ANZAC Day 2011
1 May 11
ANZAC day is always special in the Valley and this year lived up to expectations.
The weather was not quite perfect but did nothing to lessen the size of the crowd and their enthusiasm for this Commemorative Service.
The catafalque party and Parade leader from HMAS ‘Albatross’ lent an air of quiet dignity and the RAAF ‘spectacular’ with the powerful Hornet was a thrilling special treat.
The school children marched, carried the colours and sang beautifully.
Joshua Styles delivered the ‘Ode’ and Olivia Harvey the ‘Sir ‘poem.
Both very impressive performances.
My thanks to students from Year 6 who so ably and willingly helped throughout the day: Caitlin and Olivia Mairinger, Gabrielle Murphy, Oliver Rodden, Lauren Barnes, Jaxon Boyle, Lily Stirling, Erin Hindman, Daisy Oke-Turner and Justin Grant.
This year all students entered posters in the ANZAC Competition and their work was on display in the Hall.
The judges’ task was not easy. The awards and commendations went to Caitlin Mairinger, Oliver Harvey, Josuah Styles, Jaxon Boyle, Emma Parker, Daisy Oke-Turner, Maddi Taylor, Sascha Binder, Lily Stirling, Lauren Barnes, Jenson Barker, Jemima Paterson, Olivia Mairinger, Anastasia Tisch, Sasha O’Reilly, Layla Wang, Harmony Barker, Duncan Petersen, Paige Baker and Olesia Marles
Each student will receive a commemorative coin when school resumes.
Thankyou to the Headmaster and teachers for organizing the competition and choir: especially to Jill Good and Helen Nickell.
Grateful thanks to our energetic Committee and special helpers on the day: Franz, Lance and Nigel, Eileen, Alan and Gayle, Lorraine, Mary and Gabby and our ever thoughtful Jacqui.
Through the generosity of the Nowra Bowling Club, ice creams and drinks were a special treat fro the young people after the ceremony and the Lions Club cooked up their usual appetizing Aussie fare. Thankyou for your support.
The CWA offered Anzac biscuits and a cuppa and donated the proceeds to our Anzac fund. Thankyou for this contribution to the funds from the Raffle, which are used to purchase Commemorative $1 coins for all the children at the KV school.
Thankyou to our guest speaker, Elizabeth Aitken and to John Anderson, Andrew Paterson and Anne Dynon for your moving contributions to the Service. Also to Ben Stapleton, our reliable flag monitor, to Joanna Gash for printing the programmes and to Carl Leddy, the South Coast Register, local newspapers and radio stations for their media support.
I am proud to be the part of this special day.
The whole village recognizes the importance of ANZAC day and it is heart warming to see so many past students attending the Service and participating in the March.
The number of wreaths laid by family and friends as tributes to servicemen and women is an indication of how much we care and our determination that we shall always remember them. Continued p6
Thank you Nicholas and Matthew Chittick for your contributions. Once again we are grateful to Sebastian Giunta who travelled to the Valley to take impressive photos of the proceedings.
I shall be posting some of these on the Village Community Notice Board.
His website for further viewing and ordering of photos is: www.sgphotographics.com
Tel.0431 802 359
Thank you to the Shoalhaven Council for the flags, the RTA for the signs, the Rural Fire for controlling the traffic and the Ambulance and Police for their support.
The promoters of several Tourist attractions in the Shoalhaven and Sydney area provided valuable prizes for the Competition and we are grateful for their continued generosity.
The Raffle was well supported by local people
and the hundreds of Easter visitors.
The main prize, a set of Australian Coins, was won by Luke Kramer. This young man was surprised and delighted to receive his prize. Libby Nelson received an original page from ‘The Sydney Mail’, depicting scenes from the 1920 ANZAC Day celebrations in Sydney. This was kindly donated by David Gazzard from his collection of original newspapers at ‘Nostalgia’ in the Valley.
The Family Day concluded with the presentation of the ‘ANZAC’ Award—the James Bray Memorial Shield.
This was presented to the worthy winner, Jaxon Boyle, by Adam Bray.
So another ANZAC Day has passed into history. See you all again next year.
Joan Bray