ISSN 1833-1831 Tourist Park Coober Pedy 08 86 725 691 BULLS GARAGE On-site Service Centre Phone: 86 725 036 Tel: 08 8672 5920 https://cooberpedytimes.com Thursday 27 July 2017 CATACOMB CHURCH HOLIDAY CONCERT FOSTERS COOBER PEDY KIDS TALENT Under the banner: Coober Kids DO Have Talent, forty three children and youth entertained an audience of proud parents and community members on Thursday 13th July at 6.30pm at the School Gym. The concert was the climax to a very busy and enjoyable week run by the Catacomb Church and one of their supporting churches, St Stephens Anglican Church in Normanhurst, Sydney. A team of 10 adults and 9 kids had come 2000kms from Sydney to support the Catacomb Church for 6 days. This is their second visit to Coober Pedy. The week began with an Amazing Race of 6 teams of 35 children heading around the town to answer quiz questions; to undergo Physical/ Mental and Food challenges and even to experience using a fire extinguisher thanks to the CFS. The night ended with a cosy July Bonfire and marshmallows in the Catacomb Church grounds and a short talk on how Amazing Gods Grace is. Two Creative Arts workshops offered a choice of Dance; Art; Drama: Puppets; Making Musical Instruments and Karaoke. These were turned into items for the Big Concert. Seeing the children grow in confidence; mix with each other; make new friends from their school and also with the 9 Sydney kids was a joy to behold. Under the banner: Coober Kids DO Have Talent, forty three children and youth entertained an audience of proud parents and community members In the first Drama workshop for example there were 3 local kids and 3 Sydney kids and in the second one there were 2 High Schoolers and a Year 7 and 2 Year 4 girls all working together. The Concert was put together in the 3 days so we decided to call it ‘The Dress Rehearsal’ in case it didn’t flow smoothly. “We needn’t have worried”, commented organiser and hostess Tracey Piggott (Catacomb Church Coober Pedy). “The children obviously felt safe emotionally to perform without fear of failure”. “It was so thrilling to see the confidence of the children and to see them mix with and encourage each other. I couldn’t have been happier with how the night went”, said Tracey”. Coober Kids Got Talent Concert on Thursday 13th July Harry Maat, Mitchell Hoad, Gus Peggie and Clydine and Caleigh play their recorders saw 34 local and 9 Sydney kids in 23 different items Amy Meyers entertain the crowd for 2 hours. The concert was followed by an enjoyable supper. See page 5 for more photos Photo of the week TRAVELLERS SEEKING FREEBIES ENJOYED FRESHLY CLEANED FACILITIES OVERNIGHT AT OUR CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND! SERVING THE OPAL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD SINCE 1982 7 DAYS WEATHER - APPROACHING LATE WINTER Editor - Margaret Mackay Coober Pedy Oodnadatta Tarcoola Andamooka * PO Box 275 Coober Pedy SA 5723 * Ph: (08) 8672 5920 Email: [email protected] DUGOUT * Next Newspapers Thursday 10 Aug 2017 Thursday 24 Aug 2017 Thursday 07 Sep 2017 Thursday 21 Sep 2017 Spring Equinox * Saturday 23rd Sept 2017 05:31:01 Advertising Rates * Display $6.50 per cm/col December Solstice in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia is on Friday, 22 Classified $8.00 per cm/col December 2017 at 2:58 am ACDT Bookings by Wednesday prior December Solstice in Universal Material must be in Fri prior Coordinated Time is on Thursday, 21 December 2017 at 16:28 UTC The CPRT newspaper was first ONLINE in 2006 and is now ONLINE ONLY. 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Deadline dates are on the LHS of this page (check b4 sending) of the Coober Pedy Regional Times past and present is formation of opal in the world copyrighted as a collective work under Australian copyright *Spacious underground living laws and may not be reproduced without written authorisation. The owner of the collective work is the Coober Pedy Regional SUBMISSIONS that are not received by Friday, prior to printing are *Beautiful Opal Gemstones Times Newspaper. unlikely to appear in that edition *Over 40 Nationalities living together CROSSWORD VALUE FOR DOLLARS! MORE STARS - LESS ELECTRICITY! Page 2 Coober Pedy Regional Times Thursday 27 July 2017 YAMI LESTER OAM – 24 August 1941 to It is with great sadness that the family of Yami 21 July 2017 R.I.P. Lester announce the passing of Yami Lester (Poppa Yami), Yankunytjatjara leader and Elder, Land Rights and anti-nuclear campaigner on 21 July 2017, age 75.Yami was born in the early 1940s at Walkinytjanu Creek (Wal-kin-jahnu) an outstation on Granite Downs Station in the far north of South Australia. When the atomic bomb went off at Emu Field (the first test on the mainland), Yami was about ten years of age and through life would re-tell with clarity and sadness of his family being blanketed in the toxic fallout and the sickness and death that followed. As a stockman and skilled horseman, Yami spent his early years working on pastoral properties across South Australia until losing his eyesight as a teenager and later becoming completely blind – the consequence of dust from the nuclear bomb. He was a member of the Aboriginal Advancement League, was drawn to social work assisting families in need with health and education during work with the United Mission and was instrumental, together with the late Reverend Jim Downing, in the establishment of the Institute for Aboriginal Development in Alice Springs and the Pitjantjatjara Land Council. As a professional interpreter and cultural broker he worked in the law courts making sure the voice of Anangu was understood. Yami made it his life’s work to campaign locally, nationally and internationally for the clean-up of Maralinga following the Nuclear Atomic Bomb testing Lifetime advocate for Aboriginal rights and Anti-nuclear campaigner Yami Lester by the British in the 1950s and 60s, for a Royal O.A.M, and long time companion and carer Bronya Dineen at Walatina Commission and for compensation for destruction and contamination of country and the dispossession of Anangu. It was hard work rewarded with the extensive remediation of country as well as financial compensation TRIBUTES for Maralinga Tjarutja peoples. Local residents’ Terry & Josephine Brennan-Kuss Condolences for death of Aboriginal For several decades, supported by his children, he recall their long association and friendship with leader Yami Lester OAM - Hon Kyam continued a relentless campaign against nuclear Yami Lester.