For 101 years, Legacy has been supporting veterans’ families.
Legacy has played a different role in Joy Martin’s life than most others, having been both a ward and widow of Legacy.
As a ward of Legacy, Joy remembers visiting Legacy House in Sydney and her younger brother and sister being sent on holidays.
“On Badge Day under the supervision of a legatee, the older ones would go out with their little tray and sell badges which was quite fun,” Joy shared.
“They also did things that you do not expect like help my brother get an apprenticeship and they still do that.
“I am very grateful for what they did when we were young and I’m very grateful for what they do now.”
Joy is now President of the Legacy Widows Group.
Betty Longue is another member of the Legacy Widows Group.
Legacy came into her life when her husband who was a Vietnam veteran passed away 15 years ago.
“They were the first ones to come and support me and my family,” Betty said.
“You are so overwhelmed with your husband passing away, there was all this paperwork which Legacy helped to organise because we didn’t know what we had to do.
“Even now if I need help with the gardens or the mowing done, those types of things, they always find someone, they help out when they can.”
With Legacy Week coming up from September 1 to 7, members of Legacy and the School of Infantry will be manning stalls around Singleton including at Bunnings and McDonalds, selling badges and other Legacy memorabilia.
All money raised will go back to supporting Singleton Legacy’s widows and children.
“One year, I was selling badges at McDonalds and I had two soldiers with me and one man said I’ll give you twenty dollars but I want him to do twenty push ups, so he had the young digger doing twenty push ups to get the twenty dollars, so maybe that will happen this year,” Betty Longue said.
If you see Legacy around town this Legacy Week, make sure to support them and buy a badge to help them continue their great work, supporting veteran’s families.
