General News
2 September, 2025
Community urged to support Legacy this week
Chairman of the Maryborough St Arnaud Legacy group Geoff Lovett is calling for the community to support this year’s Legacy Week Appeal, as the group aims to raise money to support the local families of veterans.
Local legatees will return to Maryborough’s main street this week, taking part in Legacy’s annual campaign to support families of veterans.
With the Legacy Week Appeal running from Sunday, August 31 through to Saturday, September 6 this year, chairman of the Maryborough St Arnaud Legacy group Geoff Lovett is calling for the community to support the fundraiser.
“Not only is it for widows, but also for helping children. We help them with their education costs, from secondary right through to university,” he said.
“This is the only fundraising that Legacy conducts annually, so this is our one chance to raise the money we need.”
Mr Lovett said Legacy was originally founded over a century ago on the promise those who lost family members in World War I were financially and emotionally supported, with the local group continuing this tradition to this day.
“There were men in Melbourne who decided there was a need to look after the families. Back then after World War I, there weren’t things like pensions,” he said.
“We’ve been active for 65 years. In 1960, Legacy’s Ballarat Club came to Maryborough and started the Maryborough St Arnaud group.
“We have 38 dependents and we also have Laurel Ladies, a group of widows who we take out each month for lunch and they really look forward to that.
“In fact, one of our own widow’s son has just started at university and we help with those costs.”
Legatees will be selling badges from Wednesday, September 3 through to Friday, September 5, from 10 am to 4 pm, outside Maryborough newsXpress, with Laurel Ladies also set up selling badges inside Maryborough IGA.
Grateful for the community’s support, Mr Lovett acknowledges the contributions of locals in past appeals.
“On behalf of Legacy, I want to thank our community for their ongoing generous support. They have supported us here in Maryborough for 65 years and the support is very much appreciated,” he said.
“I’m very proud to be chairman of the Maryborough St Arnaud group of Legacy, because my father, who was a return soldier, he served on the Burma railway as a prisoner of war, but he was the president of the group in 1966 and again in 1982. So I am very proud to follow in my father’s footsteps as chairman.
“We look forward to the community continuing to support us, and I look forward to talking to people when they buy a badge.”