Buy a badge this Legacy Week, September 1–7 and ‘keep the promise’

It all started as a promise made to a dying soldier by his mate more than 100 years ago, to “look after the missus and kids.” Many things have changed in the century since, but not the need for Legacy’s vital support to the families of those who’ve given their lives or their health in service to our country.

Today, Legacy cares for some 40,000 veterans’ families, from widows in their senior years to young widows and their children and veterans’ dependents with a disability.

And they do so without any government support.

Legacy Week, September 1–7, is the one time of the year that Legacy appeals to the community for help and our local Legacy branch is asking the community to buy a badge or some merchandise to support a worthy cause.

“All week, we’ll put volunteers and legatees in shopping centres and if you walk around the streets, you'll see them selling the merchandise,” local legatee James Linton said.

“And we also have a number of schools, year 10 and 11 students take trays of merchandise around… and we get helped out by the local regiment, the 119th, and they go around the industrial areas and the streets as well.”

As well as the roving badge sellers, you will find Legacy stalls set up in the Orange City Centre, Orange Central Square, North Orange Shopping Centre, the Village on Summer Street, Peisley Street IGA and East Orange Post Office on various days throughout next week.

“We received no government assistance, so this is the one week of the year when we look for public donations,” Orange Legacy president Ed Furze said.

Orange Legacy covers a region from Blayney in the south to Coonamble in the north and provides assistance to about 220 windows as well as two teenage children.

The organisation offers support in the form of financial assistance to organising lawn mowing, window cleaning, social visits and outings.

“We currently hold three luncheons — Mother's Day, War Widows Day and Christmas – Where they gather either here or somewhere like the Ex-Service’s Club… that's always a great catch-up,” Mr Furze said.

“It's interesting just to stand on the wall and watch them all being kindred spirits and more than happy to talk with one another. They see that as a very important outing.”

With the organisation now in its second century, the needs of those reaching out to Legacy for help have changed somewhat, Mr Furze said.

But the need for Legacy is still just as important.

“It’s not like the plethora of World War II widows, who mostly were stay-at-home mums, not as educated as this current generation — there was no super for the World War II widows –. their needs were always much greater,” Mr Furze said.

“This generation of Legacy beneficiaries… it's a change of focus to a different type of generational problem. There are many more who have given their health, and they’re suffering greatly mentally. 

“Legacy House is a meeting place for both veterans and also first responders who are suffering and they gather in this room and talk about their problems; they regard Legacy as a safe place for them to come.

“So you can see a change in direction. We're still offering the same services, but I think the need is there. I can see we're going to exist for a lot longer yet.”