Calling all amateur musicians!

you have to get your bocce ball as close as you can to the jack or kitty. The bocce balls could be the petanque, hard plastic, composite balls or maybe even wooden balls, as long as you have a great time.

Then there is the game I play. Bocce volo. You can only use steel balls between 900 and 1200grams in weight and must be 90mm to about 100mm in width. Rule is similar, as close to the jack or kitty as you can. But you can’t drive the ball down to get rid of your opponent: you must take a run off, lob the ball in the air and hit the target ball, but wait there is more. There are rules in this game, too many to mention here.

Ok, what about Raffa. Similar again, must get as close as possible to jack or kitty. The playing area is slightly modified. Balls are bigger, about 110mm in diameter and are a composite structure. Rules are slightly different and there are two way of striking your opponents ball out.

If you love playing your orchestral instrument or want to dust it off, and would like to join a fun group of people to play a wide range of orchestral repertoire, then The Westside Orchestra is for you!

The orchestra is also hoping school leavers who now don’t have an ensemble to play with will come along.

There are no auditions, but the ability to sight read and about 5th grade AMEB standard is recommended.

The orchestra has a large age range from students to retirees.

‘We are excited to be led by Queensland Symohony Orchestra violinist Helentherese Good for our first term this year,’ said Westside Orchestra President Caroline Morrissey.

‘For our first concert on 26

March, we will be performing pieces by female Australian composers, which are both beautiful and delightful,’ she said.

‘We are also looking forward to performing for residents of Regis Ferny Grove and The Gap throughout the year.

‘We would really welcome new members and particularly woodwind players.’

Venue: St Paul’s Anglican Church, corner of Waterworks Road and Jubilee Terrace, Ashgrove

Day & Time: Tuesdays at 7.30pm

‘Just turn up, enjoy playing music together, as well as a good chin wag over a cuppa and cake.’ www.guidesqld.org

Now there is Beach bocce, not the type you play social but a more structured game. The play area is smaller than a traditional bocce court. Its 10m long and has a width of 2.5/3m. Balls are of a composite make, 100mm in diameter and weighing 700g. A plastic ring 500mm is placed at one end, where you throw from. The other end at 6m a 500mm ring: 7m a 400mm ring: 8m a 30mm ring and at 9m a 200mm ring. The idea is to lob your bocce ball into the rings and be clear of the ring. You get points awarded to you. There are some rules to this game but it is a recognised bocce game. Well that’s a wrap for now. Remember there are no losers in bocce, we are all winners.

If you require more information or would like to come to the bocce courts for a try out, call me on 0403257325 or Tony on 0418731423.

Quote of the Day

Enquiries: Caroline Morrissey 0429 550 646. Wise sayings often fall on barren ground, but a kind word is never thrown away. — Arthur Helps