Happy New Year to all our flock and friends!

We hope you all had a lovely Christmas and that 2016 brings you all the health and happiness you could wish for. At our stage of existence, these two are probably the most important attributes of life.
 
To all our faithful flock, thank you for your ongoing support and to the new fledglings, welcome to our nest of fun and friendship.
 
The site plan has now been drawn, redrawn, checked, amended and finalised. Vehicles have been allocated sites based on their length and the requirements of the individuals or group members, ie power, medical power, restricted mobility, unpowered, nearness to toilets, etc etc.
 
In coming days, our Booking Crow Hazel will be emailing or mailing your Squawkers' Permit, showing your site number and a colour, eg it could be blue 86 (that's actually Bob and my site, oops and Nikki and Diesel too).
 
You will be asked to come in during a certain time slot (eg ours would be 9 am to 9.30 am) on Tuesday morning March if you are coming for the seven days. If you're stuck with work or other commitments and can only come for four days, your permit will say Thursday morning March 24 .
 
The permit will also nominate a street for entry. This year we are using two gates, one at 74 Tasman Road (as last year) and a new one at 308 Copland Street.  There will be a map on your document showing where that entry point is in relation to the grounds. Once you are off the road, there will be a marshaling area with a sign nominating your colour (in our case blue).
 
If you come in outside your allocated time slot, you will be sent to a holding area and won't go on site till the correct time. If you are late, you will also be in the holding area (or as Hazel says Detention centre) and will have to wait till the siting boys and girls can get to you.
 
This is critically important, as our Traffic Management Plan has to be approved every year. Last year, some people did not use their brains and caused chaos along Copland Street blocking driveways and intersections. Please use common sense and don't disrupt these businesses.

Please print out this document and bring it with you as it's your entry ticket and most important. One of our meet and greet assistants will be checking your permit, make sure you are in your right time slot and direct you to the appropriate coloured area. 
 
When our siting crews are ready for your section, you will be directed through the gate and put on site. Once you get settled, off to the Crow Central Marquee to register and get your information bag, program, name badges etc. There you can also find out all about the various gReyVee award activities, talent quest, games, Daddy Day Care woodwork and Statewide Sewing Crafty Crows.
 
If you would like to be one of our crow assistants, please remember to fill out the form found at www.stonethecrows.com.au/pdf/16-crow-assistant.pdf as we really need to allocate duties by the end of this month. If you have been a Crow Assistant before and would like to do so again, just email me at info@stonethecrows.com.au and confirm your shirt size as per the size list on the above form, so we can get the orders in.
 
We are delighted to have Statewide Sewing Centre participate as part of the Festival and welcome Janette Harwood (most ably assisted by Colleen Lemmon) who will be tutoring various sewing machine techniques and classes. 

Knowing that this year's charity is the Salvation Army and their work with the homeless, they are donating a sewing machine as part of our raffle and the proceeds will be added to the various Wagga quilts, knitted and crochet rugs as our donation to the wonderful work done by the Salvo's . Our own regulars Peter Powell and wife Brenda (who are Sallies) will be liaising with locals. So ladies (and gents) please make sure you bring your rugs, beanies, sox, gloves or any other knitted item which could be used by homeless people along – they will to ensure this all ends up being put to a good cause.
 
The Wagga Wagga Food and Wine Festival will be held on Saturday March 19 www.waggafoodandwinefestival.org. They haven't updated their website as yet but you can see what a good day it could be.  The other event that weekend is the John O Brien Festival at Narrandera (as previously advised) www.johnobrien.org.au so that's just two events that could be of interest to those travelling to the Riverina. 
 
The previous weekend is the Junee Rhythm and Rail Festival (March 12 and 13) www.rhythmnrail.com.au so yet another local event that could be of interest, especially for music and train buffs.
 
Our Tourist Information people at the Council are now back at work after a Christmas break and preparing a detailed list of other events and activities that could be of interest before and after the Festival. Why not make the most of our time in the region... there are heaps to do and see!
 
Unpowered sites are still available for all lengths of vehicles but the yellow highlighters which we use are showing large blocks of colour, so if you or friends are thinking of coming, we would recommend you get your booking forms in as soon as possible. Booking numbers are more advanced than they were at the same stage last year.
 
That's probably enough for now, just watch your email or mail box for your Squawkers Permit and if you have not heard from Hazel by say January 20, don't hesitate to email or phone either her or Chrissy in case it has got lost either in cyberspace or with the new Australia Post systems (they are an unknown quantity).
 
Speaking of post .... the Crow letter box is now an official one at the Kinglake Post Office ... it's Post Office Box 238 so whether you send your letters to that box or care of the post office, it will still get to us.

The next Chronicle will give you a fairly definite draft of the entertainment program so you can start planning how you will fit in all the activities.

 
Please stay away from fires or floods and it is sincerely hoped that no one has suffered from the recent natural adversities.