VICTORIA reaching its 80 per cent double-vaccinated milestone means that public observances of Remembrance Day in Geelong can go ahead on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The Geelong RSL would normally hold its service at the Peace Memorial at Johnstone Park, but will this year hold its commemorations outside its sub-branch at 50 Barwon Heads Road, Belmont, from 10.45am.<\/p>\n
Geelong RSL president Andrew Hanns said numbers for a service at the sub-branch would have lesser restrictions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t do it at the Peace Memorial because of the confined space, the density of it, which is sad, really, because we\u2019ve actually put up a new honour board inside the memorial.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said the honour board, which was supported by a $80,000 grant from Corio federal member Richard Marles, recognised the other 52 countries that had served in conflict alongside Australia.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, we\u2019ve had no time since then, since COVID, to get back in there and thank the relevant organisations and the federal government for what they\u2019ve done.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving said that, we\u2019re going to have a service at the sub-branch, and we encourage all ex-service organisations, as well as members of the public, to get involved.\u201d<\/p>\n
This year commemorates 100 years of the Royal Australian Air Force, and Mr Hanns said it was the Geelong RSL\u2019s intention to find an RAAF member to give a speech at this week\u2019s service.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re on the hunt at the moment – obviously time\u2019s getting away from us, but we\u2019ll find someone.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said Remembrance Day generally drew a smaller crowd than Anzac Day.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether it\u2019s the day, if it\u2019s on a business day; for a lot of veterans, their families are working so it\u2019s hard for them, so I daresay the numbers will be down.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn saying that, we\u2019re going to get a lot of the veteran community coming from Malay, Borneo, Korea, Vietnam veterans, National Service … because we\u2019re out of restrictions, I can anticipate we\u2019ll get a few.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Hanns said attendance at the refreshments afterwards inside would be limited because of COVID-19 restrictions.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019ll be great to get together, have a guest speaker, lay a floral tribute and say g\u2019day to those we haven\u2019t seen for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n
For more information, phone the Geelong RSL on 5241 1766.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
VICTORIA reaching its 80 per cent double-vaccinated milestone means that public observances of Remembrance Day in Geelong can go ahead on Thursday. The Geelong RSL would normally hold its service at the Peace Memorial at Johnstone Park, but will this year hold its commemorations outside its sub-branch at 50 Barwon Heads Road, Belmont, from 10.45am. […]<\/p>\n