Gift Wrapping St. Hilda's for Winter Magic 2009

On Saturday 13th June a team from the local State Emergency Services installed an art work as part of ArtStreet for the Winter Magic Festival. This was no normal installation, with the bell tower of St Hilda’s Katoomba being wrapped like a giant present. The gift tag reads; ‘To our community with love’. The minister from St Hilda’s, Ray Robinson, said the idea has been two years in the planning with bad weather thwarting the first attempt at wrapping. This year the winds were a bit lighter and while it took all day, the SES managed what was quite a difficult job in the end. Team leader for the day, Hanna Musgrove described the training exercise as quite a challenge with team members having to abseil down the tower to secure the wrapping.

When asked what was the idea behind the work, Rev Robinson said the SES are on about saving lives and we’re on about saving souls so there is a great synergy in the joint project. He was keen to both support ArtStreet and raise the profile of the SES in the community. He said the church, and organisations like the SES, are gifts to our community where volunteers often put in long hours to make a contribution and care for those in need.

SES Blue Mountains Controller Costa Zarkis said ‘We’re very glad to be able to help St Hilda’s with their contribution to Winter Magic 2009.’

The installation will be up for two weeks and the church will be open all day on Winter Magic Saturday with a full program of free activities for all the family. The SES will have a display, there will be music in the church, including Phil Davidson performing, as well as a family bush dance on the Saturday night from 7pm.