Painting Kaeo poppy red for ANZAC Centennial

Whangaroa Armed Services Commemorations 2015 (WASC) is group of volunteers who will decorate Kaeo as part of ANZAC celebrations the week before the ANZAC centennial on April 25th.

“We want to transform grassed areas along the main street of town into poppy fields,” says WASC member Yvonne Robinson, “Anyone wanting to help is welcome to add their poppies to any planter box or poppy field in town.”

“We will also put displays in shops and public buildings and the Kaeo Museum has several special exhibits,” says Mrs Robinson. “The WASC mission is ‘remembering the fallen and honouring those who served and their families, both past and present.’”

Union Church Minister Robyn McPhail explains, “WASC is a community group working in partnership with local marae, church leaders, defence force personnel and local schools to organise a series of public commemorative events for the week leading up to the centenary of ANZAC landings at Gallipoli.”

Events will begin with a powhiri and blessing on Sunday 19th, and will include displays of tributes to fallen WW1 soldiers, a bus and boat tour of local war cemeteries and WW2 sites, broadcasts of veterans’ recollections and a family oriented entertainment event on Friday 24th. ANZAC Day events will be run by the RSA on Saturday 25th April.

Ends

© Scoop Media