Anzac Day is a day to remember and acknowledge the commitment and the sacrifices made by those who have served in the armed forces and who have helped shape our nation.
On Friday morning, 23 April, our community held two services to commemorate Anzac Day. Our Kindy to Year 2’s had a simple but beautiful service with Mike Collins sharing a moving story of the last Anzac accompanied by a minute silence and national anthems supported performed by SLC students and Junior Choir. For the rest of our College almost 1600 Year 3 to 12 students, staff and members of our community joined together in a special service in the outdoor undercover area of the Middle Learning Community. The reverence and respect shown by our students was revered and appropriate to this occasion.
I wish to take this opportunity to thank Andy Cullen, a current parent and returned servicemen for a moving address today. It was poignant and relevant to all our community.
For those who were not able to join us, you can view the service on the video below. News services from Channels 7 and Channel 9 also attended and featured a segment as part of their Local News which aired at 5:30pm. You can watch their coverage including interviews on the links below.
Channel 7 News Gold Coast (Facebook video)
Channel 9 News Gold Coast (Facebook video)
We all need to remember the importance of April 25 and the significant contribution of the original ANZAC service men and women, as well as the service of the almost two million Australians, over the last century. We do not glorify war, but we must be thankful to those who have served and kept our country free and bountiful.
Whether it’s baking Anzac biscuits, sharing a message for our service personnel on social media, watching the televised service from the Australian War Memorial or getting your family up to stand in your driveway with a candle and a speaker tuned into the telecast at 5:30am on Sunday April 25, I encourage everyone to pause, reflect and say a simple ‘thank you’ to those who have served and are serving our nation.
Anzac Day is now more important than ever, and we will remember them.
Lest we forget
Dirk van Bruggen
Deputy Executive Head of College
