The Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association, one of the country’s largest voluntary welfare organisations, was founded by soldiers returning from the Gallipoli Campaign in 1916. Waikouaiti RSA president Ian Taylor said the Waikouaiti club was one of the country’s smaller RSA clubs, but still had more than 70 members. It was founded about 1945.
"We’re grateful that it was formed, that it’s existed so long and we’re grateful for the members we’ve got," Mr Taylor said.
The weekend dinner was "wonderful", he said.
RSA clubs were initially formed partly because returned servicemen found they could not talk readily about their war experiences to their families, and there was strength in mutual support.
The Waikouaiti club had survived and thrived when some other clubs had closed their doors and it now provided wider support within the community. The club had "changed a lot" over the years, including one "huge thing" — expanding membership to include as associate members people who had never been in the New Zealand services.
Some changes had been "painful" at the time, but associate members now comprised 80% of the club’s members.
A book of remembrance, containing 97 names, was developed this year to honour those from the area who had died in the Boer War, World War 1 and World War 2. Among the Saturday highlights was a visit by national RSA president Barry ("B. J.") Clark, of Christchurch.
