Events
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Melbourne Legacy events throughout the year aim to raise funds for Legacy's work and to raise awareness of our services. Recent events include:-
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Somers Camp
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Christmas Luncheon hosted by Homestead Financial Group
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Christmas Day Luncheon at the RACV Club
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Legacy at Huntingdale Charity Golf Day
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Myra's Ode to Fallen
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Legacy Junior Public Speaking Award
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Legacy thanks the Defence Lake Attack Committee
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Legacy Week 2009
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Launch of the Broadband for Seniors Initiative
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Launch of Legacy Week 2009
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Legacy Sunday - Start of Legacy Week
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Defence Lake Attack
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Back to Caulfield
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| JANUARY: Somers Camp
| This year a group of 43 Junior Legatees and 38 Leaders attended the Somers Camp on the Mornington Peninsula. The camp was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone with many activities organised to make the camp an unforgettable experience for all those involved. The traditional ‘Colour Group Nights’ and ‘Formal Night’, as well as the 'Round Robin Day' which included on-site archery, rock climbing, mini golf, giant chess, cricket and craft were favourites along with the annual visit to the Coolart Jazz Festival, the Mornington races and the Moonlit Sanctuary walk.
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| Other activities this year included strawberry picking, a trip to Ashcombe Maze, a ferry ride and movie day.
| Click here to view slide show of the 2010 Somers Camp.
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Christmas Luncheon hosted by Homestead Financial Group
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| Homestead Financial Group Christmas Luncheon for the Widows of the Western Suburbs
| On Friday, 18 December 2009, the Homestead Financial Group generously hosted a Christmas luncheon for the
Legacy Widows of the Western Suburbs. This wonderful day was made all the more memorable by the directors
and staff who prepared the delicious meal, waited on tables, provided the entertainment - the “Three Tremors”, and arranged for Santa and his Elf to visit. One of the highlights was the “Three Tremors” who performed ‘Singing in the
Rain’ complete with water pistols!
Melbourne Legacy and the Widows who attended thank Verne Fettke and all the staff of the Homestead Financial
Group for hosting this special event.
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Christmas Day Luncheon at the RACV Club
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| Each year Melbourne Legacy assists some of the Widows who would otherwise be alone on Christmas Day, our Hidden Treasures, to attend the RACV Club Bistro for Christmas Lunch. This Christmas, Barbara Ireland, Widows' Coordinator, had the pleasure of visiting our Hidden Treasures while they dined. The ladies were enjoying each other’s company while savouring the food and not having to do the dishes.
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| As the ‘Herald Sun journalist, Alan Howe wrote, ‘English poet Laurence Binyon might as well have been speaking
about Myra Healey when he composed his famous poem ‘For the Fallen’ from which the RSL takes its Ode.
‘Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn’ Binyon wrote. The years have hardly condemned Myra who, at
93 has been the President of the Upper Yarra Legacy Widows’ Club since 2000. The Widows’ Club meet each
month at the Upper Yarra branch of the RSL which has recently undergone major renovations.
The ‘Herald Sun’ article on 21 September 2009 became the catalyst for a special project that has been close to
Myra’s heart. She wanted to present the ‘new’ RSL building with an illuminated wooden cross that comes on at
9pm as the club falls silent and the Ode is read. After reading the newspaper article, Travis Reading from Matters
of Identity made the cross for Legacy and John Challis sculptured the Badge of Legacy (pictured below the cross).
Both artists generously donated their magnificent works to Legacy.
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| Myra’s husband, Barney, who saw service in Bougainville and Darwin during WW11 died 13 years ago. Myra has remained very active in her local community. Legacy President of Yarra Valley, Legatee Barry Jacquier (pictured with Myra) aptly described Myra as ‘having amazing stamina, enthusiasm, leadership and organising skills
extraordinaire’.
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| Fundraising is not new to Myra. She recalls raising 19 shillings as a child of ten when her mother requested her assistance in selling ‘Shrine’ buttons to the public. In recent times Myra served on a Committee which raised $600,000 for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Canberra.
The unveiling of the new ‘Stand To’ Cross donated by Upper Yarra Legacy Widows’ Club was truly a grand affair, with true ‘pomp and ceremony’ which included a piper to start the procession, followed by soldiers in uniform, representatives of the Salvation Army, WW11 nurse in uniform with a WW11 veteran in a wheelchair. A bugler completed the ceremony which was held on 28 November 2009 in the presence of around 100 guests.
| Well done Myra on organising a very emotional and entertaining event on behalf of Legacy.
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Legacy Junior Public Speaking Award
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| Hearing the Voice of the Youth of Australia
| The Legacy Junior Public Speaking Award competition which is aimed at enhancing oral communication skills of students aged 12 to 14 years continues to grow and in 2009 over 380 Victorian schools took part in semi
finals across Victoria. The Victorian State Final was held at the ABC Iwaki Auditorium on 23 October 2009.
| The winner was Gretel Hayden from Ballarat and Clarendon College and the runner up was Nivashan Julien Nithianandan from Melbourne High School, South Yarra. Gretel and Nivashan will represent Victoria in the
National Final which will be held in Brisbane on November 9th.
Gretel was up against some tough competition from the eleven finalists who competed in the State Award.
She toasted the competition with her prepared speech. “Walking in Someone Else’s Shoes”.
“I am so excited about winning the competition” said Gretel. “I feel honoured as the other contestants spoke
so well. It was totally unexpected that I ended up with the Cup and I am proud to be representing Victoria in the
National Final.
The Legacy Junior Public Speaking Award is a speech advancement programme for junior secondary students
in State and Independent schools and colleges. It also seeks to help young people appreciate the ideals of Legacy; voluntary service, caring and comradeship and the need for remembrance. With the resurgence of the ANZAC
spirit, especially among the young of Australia, it is a most appropriate combination.
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| Entrants are required to give a five minute prepared speech on a subject of their own choosing followed by a
two minute impromptu speech
The Legacy Junior Public Speaking Award has been operating since 1988 and became a National event in 1995.
This year over 1600 students were involved in school events leading to entry in the twenty-seven regional finals
across Victoria for this Award.
Melbourne Legacy extends best wishes to Gretel and Nivashan for the National Final of the Legacy Junior Public Speaking Award to be held in Brisbane on 9th November.
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Legacy thanks the Defence Lake Attack Committee
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Congratulatios are due to the 2009 Defence Lake Attack Committee for raising an outstanding amount of $212,000. Melbourne Legacy is most grateful to be nominated as one of the four charities to share the proceeds of the
‘Defence Lake Attack’ Fun Run and the Defence charity dinner. We acknowledge all the hard work involved in
staging these events. Legacy’s share was $53,000 which will help us continue our welfare work of caring for the
families of deceased veterans.
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| Pictured right: Colonel Andy Maclean, Director Defence Lake Attack and Major General Grant Cavenagh, AM presenting a cheque to Legacy for our share of the proceeds of the 2009 Defence Lake Attack. Melbourne Legacy President elect, Legatee Chris Spence and Chief of the Defence Force Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, AC, AFC proudly holding the cheque for $53,000.
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| Melbourne Legacy sincerely thanks everyone who supported the 2009 Legacy Badge Appeal including the many volunteer collectors who helped sell badges, the media who helped promote the Appeal and of course the thousands of people who generously purchased a Legacy badge.
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| We again received wonderful support from the RSL and other Ex-Service Organisations. This year we had a record number of volunteers from the Australian Defence Force selling badges at train stations, busy areas in the CBD and at sporting events. That was a major factor in the overall success of the Appeal. Legacy extends a special thank you to all the Army, Navy and RAAF personnel for their great contribution.
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| Special thanks are due to the Commonwealth Bank for again providing funding support for production of the 2009 Legacy Week promotional material. In 2009 CBA has extended its support with Legacy badges on sale in a
number of CBA branches. Our collection also received a boost with a number of CBA staff directly involved in selling badges to the public. We are most grateful to the bank and to CBA staff who assisted.
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Launch of the Broadband for Seniors Initiative
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| NEVER TOO OLD TO LEARN
| The Hon. Jenny Macklin, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs officially
unveiled one of the first broadband kiosk to go live in Australia at Legacy House, Melbourne on Thursday,
3 September 2009. The kiosk is part of the $15m Federal Government Broadband for Seniors initiative to increase internet access for the country’s senior citizen population.
NEC Australia heads a consortium of organisations that are deploying the broadband kiosks and delivering training. They are: U3A online, ASCCCA and Adult Learning Australia.
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| Research shows that 70% of over 64’s haven’t been online and the reason is a lack of confidence and access.
This new initiative aims to overcome these barriers and provide training and access to help senior citizens
benefit from the opportunities online. Melbourne Legacy is thankful to the Federal Government and NEC for
providing the Internet Kiosk at Legacy House Melbourne. It will enable us to provide yet another service to our
widows and it is most fitting that this extra service was provided during Legacy Week
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| A special highlight of the launch, which was covered on Channel 7 and ABV2 evening news, was a demon-
stration on how to use the Internet by 86 year old Legacy widow, Pauline Priestly to 103 year old Legacy widow
May Rush. Mrs Rush was amazed to see an article about herself on the internet. Mrs Priestly googled in the name
May Rush and as Mrs Rush had recently been featured in The Leader Newspaper, as part of a Legacy Week
promotion, her photo appeared on the screen. It was an exciting moment for our 103year old widow to see herself
on a computer screen! May Rush is an avid fan of ‘The Lions’ and learnt how to google up her beloved football
team - it goes to show that you are never too old to learn!
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| | 86 year old Legacy widow Pauline Priestly (right) demonstrates features of the Internet to103 year old Legacy widow May Rush.
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|  | Minister Jenny Macklin MP guides Legacy
Widows Pauline Priestly and May Rush
through the website.
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| Launch of Internet Kiosk - Press Release (3 September 2009)
| ABC News - "Never too old to learn."
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