Launching Legacy Week Appeal 2022 and 80 years of Legacy fundraising
As part of our shared commitment to serving veterans and their families, CSC is working with Legacy to make things easier for those dealing with grief, loss and hardship.
02 Sep 2022
On the morning of Monday 29 August, Emma Davis and Ed Marshall attended one of the most important events on Legacy’s calendar—the launch of the Legacy Week appeal—at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.
As part of our shared commitment to serving veterans and their families, CSC is working with Legacy to make things easier for those dealing with grief, loss and hardship.
For the past few years, we’ve seen a different kind of Legacy Week as the national launch and fundraising activities were impacted by the pandemic. Now with the support of the Australian public, Legacy is looking forward to bouncing back in 2022, especially in the lead-up to this iconic charity’s centenary celebrations next year—featuring The Torch Bearer Relay.
The Legacy Week appeal has been running since the 1940s. It’s a time to welcome Legacy families and for supporters to commemorate our fallen veterans and the sacrifices their loved ones have made in service to our country.
At the launch of this year’s Legacy Week appeal and in the presence of Legacy’s patron, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, and Her Excellency Linda Hurley, wreaths were laid at the Stone of Remembrance during the Anzac Day-style ceremony.
The Governor-General, reminded attendees that Legacy Week is a chance for our nation to demonstrate its support of veterans, their families and children.
He told the story of Andrea, an Army veteran and sole parent raising two children.
“It’s a confronting story—a story of marriage breakdown, and threats and violence, including to her children.
Andrea was helped out of the darkness when a Legatee knocked on her door.
That knock on the door symbolises a very powerful sentiment—I care about you, your children and your welfare. I care about all the circumstance you find yourself in and we’re here to help you through. Little badge, big impact.”
Legacy’s Badge Day is always the first Friday in September each year. Mr Hurley went on to say that for Andrea, that impact was life-changing. Her family received emergency food, counselling, and financial support for bills and education.
“Badge Day is the most visual of Legacy’s initiatives. Australians will buy them and wear them, an action I believe says, ‘I acknowledge our debt to those who gave their all and I appreciate how difficult it is for someone who lost someone they always thought would be there.’
We often talk of four words—sacrifice, mateship, endurance and courage—but they’re abstract words. To me, Legacy epitomises the idea: ‘we’ll look after you’.
Thank you Legacy for continuing to look after our veterans and their families. Not only do you give them help, you give them hope.”
Pennie Looker, an Army veteran, shared her story with guests. Pennie suffered a stroke, was eventually discharged from Army, and was unable to work. With two children and a husband, Pennie says she was no longer able to provide financially and ‘was not able to be the mother I used to be’.
“I am a veteran who gave my health to service; I am one of many veterans supported by Legacy. We didn’t seem to fit anywhere but when we turned for support we were welcomed by Legacy with open arms.”
Pennie and her children were invited to attend camps with other families who were experiencing similar issues.
“Knowing that Legacy understands the impact that isolation can have on anyone, let alone those of us who struggle with mental health issues, and then taking those proactive steps to maintain the psycho-social aspect, was absolutely invaluable.”
Chairman of Legacy Australia Eric Easterbrook OAM reminded guests:
“Please continue to remember our Defence personnel who have made the supreme sacrifice, or those who have given their health, and in doing so remember the sacrifice paid by the families of these men and women.
Continue to honour them and remember Legacy who was there to offer assistance and compassion when needed.”