I always love receiving letters from my World Vision sponsor child.

I chose her as her birthday is on the 16^th of August which is the anniversary of the passing of Elvis Presley. Being a huge Elvis fan I saw this as a sign from above that the King had chosen this child for me to sponsor!!! I’m pretty sure she would not even know who Elvis was and may consider my rationalisation a little off with the fairies!

She is in grade four, lives in South Africa, enjoys athletics and wants to be a doctor when she finishes school and her sister wants to be a nurse.

I find her letters very well written and enjoy the photo’s that are occasionally included and the updates on what is being done in her community due to the sponsorship money received . This year there was construction of 2 toilet blocks at the primary school, receiving of 5000L rainwater tanks at four schools, two additional class rooms added, new school bags to carry books, orphans received school uniforms, HIV & AIDS awareness conducted….

Over the last couple of years I have posted her numerous books (some educational children’s books on the human body seeing as she wants to be a doctor), colouring pencils and crayons, toy doctor sets, assorted toys, colouring books, sarongs, hats, bags, pencil cases etc….she is very good and tells me she shares with her sister (lucky I send two of everything!)

My parcels can take about 3months to get there by ship. I sent this one pictured above for her birthday in August and it has just got there recently. I guess she will receive her Christmas one in March or later!

Letters from her are written in Zulu and then translated.

A quote from one of her first letters; “Oh my friend I don’t know what I can say about your present, it’s unbelievable to me…..what a beautiful hat and socks…..from today, me and my sister will never be heated from sun because we have hat…I’m going to be a doctor of tomorrow using my doctor set….I love you my friend, my sister is very happy because we are going to share….please pass my regards to all of your family”

I find sponsoring this child very rewarding!!!!

….for more details on World Vision child sponsorship please click here….

Welcome to the Andre Rieu Forums! Strictly for fans! 

A place for fans to meet, discuss and share information about Andre Rieu and his fabulously talented Johann Strauss Orchestra and their performances.

Share your ‘Andre’ experiences and photos, discuss the dvds, talk about the fabulous soloists, ask those burning questions about sets and costumes, share your favourite comedic moments of the orchestra, discuss your other interests with fellow Andre fans and much more.

Any topic is welcome as long as you follow the rules of ‘play nice’ and ‘have fun’ and are respectful of Andre Rieu and the JSO orchestra and other forum users.

Please click here to check out the forum….

Go to Amazon to purchase Andre’s DVD’s & Cd’s….

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An anonymous friend has posted me a letter that may shed some light on my earlier logo posts ….  Not that I want to revert back to this issue as I feel my point was made quite clearly at the time but the connection was never made as to who is Anne Maree Althaus and small details can play a large part in who you decide to vote for at future elections.

The Clue:

If you look up Anne Maree’s maiden name and match it up with council staff person Mary-Jane Wruck’s maiden name, you might get a ‘logo’ match.

This morning it was off to Maryborough on my Harley for the 2008Toy Run to raise funds and give toys to needy families for distribution at Christmas time. This event is organised by the local Fraser Coast chapter of the Ulysses Motorcycle Club and the toys are give to the Salvation Army. There looked like well over 500 bikes and we were all absolutely roasting in our leathers!

We started at the Sporties Club in Maryborough then followed a Police escort to Hervey Bay, riding along the Esplanade and finished at the Kondari Resort at Urangan. Here we dropped off the toys and had a sausage sizzle, listening to Christmas carols by the Salvation Army band.

With all the people who come out to watch and wave plus the support for the community from all the local bikers, this event is my official Christmas festive season starter every year. One can feel the LOVE as long as you appreciate the SOUND!

Yesterday after years of postponing I decided to put a deposit on a P & O Cruise to Vanuatu in early 2009. I had the perfect opportunity to have a trial cruise in the beautiful waters of Hervey Bay yesterday afternoon when attending the Fraser Coast Young Professionals Christmas Cruise on Quick Cat II.

Over 40 members came aboard and watched the sun go down while enjoying nibbles, drinks and each other’s company. It really was the best way to relax at the end of a hectic work week. For more information and images on the FCYP events please click here.

Artie Rocke from the 2006 Australian edition of The Biggest Loser and I had a photo taken in the wheelhouse with our skipper, Sarah Perry who is 21 and the youngest female skipper in Queensland and the only woman driver in Hervey Bay. Very impressive!

I can’t wait for my P & O Cruise!

 

What a pleasant surprise and thank you for my lovely gift I received in the post today being a copy of Mr Trumps, ‘Think Big and Kick Arse’ book.

As you must be unaware I already have a copy of this book and have read it thoroughly cover to cover and was going to ask Mr Trump to sign it when he was in Australia. I did get excited and thought Christmas had come early when I saw an inscription in the front cover thinking Mr Trump had personally signed it just for me!

Once getting over my initial disappointment, I was not quite sure what your inscription meant?

Jeanette,

This may help fill in your time more productively than your current pursuits

Malcolm Quinn

As I operate a successful business that exceeds the expectations of clients through delivering honesty and an award winning level of creative graphic and website design solutions and excellence plus am also completing a full time masters degree analysing my business expansion, I wonder what other pursuits I could possibly have time for…!

Once again thank you and as the book is worth $19.14 (though probably not now that it has been scribbled on) you still owe $2485.86.

Kind regards

Jeanette Maynes

Ps. if you gave me $5000 of gifts, books on Australia, Aboriginal artwork, hundreds of phone calls (actually forget the phone calls), a flight to New York and a $2.5 million contract we may have the deal of a lifetime.

For those who don’t know who Mr Quinn is please click here

Related Story

Related story 

Last night when out on the town I ran into Mr Malcolm Quinn (editor of the Ipswich Independent and organiser of the ‘Trump In Australia’ seminars) at the Bay Central Tavern in Hervey Bay. While I had the opportunity I thought it best to query him as to whether he would pay the $2.5K he had charged me for the Trump in Australia seminar ticket I recently purchased that never went ahead. Mr Quinn said Trump is not an honorable man and that he owes me my money back! 

I told Mr Quinn I was quite embarrassed by his obvious lack of business ethic’s and what he had done to Mr Trump! Mr Quinn walked off to the bar irritated and said he had never had anyone speak to him like I had before. I said I found it hard to believe that he has over a million dollars of Australian business people’s money and no one had addressed him directly on this matter till now? Quinn told me Mr Trump had ripped the Australian people off not him…. I said I clearly remember my money going into your bank account and not Trumps. 

When Mr Quinn returned with another drink… I queried him further and had to write his exact quotes down as I didn’t want to get all the F words in the wrong places or misquote anything as I was alittle stunned! 

Mr Quinn repeatedly told me, “Everyone can get f@cked!!!!”

I said what about all the money you owe?, “Who gives a f@ck!!!!!”

I asked what about all the people who want their money back?, “They’re d@ckheads if they want their money back, go to your merchant bank provider, like I said I don’t give a f@ck”

I said maybe people’s banks don’t have refund policies for goods and services not received?, “Who gives a f@ck!!!!!”  

Mr Scott Rowe editor of the Fraser Coast Independent informed me the liquidators are currently suing Trump. (I don’t know if his statement is true or not as I can’t see the reasoning).

David Stimpson, Brisbane-based liquidator of the failed promotion company The Concept Store, said the contract negotiated by Concept Store director Malcolm Quinn is weighted heavily in Mr Trump’s favour. The terms include a provision for Mr Trump to cancel with no repercussions.   Click here to read more…..

I feel Trump will have a field day with him just for the fun of it as he can afford to!