For residents of Dougherty Villa in Grafton, ANZAC Day is always a special day. However, this year’s ANZAC Day Service, was unable to take place due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Dougherty Villa’s long-time aged care worker Ros Houlahan said that because the day is such an important day which holds lots of memories for the residents, the staff ensured that it was still a special day for them.

“We had a minute’s silence, read poems and made sure that each resident had a poppy and some rosemary,” Ros said.

“Some of the residents and staff had made their poppies.

“There were tealights on the breakfast tables, that were turned on by one of the residents whose husband had served in the war, which made the dining room look special.

“We held a special ANZAC bingo and made sure that the ANZAC service that was screening on TV, was available for all residents including those who were in their rooms.

“A few of the residents have shared a comment or memory on ANZAC Day:

Nan Bradley
All the staff worked hard and successfully made it a meaningful day for us.

Mary Heien
It was a wonderful remembrance of ANZAC Day here.

Dorothy Martin
ANZAC Day bought us close together. We also remembered people through the fires and drought as well.

Betty Crane
Blessings to all the boys that fought for our safety. My Husband was a chef and he was 17 years old when he went to war in Japan.

Claire Smith
During the first World War my mother was a nurse on hospital ship bringing wounded out of danger… there were German submarines.

Win Jefferies
My uncle was in World War I and my brother was in World War II and he had to leave the (family) farm at Ulmarra, (to serve his country).

Norma Creighton
My father was in World War I. My four brothers went to World War II – one was killed, and one was injured with shrapnel. My husband was a veteran too and my grandson is a fighter pilot in the RAAF.

Olive Webb
Olive has a small card about the size of a matchbox that she was given at Southgate School when she was nine years old, which she carries with her that has the ode on it.

Joan Marr
My husband Bill served for five years with the 100th squadron in the air force during the war. Bill was 18 when he went in for five years. He had his 21st birthday with the Americans who gave him chicken. If he had been with the Australians, he would have had Bully Beef.

Elsie McFarlane
My husband Ken McFarlane was a Japanese prisoner-of-war in Burma for four years. It was a long wait to hear from him.

Catch up on how the Clarence Valley Independent contributed to the memory of our ANZAC Heroes this ANZAC Day:

ODE to our ANZAC Heroes:
www.clarencevalleynews.com.au/our-ode-to-the-anzacs

An ANZAC Day to Remember:
www.clarencevalleynews.com.au/an-anzac-day-to-remember