The NSW Government recently honoured soldiers from across the Shoalhaven and South Coast regions with additional community grants for local war memorials, education projects and support services.
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Minister for Veterans Affairs David Elliott, Member for South Coast Shelley Hancock and Member for Kiama Gareth Ward presented an $800 grant to the Shoalhaven Historical Society.
The grant for a new cabinet to display war memorabilia in the Nowra Museum is part of a $175,000 NSW Government program to promote education and service projects commemorating the sacrifice of service men and women.
The Anzac Community Grants Program (ACGP) provides individual grants of up to $2,000 to schools, community and veterans groups to recognise Australia’s war service history, educate a new generation and support the NSW veteran community.
The Kangaroo Valley Anzac Committee received a $1,000 ACGP grant to assist in the running of their 2018 Anzac Day Service.
Mr Elliott, Mrs Hancock and Mr Ward then met with local veterans at the Soldier Memorial to inspect works completed thanks to $4,545 in NSW Government funding under the Community War Memorials Fund scheme.
“As we commemorate the Centenary of Anzac it is important that we honour our servicemen and women, both past and present. These projects ensure that we are educating the next generation about the Anzac legacy, and honouring and supporting our living veterans,” Mr Elliott said.
Mrs Hancock said she was thrilled to see the community commemorating the Centenary.
“The South Coast has a proud history of military service and includes well known events such as the 1915 Waratah Recruitment March from Nowra to Sydney,” Mrs Hancock said.
“In many ways our region has been affected and touched by almost every conflict that involved Australian soldiers, from the First World War up to the present.
“This NSW Government investment will ensure that locals can continue to honour that service,” Mrs Hancock said.
Mr Ward said the NSW Government’s investment in repairing community war memorials and educating the public on the Anzac legacy was especially important as we approach the end of the Centenary of Anzac.
“This year we mark 100 years since the signing of the Armistice. These grants ensure that the story of our Diggers lives on in local communities like the South Coast and Illawarra,” he said.
“Congratulations to Joan Bray from the Kangaroo Valley Anzac Committee on her strong advocacy for this $1,000 grant.”