By Parker McKenzie
One lucky student will be given the opportunity to trek the Kokoda Trail, with the winner of the trip being announced this ANZAC Day in Monbulk.
Monbulk RSL will be host a dawn service and morning service on 25 April 2022, with a key difference from previous years.
Monbulk RSL president Bill Ford said the RSL was excited to return to normal services after a disrupted few years because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This year, my main service will be a little bit different in that we are doing the Cowey–Selman Kokoda student award we have been raising funds for,” he said.
“We’re doing the presentation to the winning student in the morning service at 10am.”
The selected student will be sent on a fully-funded trek of Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea later in the year, thanks to funds raised by Lilydale, Mt Evelyn and Monbulk RSL.
The dawn service will start at 5.45am, while the morning service will start at 9.30am with a march from St George’s Anglican Church car park. Both services will feature a bagpipe player and ceremonies honoring the sacrifices of Australian soldiers.
Mr Ford, who has been president of the RSL for eight years, said everyone is welcome to attend.
“The more who attend the more magnificent the services become,” he said.
“Everyone who does come goes away with feelings for the veterans who lost their lives and gets something out of it.”
ANZAC Day commemorates the Australian and New Zealanders who served and died in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping missions.
Mr Ford said ANZAC Day is the most sacred day on the calendar for him and other members of the RSL.
“It makes everyone appreciate and celebrate the lives of those veterans who died believing in the course of safety and a lifestyle for this country,” he said.
“I do like to say thank you to the whole community, including the Yarra Ranges community, they support the RSL. People come from far and wide to our Dawn service and main services.”
