Legacy For The Douglas Shire!

WHAT was Cairns Legacy is now known As Far North Queensland Legacy and as the name suggests, extends its services to the Douglas Shire.

FNQ Legacy is celebrating 100 years of supporting our veterans’ families. This is an incredible feat for a non-government funded organisation that relies heavily on the support of the community.

The team hosted a Centenary Launch event on Tuesday January 24, at the Cairns RSL where Executive Officer Rebecca Milliner announced FNQ Legacy’s ambitious goal of raising $1,000,000 to establish a Legacy House in Far North Queensland. Servicing from Cardwell to the Cape, the house will provide much needed accommodation for those travelling to Cairns for medical appointments. It will also provide a central place that is recognised and valued in the local community as a gathering area for all veterans, current ex-serving Defence Force members and their families. It will be an access point for a wide range of services, accommodation, programs, events and activities.

FNQ Legacy have established a building fund and every donation made throughout the Centenary year will go towards this. Thus far, a large number of amazing people out there have been fund raising in all sorts of ways and have already collected $250,000.

There are many ways you can get involved and help sup port FNQ Legacy from hosting fundraising events, choosing FNQ Legacy as your preferred charity for 2023, attending events throughout the year, volunteering or just helping to spread the word.

For a quick history lesson, a promise made from a soldier to his dying mate to “look after the missus and kids”.

It’s a promise that has been revered since the first Legacy Club was established by Sir Stanley Savage in Melbourne in 1923 and is as relevant and powerful today as it was when it first made a century ago. To this day over 3,600 Legatees support service families. 45 Legacy Clubs operate in local communities around Australia, and one in the United Kingdom, supporting over 43,000 partners and children of veterans who have died or been injured as a result of their service.

To also mark this momentous occasion, Legacy is running a six-month 55,000km Centenary Torch Relay, travelling from Pozieres France on ANZAC Day, through to the city of London, before returning home to Australia, visiting all 45 Legacy Club locations and concluding in Melbourne in October. The Legacy Centenary Torch Relay presented by Defence Health will be in Cairns on Wednesday, May 24, this year.

There is still some way to go with the Cairns Legacy House project, but once achieved it will be a tremendous facility for veterans located in the Douglas Shire. For those who want to get involved now, you can go to legacytorchrelay.com.au

I’m off to say well done to some amazing people, so for now it’s Gazza signing out!

Send your stories to gazza@cairnslocalnews.com.au