Wednesday, Wednesday, 15 December, 30 June, 2021
Pakenham
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$2.00 Inc. GST Christmas all wrapped up
End of a retail era
With Christmas Day less than weeks away, two now is the up your Christmas time to wrap shopping. This special 8- page liftout has loads of great gift ideas from local retailers. Photo courtesy Little and Events, Kooweerup Trivial .
Christmas All Wrapped Up
8-PAGE LIFTOUT INSIDE
PAGE 2
MP dumped Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan has been given the boot, along with six other MPs, as Labor brings new faces to next year’s state election. First time candidate Emma Vulin has been picked to run for Labor in the new seat of Pakenham, as current Bass MP Jordan Crugnale draws back from Pakenham to recontest the seat of Bass. The Liberal candidate for the seat of Pakenham is still waiting to be confirmed, but Neighbourhood Watch campaigner David Farrelly has put his hand up to contest. Gembrook MP Brad Battin will stand for the new seat of Berwick. STORIES PAGE 3
Lions turmoil The Pakenham Football Club (PFC) is currently in the process of transitioning to a new committee after a motion was passed for the current committee to step down at a re-run of the club’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at Heatherbrae Reserve on Tuesday 7 December. The PFC was in the unique position of having to re-run its AGM after life members of the club highlighted some flaws in the original process at the initial AGM held on Thursday 4 November. At the original meeting a number that constitutes a quorum was not met, meaning the meeting was to be held again. President Travis Hamilton was elected to the interim committee is not likely to have the humbers to retain the top job.
Claudia Barker at her penultimate rehearsal with the Kooweerup Secondary College senior band. 260671
Picture STEWART CHAMBERS
Claudia’s bowing out on a high note By Shelby Brooks After almost six decades, Claudia Barker has received her last standing ovation as Kooweerup Secondary College’s director of music. Mrs Barker has put down the baton and will retire from teaching on Friday 17 De-
cember after 56 years at the school. The legendary stalwart shared her final performance with the college band at the Kooweerup Carols by Candlelight event on Saturday 11 December. Thousands of children have experienced
the joy of music thanks to her dedication and her commitment to creating opportunities for her students. Her remarkable life and legacy are explored more inside on pages 10-11 and 22-23
STORY SPORT
Lefty ‘forgotten’ For years, local legend Kelvin Rees, aka ‘Lefty’, spent his time keeping the streets of Pakenham clean until a tragic accident struck. Now his family, who for weeks have faced a hard rubbish dispute with council, feel his years of service have been forgotten.
Karen Rees, Kelvin’s wife and a Pakenham resident, booked a hard rubbish collection service with the Cardinia Shire Council recently, but was told there was too much rubbish and she would need to pay more than $100 to get the rest collected. Considering her husband Kelvin, a beloved one-armed man who voluntarily swept Paken-
ham’s main streets every day, had dedicated his time to keeping the community clean for more than a decade, she said she felt this was adding insult to injury - particularly after the accident that left Kelvin seriously injured two years ago. “We booked a hard rubbish pick up with the council, but they only picked up so much and
said it will cost you $104 to pick the rest up,” Karen said. “They reckon it’s over the limit of what they take, but I thought with Kelvin doing the Main Street for nothing for about 13 or 14 years... and now they can’t do that? It’s not right.” STORY PAGE 7
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