The Anzac Day service at the nearly 90-year-old Dunback war memorial attracts up to 300 people from Dunback, Macraes and the Waihemo districts. The pupils were undertaking the East Otago High School community service programme. The school's assistant principal, Jan Malloch, said the project was an opportunity for pupils to give something back to the community. Dunback residents Telford Kinaston and Ngaire Joyce supervised the pupils at both sites on the one-day project.
The programme has been set up by the Palmerston Lions Club. A gold card certificate is provided for pupils who complete 100 hours of community work during the year.
Pupils who complete 50 hours of community work receive a silver card.
The community service work is also entered on pupils' CVs.
Pupils this year also helped prepare for the Palmerston A and P show.
Mrs Malloch said that, in past years, the year 13 pupils had operated the high school canteen, cleaned up the gold miners reserve in the Palmerston town centre, planted flax at the Tavora yellow-eyed penguin colony and helped deliver meals on wheels.
