Frank Harper stopped over during an R and R break and was really looked after well by the locals.

He has been back in the last 12 months, and now wants to return for the Elvis Festival and do some filming and meet up (hopefully) with some of the locals he met all those years ago.

We published a couple of photos and asked if anyone could help to identify those in the pictures.

Pleasingly, we have had some success.

First of all, a local couple knew the former publican of the Railway Hotel, Allan Young and his wife, and were able to get in touch with Mrs Young who lives fairly close by.

Mr Young is now deceased.

It is hoped Mrs Young will meet up with Frank.

But what was really fantastic was that a picture we published of Frank out in the bush, with a truck in the background, really stirred some memories for a local family.

The picture featured John (Jack) Donnelly, now deceased, and the family has very few pictures of him.

They were quite pleasantly surprised to see Jack in the local paper.

His sister still lives in Parkes, as does his nephew who said he recognised the family truck which was used regularly on the farm, which is also the location for the photo.

Frank (in the USA) is thrilled and hoping to catch up.  He has since provided some other photos of Jack the family might like.

It’s been an unusual request from the other side of the world, but with a very pleasing ending.

It will be interesting to see how things go when Frank comes out early next year.

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I know I am stating the bleeding obvious when I comment on just how quickly the year has gone by.

Almost eight months now gone!

I’ve always felt that when the Parkes Show arrives and is then over, we are on the downhill run to Christmas.

Well, Parkes Show time is next week.

Christmas is around the corner and from the front page story, it could be a little different locally this year.

No Christmas parade!!! Bah humbug! Not impressed.

But more on that later.

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THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

“Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need. “