The Campbelltown community is invited to join in a public commemoration event to mark the Anzac Centenary on Friday, April 24 in Koshigaya Park.
“Campbelltown Commemorates’’ will be hosted by Campbelltown City Council and local RSL Sub Branches from 10am to 2pm, giving local residents the opportunity to honour the service and sacrifice of all those who have worn our nation’s uniform, including the more than 102,000 who have made the supreme sacrifice.
The event will remember not only the original Anzacs who served at Gallipoli and the Western Front, but will also recognise more than a century of service by our servicemen and women, and highlight the involvement of local residents.
Tributes will include a formal commemoration service, school presentations, historical exhibitions and family activities that aim to encourage participants to reflect on and learn more about Australia’s military history.
The event will also be an opportunity to highlight Council’s Adopt a Digger project. The intergenerational project has involved local schools and youth groups working with local veterans to research a World War I veteran who was a resident of Campbelltown at that time.
Mayor of Campbelltown, Cr Paul Lake, said Campbelltown Commemorates was a fitting way for people of all ages to pay respect to our Anzac heritage, which still forms a strong part of our national identity 100 years after the First World War.
“Council has been working closely with local RSL Sub Branches, youth groups and schools on developing a special event program that will provide a unique insight into the lives of our Anzac diggers and bring history to life,” Cr Lake said.
“There’ll be a variety of interactive and educational activities, as well as a host of displays showcasing our military history.
“The Anzac Centenary is a milestone of special significance to all Australians, and Campbelltown Commemorates is one of a series of events taking place across our city over the next four years that pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of so many men and women in the line of duty.
“Everyone is welcome to come along to this special event and I look forward to seeing school students, teachers, mums and dads, grandparents and retired diggers – people from all generations and walks of life – all sharing in our common history,” Cr Lake added.
Campbelltown Commemorates will feature a host of hands-on and thought-provoking experiences that reflect the First World War era or symbolise Australia’s Anzac legend, such as poppy making craft, period costume dress-ups and photos, races that mimic carrying an injured mate on a stretcher or crawling under camouflaged netting, food tasting experiences synonymous with wartime rations, and old-fashioned games including snakes and chutes and checkers.
The event will also include a free barbecue.
A variety of displays will add to the Anzac flavour, and will include a replica trench and historical military vehicles, as well as items from Campbelltown Library Service, the Australian War Memorial and local military memorabilia.
Anzac Day services will also be hosted by local RSL clubs on Saturday, April 25.
For more information on Campbelltown Commemorates and other local events related to the Anzac Centenary, visit http://www.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/anzaccentenary or phone Campbelltown City Council on 4645 4515.
