Members of the Gerringong RSL Sub-Branch have gathered to mark the centenary celebrations of the town's Soldiers Memorial Hall.
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Unfortunately, a massive weekend of celebrations planned to mark the occasion, including the launch of a book by well-known local historical author Robyn Florance OAM, scheduled for this weekend was postponed, like many events over the past year and a half, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A small number of RSL members gathered in the hall on Friday and enjoyed a beautiful afternoon tea to "at least mark the centenary occasion".
Gerringong RSL Sub-Branch president Michael O'Leary said it was disappointing the centenary celebrations had to be postponed.
"It is unfortunate but when we got to October and the ongoing COVID restrictions we had to make a call about the big centenary celebrations,'' he said.
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"It was just too big of a risk, so we were forced to postpone the celebrations.
"It was a tough decision to make but we resolved to put it off until next year."
It is now planned to celebrate the centenary on November 20, 2022, which will include the planned centenary function in the Gerringong Town Hall.
Mrs Florance has produced a wonderful book to mark the centenary, which tells the hall's history and stories of the many locals from the town and district who have fought in various conflicts from the Boer War through to the modern day.
The Soldiers Memorial Hall Centenary book recounts those stories.
As well as being the home of the Gerringong RSL Sub-Branch, over the years, the building has had various uses, while a number of local groups have also used the hall, including the Gerringong Red Cross, which held its eighth ever meeting in the hall and continues to meet there today.
Mrs Florance said the book is around 190 pages and includes some fantastic photographs.
"I was lucky to be able to access all the minute books from the very first year through to today," she said.
"They were invaluable and tell the hall's and the Gerringong RSL's story.
"The RSL also had a treasure trove of photographs which was fantastic."
She also researched various local newspaper articles, the national archives, Trove, state records and even accessed the hall's original plans from the Mitchell Library.
"I have also been able to talk to a lot of locals and local families who were willing to share their stories and involvement with the hall," she said.
Apart from some great stories being told at the afternoon tea, especially from long-time member Bill Popple, who aged 95, has a fantastic memory, one of the highlights of the function was the viewing of a slideshow of some of the photographs that have been included in the book.
Mr O'Leary said it was great to have representatives of two of the local families who had been involved with the hall since its inception, in Kim Bailey and Wes Hindmarsh, present.
'"This is such a historic place and has played such a vital role in a variety of ways in Gerringong's history," he said.
"We couldn't let the official centenary go without marking it."
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