ANZAC Day – Remembering, Honouring and Serving
* 25 April 2020 *
A Message for ANZAC Day from our CEO, Janna Voloshin
This is a solemn day.
We remember the fallen: those men and women who have given their lives serving our country, standing up for the values that Australians hold dear, those who stayed strong for what they believed was right.
Regardless of the challenges that Australia has faced, what is significant about our nation is that it is at the most difficult times that we show our best selves: we come together; we stand up for each other; we are strong, disciplined and determined; we unite.
In these last few months, we have seen the truest and best of Australians.
First we had the horrific bushfires and the indelible images of charred homes, red skies and exhausted people are imprinted on our memories.
If that wasn’t enough, next came the COVID-19 virus, with images of cruise ships, face masks, fully-covered health professionals, global statistics, and curves that need to be flattened.
In each of these situations, the Australian people have responded to the challenge with selflessness and concern for each other. We have seen acceptance of the necessary hardships, and an inner strength that comes from the very beginnings of our country, those cherished values of freedom and a ‘fair go’.
As a nation, we are ‘young and free’, only 119 years old, and some of our residents are only a dozen years less. We live in freedom, fought for and protected by our servicemen and women.
The people we support and care for today are our heroes.
These people have kept the torch lit from World War I when their fathers and grandfathers fought, and they have carried it through the generations, continuing their legacy and serving to protect these same values.
In these recent emergencies, we have witnessed the younger men and women in uniform continue to carry the torch. It is they who are called in when civilians can no longer manage; they who are shoulder-to-shoulder with our emergency services; they who are lending their physical and mental strength to a country fighting visible and invisible enemies. They give us their strength and protection.
Our single purpose is to ‘Serve Those Who Served’.
Now is the time to stand up for the ex-service men and women of all ages:
- To ensure they are safe and secure, that they have high quality, age-appropriate accommodation
- To ensure that the next generations of the growing ex-service community have the services and supports they need to transition from their service life
- To strive to understand the impacts on their lives and offer cutting edge evidence-based care and support
- To honour them and value their service in every aspect of their lives
- To give back, to make a difference in their lives now and in the lives of future generations of ex-service men and women
To all those in our community and across Australia, who have served our country, I want to say thank you, on behalf of our committed Board of Directors, executives, management and all staff, for what you have done for us.
We promise that we will stand up for you and do everything we can to serve you.
Janna Voloshin, Chief Executive Officer, Vasey RSL Care