Goulburn couple Tony and Adriana Lamarra have helped kick off Legacy Week with a $1000 donation to the charitable organisation.
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The Lamarras, who recognised challenges with fundraising due to coronavirus this year, presented a cheque to Goulburn Legacy's appeals committee chairman, Ron Stamm on Friday.
It will buy a $1000 badge, continuing a tradition started by Mr Lamarra's now disbanded Lions Club in the 1950s.
He told The Post that the Club bought a badge annually to support Legacy's work in supporting war widows and their families.
"Adriana and I felt that because of coronavirus we would buy a badge so the chain wasn't broken," Mr Lamarra said.
"We have a lot of feeling for Legacy because as a young man (in Italy) my family was affected by the war. This is an important appeal Australia-wide and here in Goulburn, people show a lot of loyalty to the organisation. We want to ensure that continues through our store."
The Lamarras this year purchased the former Dimmeys Store in Auburn Street. Harvey Norman has continued as a tenant and since then, Dimmeys has closed and Goulburn's Best Buys has established in its place. The building carries the Legacy Week banner.
Mr Lamarra, a former Goulburn City Mayor, said his ties to the organisation stretched back many years; he attended the opening of Legacy Lodge in Lagoon Street, accommodating war widows. His Lions Club also donated to that development.
He encouraged other local businesses to give generously during the fundraising week from Sunday, August 30 to Friday, September 5.
Mr Lamarra will be given a badge from existing stocks but the pins and other Legacy merchandise will not be sold this year due to coronavirus risks. Mr Stamm said the need for items to be sanitised each time a person picked them up and replaced them made the sales difficult. Many other Legacy Clubs have taken the same approach.
He was thrilled with the Lamarras' donation.
"We're very appreciative of the money because Legacy Lodge alone needs a lot to keep going," Mr Stamm said.
"Any money raised stays in town. I'd like to thank Adriana and Tony for the tremendous support they've shown."
Any individual or business wishing to donate can do so at https://www.legacy.com.au/goulburn/Aboutus or send a cheque to Goulburn Legacy, PO Box 13, Goulburn, NSW 2580.
Veteran Affairs Minister Darren Chester reiterated that the fundraising week Australia wide could not proceed as normal, due to the need to protect volunteers and participants from coronavirus.
"That is why it is more important than ever that we all do what we can to help organisations like Legacy support the families of veterans and I encourage Australians to consider...supporting Legacy online," he said.
The Australian War Memorial will host the Legacy Australia national launch commemorative wreath-laying ceremony on Monday, August 31.
- The author is publicity officer for Goulburn Legacy.