Sit Down With Sam

When I lived in Mackay, I worked closely with Ken Higgins OAM and the team at the Mackay Sub Branch of RSL Queensland.

I learnt a lot of from Ken and gained a new appreciation for Anzac and Remembrance Days.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visits to the Sub Branch, where I would be met with a cuppa and plenty of conversation, the topics often straying far and wide from the original intention of my visit.

I was honoured to be invited to a meeting of the Home Hill Sub Branch last week – you would have read about that in last week’s edition – and attend the Home Hill Remembrance Day Service on Saturday.

It was a self-confessed small service attended by RSL members, Mayor Lyn McLaughlin, school students and members of the community, but it was a meaningful one and from all reports, the Ayr service was much the same – you’ll find more on pages 3-5.

Remembrance Day was one of many events I attended last week, the pages of this newspaper acting as a diary of movements.

I also attended Harvest Festival celebrations, from the Rotary Ball on Friday night to the Grand Parade and Street Party on Saturday, and I must congratulate Mark and the team on bringing our community together for an incredible few months of amazing events.

The Jarvisfield Christmas Fete and Burdekin Machinery Preservationists were two more highlights from the weekend, both taking me back to my childhood of school fetes and Toowoomba and District Old Machinery Society events.

Lastly, I said goodbye to mum and dad on Sunday as they flew home after a week exploring the Burdekin – I want to thank all of you who made them feel welcome.