29 APRIL 2020 | ISSUE 448 | FREE
In the darkness of this Anzac Day, when night still lingered, there were familiar elements but for the year 2020, Covid-19 had reinvented the day. We may not have been able to head along to our beloved Anzac Day services due to coronavirus restrictions this year, but that didn’t stop the communities of Avenel and Nagambie remembering all those who have served and sacrificed. Residents from both towns joined thousands of people from across the country in “Lighting Up The Dawn”, an initiative introduced by the Returned and
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Services League this year to honour our servicemen and women, both past and present. There were heartwarming scenes as the Last Post rang out across streets of Nagambie with residents lining their driveways for a minute of silence with candles and torches in hand. More than 100 Nagambie families stood at the front of their own driveways attending a socially distanced Anzac Day dawn service, glowing with pride before the sun brought warm light to the streets. The Light Up The Dawn initiative, which will be sure to go down in history, was created following the cancellation of dawn services across the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nagambie RSL president, Larry King was surprised, pleased and humbled by the support given to our diggers on Anzac Day. “In such difficult circumstances our community showed their true feelings by lighting up the dawn and later in the morning many people attended the 11.00 am short ceremony.” In the town’s centre at the cenotaph, we were treated to the sounds of the bagpipes, believed to be the first in Nagambie township. Wreaths were laid by the RSL, CFA, Nagambie Primary School, Euroa Secondary College, Shire of Strathbogie and several individuals. RSL member David Kealle was deeply moved by the outpouring of support for this year’s Anzac Day.
“We’ve never seen an Anzac Day like this, maybe this is something we can do each year. It allows everyone to be involved, it was a special morning,” said RSL veteran David Kealle. The simplicity and spontaneity of ‘light up the dawn’ was beautiful, for the nation remains bonded by common gratitude. Today we’ve shown that the spirit of the ANZACs lives on in every one of us and while we couldn’t take part in the traditional way, what’s important is honouring and remembering them, their sacrifices and service, even from home. Lest We Forget.