THE MINISTER OF VETERANS AFFAIRS: When addressing the delegates at the 2002 National Conference the Honorable Mark Burton stated quite clearly and I quote “As a point of clarification, full pension coverage means that veterans do not have to prove that a disability is the result of service – only that it may have been”. WHO MAY APPLY FOR A WAR DISABLEMENT PENSION? Every ex- Service Personnel including Merchant Seamen who have served overseas in a War or an Emergency have a right to apply for a Disablement Pension in accordance with the War Pension Act 1954. This includes Service and Home Service Personnel who during the 2nd World War served in New Zealand. Those Personnel who were conscripted into the CMT prior to 31st March 1974 are also included. NAPIER RSA WAR PENSIONS SUPPORT UNIT: MISSION STATEMENT: “We will always strive to provide a professional and caring service to all applicants who qualify for a War Disability Pension or a Surviving Spouses Pension in accordance with the War Pensions Act 1954.” WHAT WE CAN AND WILL DO: We promise to do the following: (i) Be a good listener (ii) Share information (iii) Give advice where necessary (iv) Give support (v) Assist you in making your application (vi) Keep in contact (vii) Ensure your privacy (viii) Pursue your application to a conclusion (ix) Respect your wishes (x) Assist you throughout the entire process Phone; John Purcell QSM J.P. or Tony Fraser for advice and assistance or ring reception (835-7629) for an appointment Presidents Report The ODE is never taken lightly, the haunting bugle resounds through the Club every Friday night heralding 6.00pm to an audience of members, guests and visitors who are standing rigidly to attention. Children are silenced by the deep emotion of the moment as the solitary voice recites the ODE over the sound system in a monotone yet meaningful manner: "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." The bugle sounding ‘The Last Post and Reveille’ adds spiritual window dressing to the moment that shakes the glaze from the eyes from those that are transported to another place in history during the 3 minute remembrance ceremony. Anzac Day, as we know it, began to take shape almost as soon as news reached New Zealand of the landing of soldiers on the Gallipoli Peninsula on 25 April. Within a few years core elements of the day were set and the Anzac story and sacredness of the commemoration enshrined. The first public recognition of the landings at Gallipoli occurred on 30 April 1915, after news of the dramatic event had reached New Zealand. A half-day holiday was declared for government offices, flags were flown, and patriotic meetings were held. People eagerly read descriptions of the landings and casualty lists – even if the latter made for grim news. Newspapers gushed about the heroism of the New Zealand soldiers. From the outset, public perceptions of the landings evoked national pride. The eventual failure of the Gallipoli operation enhanced its sanctity for many, there may have been no military victory, but there was victory of the spirit as New Zealand soldiers showed courage in the face of adversity and sacrifice. The Napier RSA proudly acknowledge they have marginally over 150 Returned and Service Members who are the sons and daughters of the founding fathers of this Association on December 4th 1916. The baton has now been passed on in the relay of life to 3500 plus other members within this organization, they are now the generation going forward, they are the protectors, preservers, celebrators and commemorators of our history. We are 100 years young, and we have a duty of care to ensure our history, heritage and place within the community is preserved for the next 100 years. Lest We Forget J Purcell QSM J.P. President Historical references relating to my Report has been sourced from the internet. booked RSA Welcomes 36 New Members David Anniss Wendy Russell Lathem Emery Joan Duthie Karen Leslie Sarah Lavender John Collard Chris Collard Trevor Pellew Flora Browell-Hook Wanda Pari Rosie Malone Bruce Campbell Robin Holdaway Margaret Taylor Timothy Sweeney Trevor Riding Anaru Tagataese Phillip Gotty Brenda Anderson- Coley Colyn MacKinlay Clarisse Gregory George Crawley Christopher Roser Sandy Clapham John Sealey Avinesh Kumar Judith Stephens Ni Keefe Toia Pratt Brent Stringer Angela Stringer Kerry Scholes Grace Brown Api Cooper Lesley Upfold Transfer In Joseph Davison Brian Haswell Pamela Haswell Michael Gregory Ni Keefe Toia Pratt Transfer Out Merle Piper Robyn Coyle Last Post Sandi Anderson Ronald White Edna Sneddon Bernard Harding Derek Simpson Mary Morris Richard Frechtling Betty Harding Leonard Wyllie Sir Russell Pettigrew William O’Donnell Have you thought about our Classic Home Style Dinners RSA Restaurant quality meals that you simply heat and eat Delivered to your home every Wednesday or can be collected from the Restaurant during operating hours or from the Main Lounge Bar Fresh or Frozen daily Classic Home Style Dinners a perfect solution for cost effective in-house dining, Lunch or Dinner for two or just someone living alone Phone Bev, Denise or Kat on 835-1351 or email your order directly to; [email protected] or order on line: www.rsanapier.co.nz at Restaurant - Home Deliveries Sporting Events are shown on our Big Screen or are available on request Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Pension Day Veterans All Day every 2nd Pension Tuesday Napier Ladies Sit and National Party Raffles $4.00 Morning Probus Keep Fit, 3rd Friday in Sunday Every 3rd 9.30am month from lunch Tuesday 10am Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren 10.00am Napier HOUSIE Mega Spoofing Afternoon Inner 1.00pm- Draw Wheel 1st 4pm Monday in (Conference Month Room or Al Western Fresco area) Napier 2nd Monday Indoor Bowls in Month from 1.30pm Women’s Pension Section 3rd Tuesday Monday in MEGA Month from DRAW 1.30pm Line Rock n Roll Napier Host Snooker Raffles Rock N Evening Dancing from 7pm Lions 1st and Dash every Roll from 7pm every 3rd Thursday Social Tuesday Wednesday Future in Month Line Or Gospel Darts Dancing Brothers Trivial Beginners Line 2nd Monday Spirit of Pursuit welcome Dancing in the Napier Lions 7.00 pm to Month 1st and 3rd 9.30 pm Texas Simply Tuesday in All Holdem Ballroom Wine Club the Month Welcome Poker 1st 1st Monday Sunday in the Kiwian’s of the Month 2nd & 4th month Conference Wednesday Room in 6.00pm to the month 7,00pm ‘Provisional Membership’ now available at the Club One months ‘Free Membership’ now available, why not ask your mate to come on in and look us over, they won’t be disappointed See the Bar Staff or Reception for more details At 45 minutes: The musician played THE SITUATION continuously. Only 6 people stopped and In Washington, DC, at a Metro Station, listened for a short while. About 20 gave on a cold January morning in 2007, this money but continued to walk at their man with a violin played six Bach normal pace. The man collected a total of pieces for about 45 minutes. $32. During that time, approximately 2,000 After 1 hour: He finished playing and people went through the station, most silence took over. No one noticed and no of them on their way to work. After one applauded. There was no recognition about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man at all. noticed that there was a musician playing. No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest He slowed his pace and stopped for a musicians in the world. He played one of few seconds, and then he hurried on to the most intricate pieces ever written, with meet his schedule. a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theatre in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music. This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. This experiment raised several questions: About 4 minutes later: The violinist * In a common-place environment, at an received his first dollar. A woman threw inappropriate hour, do we perceive money in the hat and, without stopping, beauty? continued to walk. * If so, do we stop to appreciate it? * Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context? At 6 minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then One possible conclusion reached from looked at his watch and started to walk this experiment could be this: If we do again. not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the At 10 minutes: A 3-year old boy stopped, world, playing some of the finest music but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. ever written, with one of the most The kid stopped to look at the violinist beautiful instruments ever made . again, but the mother pushed hard and how many other things are we missing the child continued to walk, turning his as we rush through life? head the whole time. What other beauties are we This action was repeated by several other inattentively passing by each day? children, but every parent - without exception - forced their children to move Enjoy life NOW . it has an expiration on quickly.