The South Australian Government is proud to support these community-led initiatives that honour, educate and recognise the valuable contributions of our veterans, past and present
The state’s largest ever grant funding for war commemorations has been announced, reinforcing the South Australian Government’s commitment to honouring the memory of those who have served our nation.
A total of 40 projects under this year’s Anzac Day Commemoration Fund the 80th Anniversary of the End of WWII, will share in a $328,000 in grant funding.
The grants are pivotal in preserving and sharing the stories of our Australia’s military history and service, ensuring that the sacrifices made by our veterans are remembered and honoured.
Memorial, commemoration, and education programs across South Australia will benefit from this funding, with recipients including ex-service organisations, community groups, and schools.
Among the recipients is the RSL Port Lincoln sub-branch that secured $14,365 for a mural project containing two murals. ‘The Railway Place’ depicts local members of the 10th Battalion who travelled to France during World War 1 and never returned, while ‘A Mother’s Story’ depicts the journey of one soldier’s mother to find out what happened to her son.
Gary Clough President of the RSL Port Lincoln sub-branch said thanks to the South Australian Government they now have the opportunity to honour an important local story of those who served.
“Both murals have been completed and reflect the story of honour, sacrifice and mateship. We are hoping to have one mural animated with the view to making it a focal point of our celebrations and commemorations,” he said.
“Whilst the story is not unique to the times, it is unique to the Lower Eyre Peninsula. It will be a great addition to the RSL, offering powerful storytelling that will engage the public and schools in an entertaining manner and hopefully pique the curiosity of both young and old.”
RSL Care was also included in this year’s recipients, receiving more than $11,000 to transform a courtyard at its War Veterans Aged Care Home at Myrtle Bank into a memorial and reflection space dedicated to the Bangka Massacre where 21 Australian nurses were tragically killed.
CEO of RSL Care SA Nathan Klinge said RSL Care SA was grateful to receive funding from the South Australian Government to deliver their initiative that commemorates the sacrifice of the Bangka nurses and provides a special place of reflection for their residents, staff and visitors.
“To have a courtyard dedicated to the nurses of this tragic military event is a beautiful and symbolic way of acknowledging their service and it also demonstrates how the legacy of nurses caring for soldiers and veterans lives on in the work RSL Care SA carries out each day,” Mr Klinge said.
The major funding announcement was made by Veteran Affairs Minister Joe Szakacs in the lead up to Anzac Day, who reflected that remembering those who serve and have served is our most important duty as a community.
“The South Australian Government is proud to support these community-led initiatives that honour, educate and recognise the valuable contributions of our veterans, past and present,” said Minister Szakacs.
“These grants will help bring meaningful projects to life and provide valuable education and development opportunities for our veterans and their families, in turn building a stronger and more inclusive community for all.”
For more information on Veterans SA grant programs, visit veteranssa.sa.gov.au/grants.
