Preparing for an Amazing Journey

October 17, 2010
by Rodney Olsen
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The rubber hits the road today.

As I’ve mentioned before, next month I’ll be joined by ten other cyclists for a ride from Albany to Perth, honouring those who have battled cancer and the many more who have journeyed alongside a loved one who has faced this terrible disease. I’ll broadcast my morning radio programme on 98.5 Sonshine FM from a different town each morning before we jump on our bikes to ride to our next destination.

We’re just under a month away from the start of the ride and while everyone has been training for weeks, today is the first of our combned training rides. Many in the team will meet each other for the first time.

It won’t be a long or a fast ride but I’m really looking forward to seeing some connections develop that will help create a real team dynamic.

As well as getting ready to cycle over 500 kilometres next month, we’re all raising money for Cancer Council Western Australia and so while you may not be able to join our ride you can certainly help us reach our fundraising goals.

The team is hoping to raise over $15 000 for Cancer Council WA.

My personal goal is $1000. That means that I need 10 people to donate $100 or perhaps 20 to donate $50.

Can I ask you to consider donating $100 or $50 to help those facing cancer through Cancer Council WA? I know that not everyone can afford to give so generously so please feel free to give whatever you can. Every amount of $2 or above is tax deductible in Australia and will make a difference for so many.

You can donate directly by following this link.

The link will take you directly to the Cancer Council’s secure site. If you do donate to support me, can I ask that you leave a message on the site to tell me that you’re supporting me so that I can track those sponsoring my efforts? Alternatively you can email me to let me know you’ve donated.

If you know anyone in any of the towns along the way who you think would be a good contact, please let me know. If you can think of any other way you can help us with the event, please contact me.

Help spread the word.

I’d also ask you to share the link to this post through your blog or whatever other means you have available. At the bottom of this post are buttons for sharing the details on StumbleUpon, Twitter, Facebook, Delicious, Digg Reddit or even emailing the post to others. Just click your preferred button (or all of them) to get the word out.



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Santos Great Bike Ride 2010

October 10, 2010
by Rodney Olsen
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If you’re in Perth and want to be part of a great ride, check out the details for the Santos Great Bike Ride 2010.

It’s once again being organised by the team at TriEvents.



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Rethinking Abortion

June 10, 2010
by Rodney Olsen
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Abortion is an incredibly divisive topic. People on both sides of the issue are so passionate about their own perspectives that it can be difficult to conduct a balanced discussion that takes all viewpoints into account.

Unfortunately, whenever anyone from either the ‘pro-life’ or the ‘pro-choice’ camps raises the topic they can be very quickly shouted down or misreported before anyone has the opportunity to evaluate what they’re really saying.

Western Australian Liberal MP and Member for Southern River, Peter Abetz, recently ignited debate when he suggested that women seeking an abortion should be shown a 3D colour ultrasound image of their foetus before being going ahead with the procedure. He also called for a 48 hour cooling off period from when a woman books an abortion to when the procedure could take place.

He called for the 3D ultrasounds and a cooling off period during a recent rally at Western Australia’s Parliament House marking the anniversary of the 1998 liberalisation of WA’s abortion laws.

He states his main concern is that women should be given as much information as possible about abortion before making a decision. No other medical procedure is done without providing the patient with the maximum possible amount of available relevant information.

Peter Abetz recently joined me on 98.5 Sonshine FM to talk about his views and what he is hoping to achieve. You can hear what he said by clicking the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.

Please take the time to hear what he’s saying and then leave your thoughts in the comments section of this post.

While I don’t agree with abortion, I cannot support those who only pour condemnation on women who have undergone abortions. I believe that abortion is a very sensitive issue and that while we may have strong views one way or another, we should still show respect to those with opposing views.

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/MOR060810_1501.mp3]

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Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea

May 17, 2010
by Rodney Olsen
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Australia's Biggest Morning TeaAustralia’s Biggest Morning Tea is one of Cancer Council’s leading fundraising events and the largest, most successful event of its kind in Australia. It began in 1994 and since then over $70 million has been raised.

You can play your part by hosting a morning tea for your friends, family or work colleaugues and raising funds to help the fight against cancer.

The official date for Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea is Thursday the 27th of May, but you can host an event any time this month.

Statistics show that 1 in 2 Australians will be diagnosed with cancer before the age of 85 so the need is urgent.

Events Manager from Cancer Council Western Australia, Sascha Arnold, was my guest on 98.5 Sonshine FM this morning. We talked about the work of Cancer Council and how people can get involved in Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea.

Just click the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post to hear our conversation.

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/MOR170510_1057.mp3]

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A Visit to Peel Zoo

April 23, 2010
by Rodney Olsen
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KangarooOne of the most memorable parts of our family holiday last week was visiting Peel Zoo which is just an hour south of Perth in Pinjarra. We were staying at Fairbridge Village for the week so we were much closer.

Peel Zoo is located 10 minutes from Mandurah and 60 minutes from Perth Zoo. The zoo provides a hands on experience for its visitors. It is a privately funded zoo, focusing on education and conservation, and a wonderful place to spend a day. The zoo is constantly expanding, taking on more animals, and working with the community to protect and conserve local wildlife.

I must admit that I wasn’t totally convinced that the visit would be worthwhile. We’ve got a family membership to Perth Zoo which is a much bigger zoo with a far wider diversity of animals. There’s always so much to see at Perth Zoo that I felt I’d be disappointed by the very much smaller Peel Zoo. I needn’t have worried.

The big difference with Peel Zoo is the fact that you can get up close and personal with the lodgers. I can’t describe how wonderful it is to stroke a kangaroo. They really are the most beautiful animal and the roos at Peel Zoo are so incredibly tame. Their fur is so soft and I could sit around feeding them all day.

As well as patting kangaroos we got to feed and stroke an emu, some deer, and several other beasts.

While walking through the giant aviary I ended up with a bird on each shoulder. Neither of them were keen on going anywhere. They were quite content to use me as a perch for the rest of the day. Maybe they were hoping I’d just walk out so that they could escape.

At the end of our visit one of the zoo keepers very kindly introduced Emily, James and their cousins to one of the resident snakes. It was a delight to see how much she enjoyed sharing her friends with the children.

If you’re ever in the Pinjarra area I can heartily recommend a visit to the Peel Zoo. If you’re in the Perth area, make a day of it. Head down to the Pinjarra Bakery & Patisserie and enjoy some of their award winning goodies, then spend the afternoon meeting the locals at Peel Zoo.



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