What a waste

Some months ago I read with delight that you could opt out of receiving hard copy phone books.

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I even told my friends about it. I dutifully got on to the website and 'opted out'. I'm now wondering what was the point of doing so! Yep... it landed on my doorstop today. Is this a way of boosting the recycle bin quota? Because that's where mine will end up. Such a waste of resources.

Maggie Kirkby-Jones, Lemon Tree Passage

Related reading: Letters to the Editor, April 4

BINNED: Maggie Kirkby-Jones of Lemon Tree Passage tried to opt out of phone book delivery.

Chivalry is alive

I would like to thank the young man with the English accent who was sitting in his little silver car, parked alongside my car in the Salamander Bay Shopping Centre carpark on April 2.

As I finished packing heavy bags of groceries into my car boot, he kindly offered to return my shopping trolley to the trolley bay for me. He did so and returned to his car. What a gentleman. I felt privileged to be my 67 years of age and to be on the receiving end of his chivalry.

Jan Cahill, Corlette

Related reading: Letters to the Editor, March 28

Port will eat cake

In response to Mr Anderson's letter regarding the re-election of Kate Washington to the seat of Port Stephens and the perceived lack of funding due to her being in a minority government [Examiner, letters, April 4], let me remind the writer of the chaos that followed the last NSW Labor Government.

Shall I name names: Eddie Obeid comes to mind as does Joe Tripodi and Ian Macdonald. I was glad to see the last of them.

It seems though that for both sides, we never see a politician until there is a photo opportunity or a newspaper article or there is an upcoming election. They seem to go into hiding after that. We will get our share of the cake and Kate Washington will make sure of that because it is politically expedient to do so.

Larry Allison, Corlette

Related reading: Letters to the Editor, March 21

Helping those who help

It's human nature to want to make life better for people who need a little extra help.

The Hunter and Port Stephens communities are so fortunate that there are amazing people working every day to do this, helping to rewrite the future for hundreds of people, one day at a time.

From the incredible Butters family, which established a trust in their son's memory to provide dedicated paediatric palliative care facilities in regional hospitals, to volunteers at Riding for the Disabled and Sailability who show the empowering and even life altering benefits of the outdoors for people of all abilities.

As part of Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation, I review a large number of applications for grants each year, some for small amounts and some for major projects valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The common factor for all these applications is they have the goal of improving the lives of others, helping to rewrite the futures of people in need.

Since we started funding projects in the Hunter region in 2003 we've provided more than $8.5 million to bring 257 projects to life in the local area. I've seen hospital staff using a telemedicine system for the first time - the excitement of being connected to the best specialists in NSW and the reassurance that comes with that for their patients. Or the moment of freedom when a child with a disability can participate in playground play or ride a modified bike for the first time using specially designed equipment.

On behalf of Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation, I'd like to thank the groups we've funded in the Hunter for bringing their vision to life of a better day for others. If you know a group that has a vision to make life better for those in need, I urge you to let them know that applications for our next round of grants are now open. Visit www.charitablefoundation.com.au