Anzac Day 'a time to pause and reflect'

Radius Fulton Care Centre activities director Beth Sizemore, helped  by Maanveer Pillay (9), of...
Radius Fulton Care Centre activities director Beth Sizemore, helped by Maanveer Pillay (9), of Dunedin, hammers a cross into the ground in preparation for Anzac Day commemorations. Photo by Christine O'Connor.

Crosses, poppies and wreaths have started to appear as Anzac Day commemorations near.

Many people were wearing some of the 65,000 poppies prepared by the Returned and Services Association after Friday's successful Poppy Day appeal in Dunedin, and aged care provider Radius Fulton erected 101 crosses yesterday.

Dunedin RSA president Lox Kellas hoped for good support from the public for Anzac Day events on Monday.

‘‘It's up to the public to go along.

‘‘It's a time to pause and reflect momentarily,'' he said.

Mr Kellas felt numbers could be slightly down on those at last year's record 100th commemoration celebrations, which attracted up to 20,000 people to the Dawn Service at the Dunedin Cenotaph.

‘‘You never can tell, to be honest ... [but] the numbers have been building over the years,'' Mr Kellas said.

This year marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of the RSA and the 75th anniversary of the Royal New Zealand Navy, which were both ‘‘significant'' and would be acknowledged at the service, he said.

The Dawn Service would start at 6.30am at the Dunedin Cenotaph and would be preceded by formalities including the lone piper at 6.15am and followed by other services around the province later in the day.

Mr Kellas said Toitu Otago Settlers Museum would be open after the Dawn Service for ‘‘a coffee and a bikkie''.

rhys.chamberlain@odt.co.nz

Add a Comment

 

Advertisement