LEGACY LAUREL CLUBS REUNITE FOR A DAY OF FUN AND LAUGHTER

BY SARAH WATERS

WHEN you are the family member of an injured or fallen solider you need the support of others who understand what it is like to lose a loved one to war.

On May 16, 100 war widows from Legacy Laurel Clubs in the Far North Coast, gathered at Kingscliff Beach Bowls Club for their annual Friendship Day.

The event has been going for more than 20 years and allows the ladies to socialise over lunch, with entertainment, raffles, fun and laughter.

Every year, a different Laurel Club hosts the event at their local RSL or services club.

Liaison Officer for the Coolangatta/Tweed Heads Laurel Club Rhonda Niland said in the past up to 200 war widows have attended.

Although numbers were down this year, due to a lot of the members entering their late nineties, the muchloved event was a great success.

“This event is very important to our war widows - a lot of them don’t go out anymore and it’s great socialisation for them,”

Mrs Niland said.

“They don’t talk a lot about their experiences or what they went through, but they’re there for each other.”

Mrs Niland said the Laurel Club ladies were the ‘most resilient women’ she knows.

Many of them are the widows of WW2 soldiers, including a few 100-year-olds, and they still drive around and do everything for themselves.

“That mental image you have of the young women waving their husbands off to warthat is exactly what these ladies did, but they never saw them again,” she said.

“Or for some of them, if their husbands did come home, they had to deal with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) which wasn’t known about at the time.

“A lot of the soldiers couldn’t just adapt back to normal life when they came home.

“Some of these ladies have been through a lot and this day is important to them because Legacy has really helped them over the years.”

Secretary of Kingscliff

Laurel Club Sue Gale said the day ‘was wonderful’ and ladies in their late eighties and nineties came from as far south as Grafton to as far north as Palm Beach.

“You see these ladies arrive and they really get dressed up and treat it like a formal event,” she said.

“This is their one time in a year when they go on a big adventure.

“They see people they haven’t seen for a very long time - we had a group of ladies who went on a cruise together five years ago, when they met up, they were laughing and taking photos together.”

Sue Gale said the lunch was beautifully presented, local Tweed performer Kerry Stephens left the room in ‘raucous laughter’ and some of the ladies even shared a bottle of wine at their table.

“The most important thing is connection,” she said.

“It’s an opportunity for these ladies to think they can get out and have the ability to assert themselves to the community – a lot of these ladies are very adaptive, but it’s also challenging other ladies to get out of the house.”

Sue Gale became involved in the Kingscliff Laurel Club in 2004 through her mother. Her mother had an active role in the Tweed and Kingscliff Laurel Clubs after her husband, who served in the Airforce in The Bougainville campaign during WW2, later died after returning from his time at war.

“It was my mother’s dying wish that I continue to look after the Laurel ladies and that was my pledge to her.

“We as people who have never been to war, will never know the impact it has on a person.

“Most of the men who go to war come back changed, some have the skills to manage, for others there’s still a lot of support that is needed.”

Sue Gale said although there aren’t as many war widows in the Laurel Clubs as there used to be, all war widows, including those of contemporary soldiers are supported by Legacy. The Laurel Clubs meet once a month and outings are organised for members, including going on bus trips, lunches and seeing shows together.

For the past 100 years, Legacy has provided support to the families of Australian Defence Force men and women who have lost their life or health in conflicts dating back to WWI, WW2, Korean War, Vietnam War as well as recent campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was started in 1923 by a group of exservicemen when the Legacy promise was made by a soldier to his dying mate in the trenches of WW1 to ‘look after the missus and the kids’.

In the Tweed there are currently 400 war widows which are supported by Legacy.

BY SARAH WATERS

The Tweed Shire has one of the highest rates of people sleeping rough in NSW, with one in five people struggling to find a place to call home each night.

To help those experiencing homelessness through the winter months, Australian Charity Dharma Care will hold a Winter Warmer Fundraising Cabaret at Kingscliff Beach Bowls Club on Thursday, June 15, from 6pm to 9.30pm. The fundraiser will provide food, sleeping bags, hygiene packs and tents to disadvantaged people, in the Tweed Shire.

The event will feature local talent including MC and comedian Mandy Nolan, artist and performer The Space Cowboy and musicians Felicity Lawless and Ms Eleneous.

Guests will enjoy a cabaret experience, have the option to purchase unique artwork and participate in a raffle or silent auction with a range of exclusive prizes on offer.

Dharam Care’s Winter Warmer Homelessness Relief Campaign aims to raise at least $50K to ensure people experiencing homelessness have adequate shelter, warmth and nourishment during winter.

Funds raised from the campaign will be shared among four local frontline agencies; Pottsville Beach Neighbourhood Centre, Murwillumbah Community Centre, Fred’s Place/Vinnies and You have a Friend.

Each of the Tweed notfor-profit organisations support disadvantaged community members but have struggled to keep up with the demand for their services.

Chief executive of Dharma Care Irwan Wyllie said there were many challenges for individuals and families who struggle to stay warm and healthy during winter.

“We are thrilled to host the Winter Warmer Fundraising Cabaret as part of our ongoing efforts to support those doing it tough,” Mr Wyllie said.

“This event not only offers a memorable night of entertainment, but also provides an opportunity for individuals to contribute to a meaningful cause.

“Winter can be an incredibly challenging time for those facing homelessness, and we believe it is our collective responsibility as a community to lend a helping hand.

“We encourage everyone in the community to join us in supporting this campaign,” he said.

By donating to the Winter Warmer Campaign or by attending the Fundraising Cabaret, you will have a direct impact in