder of a Coast Salish woman on Powell Street in Vancouver. Her name is not spoken today out of respect for the wishes of her family. Out of this sense of hopelessness and anger came an annual march on Valentine’s Day to express compassion, community, and caring for all women in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, Unceded Coast Salish Territories.
Twenty five years later, the women’s memorial march continues to honour the lives of missing and murdered women. Increasing deaths of many vulnerable women from the DTES still leaves family, friends, loved ones, and community members with an overwhelming sense of grief and loss. Indigenous women disproportionately continue to go missing or be murdered with minimal to no action to address these tragedies or the systemic nature of gendered violence, poverty, racism, or colonialism.
On Saturday Feb 14th 2015, we will gather at 11 am at the Carnegie Community Centre Theatre, 401 Main Street (corner Hastings, Vancouver) where family and community members speak in remembrance.
Given space constraints, we ask the broader public to join us at noon, when the march takes to the streets and proceeds through the Downtown Eastside, with stops to commemorate where women were last seen or found; speeches by community activists at the court house; a healing circle at Oppenheimer Park around 2:30 pm; and finally a community feast at the Japanese Language Hall.
We continue to call for a national and international public inquiry that is led by family and community members and that centers our experiences, need for healing, and quest for answers, concrete action, and meaningful justice.
This event is organized and led by women in the DTES because women – especially Indigenous women – face physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual violence on a daily basis. The February 14th Women’s Memorial March is an opportunity to come together to grieve the loss of our beloved sisters, remember the women who are still missing, and to dedicate ourselves to justice.
* SUPPORT THE WOMEN’S MEMORIAL MARCH
There are many ways to support the Feb 14th Women’s Memorial March:
1) Spread the word and join us (all genders welcome) to the Feb 14th march. We respectfully ask that you please do not bring your banners, flags, or leaflets as the Women’s Memorial March carries five banners only to honour the women.
2) Plan a memorial march in your community. Last year, memorial marches were held in approximately twenty other cities and communities. If you are organizing a memorial march please email us the details at hwalia8 at gmail dot com so we can maintain communication, compile the information on our website, and build strength in our coordinated efforts.
3) Please donate. The February 14th Women’s Memorial March is made possible by organizations and individuals like you. Each year the Memorial March committee must raise funds to pay for such things as hall rental, sound system, food, red & yellow roses, memorial brochures, blankets, posters, candles, tobacco and other expenses. Please make cheques payable to the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, and include Feb 14th Women’s Memorial March on the memo line. Mail cheques to the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, 302 Columbia St. Vancouver, BC V6A 4J1. All donations over $10 will be gratefully acknowledged with a tax deductible receipt. Our donation letter is here: womensmemorialmarch.wordpress.com/2014/12/14/24th-annual-...
Thank you all for your support and commitment,
Feb 14th Women’s Memorial March Committee
Website: womensmemorialmarch.wordpress.com/
Five swimmers that train at the Danny Jones Swimming Complex in North Charleston sign commitments to colleges and universities from throughout the Southeast.
Photo by Ryan Johnson
221211-F-WN543-1023 CAMP ASAK, Japan (Dec. 11, 2022) -
Japan, Philippines and U.S. leaders reiterate their shared commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific at the Japan-Philippines-U.S. Land Forces Summit press conference at Camp Asaka, Japan, Dec. 11, 2022. During the summit, the leaders exchanged views on landpower in the region and discussed opportunities for future collaboration. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. JaNae Jensen) 221211-F-WN543-1023
** Interested in following U.S. Indo-Pacific Command? Engage and connect with us at www.facebook.com/indopacom | twitter.com/INDOPACOM | www.instagram.com/indopacom | www.flickr.com/photos/us-pacific-command; | www.youtube.com/user/USPacificCommand | www.pacom.mil/ **
Alliance for a Healthier Generation and McDonald’s Announce Groundbreaking CGI Commitment to Promote Balanced Food and Beverage Choices
U.S. Army paratroopers from 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade salute as the Estonian flag passes during the Estonian Victory Day parade that began in Valga, Estonia, and ended in Valka, Latvia, on June 23. Approximately 600 paratroopers from the brigade are in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, as part of an unscheduled land-forces exercise to demonstrate commitment to NATO obligations and sustain interoperability with allied forces. Photo By: Spc. Jared Sollars, 145 MPAD, Oklahoma Army National Guard
Click here to learn more about Camp Humphreys
U.S. Army photos by Warren W. Marlow
Camp Humphreys breaks ground on Conference and Dining Center for Soldiers, civilians and families stationed in Korea
CAMP HUMPHREYS –Army officials broke ground on a $22.5 million project to construct the Camp Humphreys Conference and Dining Center here, May 16.
“This building will be a centerpiece for people to gather and will provide us a capability to meet the needs of our growing community,” said Col. Joseph P. Moore, United States Army Garrison Humphreys commander. “This is something we’ll need here as Camp Humphreys grows into one of the primary hubs of U.S. Forces in Asia.”
The project, slated for completion in mid-July 2014, will include a large Conference Center and banquet hall, a name-brand restaurant, an amphitheater, a covered deck, a game room, outdoor decks and an atrium. Moore noted that the combined banquet hall-conference center will have its own kitchen facility – providing U.S. Forces in Korea a place to hold military balls, large meetings and conferences.
The Conference and Dining facility has been on the drawing board for more than 10 years. It is the largest Non-Appropriated Fund construction project in the Army and will be paid for through Soldier-generated dollars.
Home to the 2nd Infantry Division's combat aviation brigade and the Army's most active overseas airfield, the number of Soldiers stationed at Camp Humphreys is expected to grow in the coming years by 238 percent, from 6,670 to 22,497, and the number of families is on track to grow by 1,270 percent.
As part of its transformation, U.S. Forces Korea will relocate from areas in and north of Seoul, to two enduring hubs south of the Han River; the northwest/Pyeongtaek hub, consisting mainly of USAG-Humphreys and Osan Air Base; and the southeast /Daegu hub, comprised mainly of USAG Daegu and Chinhae Naval Base.
Moore talked about planning a project of this size and expressed his appreciation for the support IMCOM leaders provided throughout the process.
“The construction is actually the easy part, compared to all of the planning and programming required to get us where we are today,” Moore said. “We wouldn’t be here today, were it not for the vital support we received from the leadership at Installation Management Command.”
Moore will be retiring from the Army next month, but said he made it a personal goal to break ground on the center before he departed.
USAG Humphreys Deputy Command Mark Cox also participated in the ceremony and commented on the importance of preparing for the planned influx of Soldiers, civilians and family members in the coming years.
“As Humphreys expands, so too will our need for additional conference, entertainment and dining facilities” said Cox. “The garrison is committed to providing our community the services and support they need while stationed here.”
Ceremony narrator Sean McManus noted the wide impact the project will have.
“This facility will provide dozens of jobs to our Korean partners and provide a facility second-to-none for our Soldiers, Family members, and both American and Korean civilian employees,” he said. “This is another example of our commitment to the long-term friendship between the U.S. and people of South Korea.
Don Claycomb, Humphreys Director of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, echoed Moore’s sentiments about the long-term impact of the new facility.
“Camp Humphreys will be growing by leaps and bounds over the next few years, and breaking ground on this new facility now means that we will be ready to meet many of their needs when they arrive. A major portion of the planning process was looking at the future, identifying perceived needs and building a facility that will meet those needs. With the amount of time and money involved between today’s ground-breaking and the actual start of operations, we wanted to get it right the first time.”
Claycomb praised the work of the entire Community in helping move the Conference and Dining Center from paper to the actual start of construction.
“This didn’t just happen,” he said. “The Command, Director of Public Works and, of course, our FMWR team headed by Business Operations Division Chief Mike Ross spent countless hours in developing the plan. Now it’s up to the Seoyong Construction Co. to turn the vision into reality.”
Seoyong is one of Korea’s leading construction firms and has built many structures and facilities throughout the Korean peninsula, including several World Cup Stadiums major bridges and convention facilities.
“I think we’re in good hands with Seoyong,” Claycomb said, “and, like everyone else, I will be excited to watch the dream grow into reality over the next two years.”
I spent a delightful Saturday with the Famous Flickr Five+ Group in Blackwood at the Garden of St Erth. As my first Famous Flickr Five+ excursion, I was just delighted by how kind and welcoming everyone was. I look forward to future trips to places I have never been (such as the garden of St Erth) with the Famous Flickr Five+ Group in the future.
In 1854 a Cornish stonemason named Matthew Rogers decided to pursue his luck in the goldfields around Mount Blackwood in Victoria, so he packed up his life in Sydney and journeyed south. His venture proved successful, as he became one of the gold rush's most successful miners.
In the 1860s, Matthew built a modest sandstone cottage from stone quarried from around Bacchus Marsh behind a boot factory in an area known as Simmonds Reef, just outside what was then the very busy and thriving gold mining community of Blackwood which at the time had a population of some 13,000 people. He named it "St Erth" after his Cornwall birthplace. The original title was dated 1867, but it is believed the house was built before then.
The sandstone cottage is typical of Victorian architecture found in Australia at that time. Built in Victorian Georgian style. It features a symmetrical facade of exposed sandstone brick with sash windows either side of the front door, all of which are characteristics of Victorian Georgian architecture. The shady verandah, today covered in curling wisteria vine, features elegant, slender posts, which is also typical of the architectural style, as is the medium pitch corrugated iron roof.
Matthew attached a wooden building to the western end of his neat stone cottage which served as the Blackwood post office for a time, and also a general store; both essential parts of the burgeoning community.
The gold rush lasted for twenty eight years. Matthew's daughter Elizabeth and her husband Jim Terrill continued to maintain the store, but as gold ran out, the wooden buildings of the town were moved to Trentham. For a time the house lay empty and the bush moved back in. Eventually it was bought by a group of Melbourne businessmen who called themselves the Simmons Reef Shire Council.
Today, "St Erth" is the Garden of St Erth; a wonderful garden featuring fruit trees, an espalier orchard, heirloom vegetables, perennials, daffodils, tulips, flowering shrubs and a plant nursery. The Garden of St Erth is one of two main sites in Victoria for the Diggers Club, who specialise in growing and selling heirloom variety plants and old fashioned exotic plants. The homestead forms the entry to the beautiful garden, as well as a shop showcasing the heritage seeds, gardening equipment and myriad gardening products in line with the Diggers Club's commitment to sustainable gardening. Outside there's a plant nursery with a wonderful array of trees and plants for sale. A pretty cafe offers drinks, cakes and meals indoors or out featuring where possible local produce and some sourced from the garden.
Matthew Rogers was born at St. Erth, Cornwall, on 11th June 1824, he arrived in Victoria in 1854 with his wife Mary, and came to Blackwood about 1855. Matthew and Mary Rogers were the wealthiest people in Simmons Reef. Matthew did well from his mine called "Mount Rogers Big Hill Mine". He is stated to have made a fortune out of ore that yielded one and a half pennyweights to the ton. Mary Ann Rogers was born in Hayle in Cornwall 24th June 1828. She looked after the store and the Post Office attached to the house. The Rogers had no children, and adopted a girl born in 1872, called Elizabeth. Mary Ann Rogers died on the 27th of August 1896, aged 68 years. Matthew Rogers died on the 6th of January 1902.
Nestled against the Wombat State Forest, the township of Blackwood was originally founded in 1855 during the Victorian gold rush. The township's post office was opened in September 1855, and was known as Mount Blackwood until 1921. The township has shrunk significantly since the gold rush ended, and today many of its properties are weekenders for Melbourne professionals. The town still has a main street featuring a post office and general store, a pub, a cafe and an antique shop. It still retains some of its original miners cottages beyond "St Erth". It is a quiet, sleepy town, and is a delightful retreat for some peace and quiet. Blackwood is perhaps best known today for its music and culture festival held in November. It attracts artists from across the world.
A selfie with my boy Victor. I'm hard pressed to think of a bigger commitment in my life.
Yes, those are beads of sweat streaming down my forehead. We wer taking a break on a family bike ride this morning, where the temps had already reached 29°C. Vic's not sweating because he's the stoker on our tandem, and likes to take it easy!