Century of service: Kyabam P-12 College captains Matthew Di Petta, Abbey Freemantle and Aiden Resul with Legacy widow Isobel Attwood and long-serving member Graeme James. They will represent Kyabram Legacy in the Centenary Relay event in Shepparton on September 23.
Kyabram Legatees are living up to their name by further developing an understanding of the organisation’s modern day role with the next generation.
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Last week, on the eve of another set of Lone Pine ceremonies, the Kyabram Legacy group hosted seven Kyabram P-12 College captains at a Kyabram Club luncheon attended by several of its members and widows.
Lone Pine ceremonies will take place at St Augustine’s College on Wednesday, August 30 (at 10am) and then the very next day at Kyabram P-12 College (Thursday, August 31 at 12.15pm).
The ceremonies have not only captured the attention of the wider community, but are now a significant part of the school calendar, as staff and students gather with Legacy members under the lone pines that were planted more than two decades ago.
This year’s ceremonies are particularly important to the Legacy organisation, as 2023 is the centenary year of the organisation.
Along with hundreds of groups Australia-wide, the Kyabram organisation has planned the ceremonies during Legacy week (August 27 to September 2) and will be represented in a Shepparton celebration of the 100 years of Legacy.
Graeme James, who started with Legacy in 1990, is travelling to Shepparton this week to gain final instructions on the role he and Legacy widow Isobel Attwood will play in the centenary relay.
He said as the years had passed the numbers of widows and families supported by Legacy had dwindled from 270 to 35.
He continued to work closely with Kyabram’s Berrie McMilllan, whom he has visited at least once a month for 20 years.
Isobel Attwood and her children, Pam and John Barrot, were supported by Legacy when Malcolm Barrot died in 1957.
The children were junior Legacy members and last week Pam recalled being given her first pair of school shoes by Legatee Robert Meldrum (the father of music icon Molly).
Mr Meldrum was a Kyabram businessman who supported the family through the Legacy organisation.
“I remember John and I would always go on Legacy camp and we got lollies at picnics in Shepparton,” Pam said, the support following the loss of her father, who served in the Middle East during World War II.
Kyabram P-12 College primary captain Flynn Burrows had his own story to tell, explaining how both of his great-grandfathers had served in World War II and that his great-great-grandfather had been involved in World War I.
“My family still has the medals and I am wearing replicas to the Lone Pine ceremony,” he said.
Last week’s luncheon is one of six held every year by the Kyabram group and was attended by 40 people, including Ky P-12 College acting principal Marina Walsh and Lone Pine ceremony co-ordinator for the college Janine Kreymborg.
“The school was keen to come down and meet some of the people involved in Legacy before the Lone Pine ceremony,” Legacy’s Gavon Armstrong said.
He said the strong connection of the group to the district’s schools would ensure the future of the event.
The Kyabam P-12 College ceremony will be held in front of the hall, near the indigenous garden, due to construction work happening near the site of the giant Lone Pone, which was recently moved 10 metres to allow for the development of the college wellbeing centre.
Students in Years 3 to 12 will attend the ceremony.
Lunch time discussion: Kyabam Legacy’s Ross Coombs with Kyabram P-12 College primary leaders Vika Yarigin and Flynn Burrows. They were accompanied by Lone Pine ceremony co-ordinator Janine Kreymborg and P-12 College acting principal Marina Walsh.
Passing on knowledge: Kyabram P-12 College primary captains Steph Locke and Tayla Starling with Kyabram Legacy president Peter Fitzgerald and his wife, Judy. The students were included in the luncheon to gain further insight into the organisation before this week’s Lone Pine ceremonies.
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