As a prelude to the launch of the RememBEARance campaign for Remembrance Day 2022, Defence Families of Australia (DFA) will be raising their voices to sing with the OZY Youth Choir Honouring Defence Service on Wednesday, 13 July to recognise and honour the strength, sacrifice and service of Defence families at Government House.
The DFA team, joined by partners from Legacy Australia and RSL Australia, will be joining the choir at the launch of the Veterans and Families Choir Mob to sing for mental health with singing patron, Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley and His Excellency, The Governor-General of Australia.
As part of the RememBEARance campaign, led by DFA in partnership with Legacy and RSL, those attending Remembrance Day commemoration events are encouraged to lay a small teddy bear beside their wreath to recognise and honour the strength, sacrifices and service of Defence families.
Earlier this year, the DFA team laid a Legacy bear with a poppy remembrance wreath at Anzac Day Ceremonies around Australia to acknowledge the families of veterans and current serving members.
By choosing to lay a Legacy Bear, members of the public will also be helping raise funds for Legacy Australia to support the families of veterans, reducing instances of financial or social hardship.
This partnership between DFA and other Defence-related organisations is an example of a positive collaboration between agencies which support and pay respect to veterans, current serving members and their families.
“Families are essential to supporting a stronger Australian Defence Force,” said Mrs Laaksonen-Sherrin.
“Our Defence capability thrives when families are valued and supported during and following their military service.
“We hope this campaign will give Defence and veteran families the recognition they deserve, but don’t always get, for their secondhand service to our nation by supporting their ADF member.”
Legacy Bears can be purchased online through www.legacyshop.com.au or by contacting your local Legacy Club via www.legacy.com.au/clubs
About Defence Families of Australia
Established in 1986, Defence Families of Australia (DFA) is the official group representing the interests of families of current serving ADF members. As the official families advisory body to the Minister for Defence Personnel and Chief of the Defence Force, we advocate for ongoing improvement in policy and practice. Our team are located all across Australia, and are family of current serving Defence members. Our advocacy drives change to decrease the negative aspects, and to support the positive aspects of Defence life.
About the OZY Youth Choir Honouring Defence Service
The OZY Youth Choir (OYC) Honouring Defence Service is a non-profit organisation and one of the leading regional online choirs in Australia. The OYC is nationally-recognised for commemoration and youth leadership through the arts. They bring music and history together to inspire and develop young leaders with a focus on commemoration, education and welfare. They bring civilians, veterans and current serving defence families in regional, remote and rural areas together locally and online through the arts. Over the last eight years, the Choir has grown to enhance quality of life of many veterans and their families across Australia and overseas through their music for mental health programmes. The OYC is a national (and now international!) choir giving everyone a place to belong (regardless of where they are posted) and a place to shine.