It all began with a promise made to a dying soldier in the trenches on the Western Front, to “look after the missus and the kids.” It’s a promise that’s been kept for the past 100 years by volunteers across Australia, who have continued to look out for the widows and children of veterans who put their health and lives on the line for their country.

In 2023, Legacy commemorates 100 years and as part of commemorations local, veterans, widows and Legatees, will carry a torch through the streets of Orange on July 29 —  a symbol of the undying flame of service and sacrifice of those who gave their lives for their country.

The Legacy Centenary Torch Relay, presented by Defence Health, began in Pozieres, France prior to ANZAC Day this year. The torch has since travelled to Menin Gate, Belgium, through the streets of London and across the globe before it landed in Albany, Western Australia last month.

It is now travelling around Australia on its way to the founding home of Legacy in Melbourne this October. The Centenary Torch will visit all 45 Legacy Clubs, including Orange on Saturday, July 29.

“We'll have about 20 walkers,” Orange Legatee and local relay coordinator, Kate Hazelton said.

“They will either be legatees, or veterans, or widows who have been cared for. It starts at the botanic gardens at 10am… then we'll work our way down and up to Robertson Park where we'll have a cauldron set up to be lit. There will be a few speeches and the Chair of Legacy Australia should be here.”

Kate is keen to get the word aout ahead of the arrival of the Centenary Torch and would love to see people come out to cheer on the torch bearers as they walk the route to Robertson Park. More details will be available as the relay approaches, she said.

The Orange Legacy region covers a massive geographical area, extending from Blayney out to Dubbo, Coonable and Nyngan. Across this area, volunteer Legatees look after about 160 women and children.

“Here in Orange, we have a Mother's Day lunch, and we put on a Christmas lunch for the widows,” Kate said.

“Each of us, there's about 20 Legatees here in Orange. We each have a couple of widows that we look after… we keep in touch, we go to see them every month, whether they're in a home, or whether they live on their own.” 

The community of Orange are very generous givers to the work of Legacy, Kate said, but the need for support is still there.

Across Australia Legacy clubs support more than 40,000 partners and children of veterans, but there are now an increasing number of younger families coming through as a result of Australia’s two-decade involvement in the war in Afghanistan.

For more information on the relay or to find out how you can support Legacy, visit  www.legacytorchrelay.com.au