IN its increasingly effective “education” campaign to remind Canberrans of the value of community clubs (and doubtless keep the casino’s 500 pokie-machine grab at bay), ClubsACT has unearthed the fact that an astonishing $1.8 million a year is spent by 30 Canberra clubs with local butchers… and that’s just for their weekly meat-tray raffles.

One grateful beneficiary is Evatt butcher Darren, who has supplied raffle meat trays to clubs, such as the Labor Club, Yowani Country Club, Belconnen Soccer Club and the RUC in Turner, for more than 20 years and says it represents half the butchery’s revenue.

“The income I receive from clubs makes up a huge component of my weekly transactions, so it’s difficult to imagine how the business would survive without it,” he says, clearly sending a pre-election message to the Labor government, which is being bedazzled by the bright lights of a casino redevelopment that is reckoned will come at the direct expense of community clubs – and their suppliers.

All excitement for bubbling Brooke

IF you haven’t heard of Brooke Curtin yet, especially anyone in the new centre electorate of Kurrajong, CC predicts you will.

The aspiring Liberal candidate and first woman pilot to be qualified on military jet aircraft is strafing the hustings, styling herself as the “Top Gun Mum” (she has a domestic brood of three) and confusingly channelling Labor by describing herself as: “The most exciting new person in Canberra politics since Katy Gallagher”.

Senator Katy, much as CC loves her, could have never hoped to match the astonishing energy of former Liberal Chief Minister Kate Carnell, a much more ideologically appropriate role model for bubbling Brooke.

Silas finally snapped!

WE’RE sure that all the hundreds of thousands of Canberran faces former “CityNews” Snapper to the Stars Silas Brown took over many years would be pleased to see him finally make this week’s social page. Successor snapper Andrew Finch spotted the latter-day landscaper at the launch of Canberra Brewing. These days Silas lives in Binalong and specialises in permaculture through his company Thriving Foodscapes.

Eggstrordinary Ukrainian Easter eggs

LOCAL film critic Stefan Kussy is of Ukrainian background and wrote to say that while Easter might appear to be over, it’s still on its way for Ukrainian Catholics.

According to the Julian calendar, Easter doesn’t start until May 1 and that’s when Ukrainians turn to making traditional “pysanky” from raw eggs. That is Ukrainian Easter eggs intensely decorated with traditional folk designs.

“The word ‘pysanka’ comes from the verb ‘pysaty’ (to write), as the designs are not painted on, but written in hot wax on the eggshell with a special stylus,” he says.

The photographed eggs are the amazing work of his sister, Irena Schorsch, who learnt the exacting and painstaking skill over many years.

Reassuringly, Stefan says: “Pysanky are decorative rather than edible.”

Coughing up for cake

A WATSON snout got a birthday party shock the other day when he and his happy party of five discovered “cakeage”, the charge restaurants apply if you bring a cake in lieu of buying desserts from the menu.

“I know restaurants charge corkage, but have you heard of charging a cakeage fee?” he asks.

Well, yes, we have but CC is curious to know if his group’s charge of $2.50 each is fair. Anyone know of a restaurant charging more?