By Mikayla van Loon
The messaging of RSL clubs, like that in Lilydale, surrounds the defence force mentality of mateship and camaraderie, something sub-branches strive for throughout the generations.
In an effort to share and spread that spirit, Lilydale RSL have been donated a photograph by Warrick Eady to raffle off as a fundraiser for the club’s refurbishment works.
President Bill Dobson said having purchased a print from Mr Eady to hang above the RSL’s bar called ‘Catch Up – 100 Years’, the photographer decided to help the sub-branch with its fundraising campaign.
As an Afghanistan veteran himself who spent nine years in the Australian Army, Mr Eady has depicted his own friends in a bar on the return home from their tours.
“It highlights the fact that we’re all veterans, whether it be the First World War or the current day veteran. What the photo shows is a group of fellows having a drink…and he’s replaced the uniforms dating back through the ages,” Mr Dobson said.
Representing those who served in the First World War, Vietnam and right through to current day soldiers, Mr Dobson said it comments on the sometimes negative perception of particular war veterans.
“It’s really bringing all the veterans together because sometimes with veterans they think the era they served in was the better and a lot of the modern day veterans aren’t accepted by the previous generation,” he said.
“So what he’s trying to get across is that we’re all veterans and we all should be accepted the same.”
While the goal is to raise money for the RSL, Mr Dobson said the meaning behind the photograph is much more than that.
“I thought it’d be a good idea to raffle it because there’s a theme behind the whole artwork that means something as well, it’s not just raising money.
“It blends all the generations together and everyone I know that has looked at it, whether they’ve been in the military and not, just think ‘what a fantastic photo’ because we’re all pretty much the same, we’ve just lived in different generations.”
With Lilydale’s RSL club building now over 100 years old, Mr Dobson said refurbishment works are necessary to keep it usable.
“We have paid for the windows, they’ve been delivered this month. So things are underway,” he said.
“After we do the outside and the facade we will need to make alterations inside because it was built in 1921 and a few things need to be done as far as maintenance and renovations go.”
One thousand tickets are available for purchase at $5 each, with all proceeds going to the club rooms.
The tickets can be purchased from the RSL when it is open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 6.30pm, at the three Anzac Day Appeal tables located at the Lilydale Marketplace, Chirnside Park Shopping Centre and Chirnside Park Bunnings, as well as various businesses in Lilydale.
Mr Dobson also said the RSL would be preparing for pre-Covid numbers at the Anzac Day dawn service this year, with the return of school participation, guest speakers and choirs.
While Mr Dobson would have liked to have announced the raffle winner on Anzac Day, he said it didn’t give people much time to purchase tickets and so the raffle will be drawn on 24 June.
