Buy a Cycling Jersey to Suppport Cancer Ride

September 12, 2011
by Rodney Olsen
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I’ve written here before about my upcoming Ride for Cancer

I’m about to undertake a bike ride of over 500 km from Albany to Perth to raise funds for Cancer Council Western Australia. This will be the third year in a row that I’ve cycled for this cause. I feel very strongly about it and if you’ve been effected by cancer, I’m sure you do too. The work being done by Cancer Council Western Australia is having effects right around the world through their high level research.

I’ll be joined by twelve other cyclists and each morning for a week I’ll be sharing cancer stories on the Morning Café, my 98.5 Sonshine FM radio program, before hopping onto my bike just after midday to cycle to the next town. The ride will start on the 31st of October and we’ll arrive back in Perth on Saturday the 5th of November.

The team is hoping to raise over $20 000 for Cancer Council WA. I’ve set my personal goal at $2000.

You can give directly by going to the secure Everyday Hero fund raising site set up especially for the ride. Just click the Donate Now button and select my name as the team member you’d like to support.

Buy your own exclusive jersey

Another way you can help the cause and get something for yourself is to buy a limited edition cycling jersey. These jerseys will be the same as those that the team of riders on the Albany to Perth ride will wear.

Perth Integrated Health have jumped on board as a major supporter of the Cancer Ride this year and have set up an online store for those who’d like to buy one of the limited edition jerseys. Orders close on Monday the 26th of September so you have only two weeks to order.

Follow the link to get all the details and see both the front and back views of the jersey.



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Tim Costello talks about East Africa

September 8, 2011
by Rodney Olsen
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A disaster is currently unfolding in Africa. Millions of people are in desperate need and yet we’re hearing very little about the death and suffering that is happening right now. It can be stopped if we only have the will to intervene and do something now.

Countries in East Africa, including the Horn of Africa, have again been struck by severe drought, affecting the lives of some 13 million people. Combined with massively inflated food prices, people’s access to food and water is in jeopardy. Conflict in Somalia is affecting communities’ access to food, water, health and education services.

Over many years Tim Costello has been the voice of social conscience for many Australians, having led debates on issues such as gambling, urban poverty, homelessness, reconciliation and substance abuse. He’s someone who takes the often talked about Aussie value of giving everyone a fair go and gives it a practical expression.

As CEO of World Vision Australia, Tim leads an organisation that with the support of more than 400 000 Australians, helps more than 20 million people every year. He joined me on my Morning Café radio program today on 98.5 Sonshine FM. You can hear our conversation by clicking the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.

I started by asking Tim why we haven’t heard more about this massive need. Have we become hardened to the plight of others or are there other reasons for the world’s lack of action?

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/MOR090811_1122.mp3]

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Jack Vidgen in Perth

August 31, 2011
by Rodney Olsen
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Until recently he was a Sydney school boy. These days he’s touring the country with a growing overseas interest in his amazing new career.

Jack Vidgen is only 14 but his voice has an incredible maturity. He’s able to sing meaning into his music in a way that many people twice his age just can’t.

Jack burst onto our TV screens on the 3rd of May this year in his first appearance on Australia’s Got Talent. He quickly became a favourite and progressed through to the final which he then won thanks to votes from fans around the country.

Jack Vidgen joined me in the studio today as part of the Morning Café on 98.5 Sonshine FM.

You can listen to our conversation by clicking the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.

From the moment Australia first saw Jack it was obvious that he’d had performance experience. We talked about his previous experience and the journey that led him to the television talent show. I also asked how someone so young remains grounded when they have people in the music industry, including the judges on Australia’s Got Talent, saying such incredible things about him and his talent.

Jack is constantly compared to Justin Beiber but I’m sure it won’t be long before the world knows him for who he is rather than any similarities between him and other singers.

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/MOR310811_1056.mp3]

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World Suicide Prevention Day

August 30, 2011
by Rodney Olsen
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It’s something that tears families apart and leaves an ache that doesn’t seem to diminish over the years. It raises unanswerable questions and takes more lives each year than the road toll, yet we hear far less about its devastating effects.

Each year in Western Australia, over 200 people complete suicide and an even greater number harm themselves in suicide attempts. Suicide prevention is everyone’s business and we all play an important role in preventing suicide in our community.

Saturday the 10th of September is International World Suicide Prevention Day.

World Suicide Prevention Day is held on September 10th each year. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness around the globe that suicide can be prevented. Disseminating information, improving education and training, and decreasing stigmatization are important tasks in such an endeavour. The theme in 2011 is “Preventing Suicide in Multicultural Societies”.

To find out more about the part that we can all play in preventing suicide I spoke to Jade Lewis on my radio program, the Morning Café. You can hear our conversation by clicking the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/MOR300811_0842.mp3]

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Harry Potter’s Bigger Story

August 24, 2011
by Rodney Olsen
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He’s the world’s most famous wizard and from the moment his story hit book stores around the world he has been the subject of controversy. Some Christians immediately started to warn us of this evil character and tell us that allowing children to read the Harry Potter series would lead to an increase in occult activity.

Many others said that the books were just good, old-fashioned fantasy and while there are some darker themes in the stories they’re still the classic tale of good overcoming evil.

With the release of the final movie in the Potter story, some Christians are now claiming parallels to the Christian story. They say that Harry Potter is a ‘Christ figure’ in much the same way as Aslan in the Chronicles of Narnia.

Did J.K. Rowling set out to tell a deeper story through her books? Does her style mirror that of other fantasy writers such as C.S. Lewis with his Chronicles of Narnia or J.R.R. Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings?

My regular Wednesday morning guest on 98.5 Sonshine FM is Rev Dr Ross Clifford who is the Principal of Morling College in New South Wales. Each week we chat about a range of issues relating to spirituality and belief.

Today we looked at the fantasy world of Harry Potter and asked whether there are links between the writings of J.K. Rowling and the bigger story of the Christian Scriptures. You can hear what Ross had to say by clicking the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/SPI240811_1534.mp3]

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