Friday, April 11, 2025

Management Committee Feedback

---- Have you visited us on Fridays from 5 pm. Everyone is welcome to our Happy Hours, you don't need to be a member. ---- 
We held a Committee meeting on 7 April 25 and among a lot of routine issues, the following might be of interest:

Advocacy:
Dr Jack Urlwin is beavering away on our behalf attending to advocacy cases through our State Branch Office. At present he's experiencing challenges with the computer provided to him and when they are sorted, he will be working out of the Hut Advocacy Room.

ANZAC Day Organisation: We're pleased to report that all is prepared for ANZAC Day commemorative services. Shortly we'll erect the advertisement signage at the Tanunda Memorial Gardens and closer to the day, the usual crosses that Neville Jaeschke usually manages with students from Faith Lutheran College (thanks Neville and Faith College). Advertising posters will also appear in local shops.

Because there are football events at Tanunda Recreation Park on our special day, VP Patsy has arranged for the Barossa Council to cordon off an area for RSL Parking only near the Hut. Also, the Tanunda Football Club may provide a Guard of Honour for marchers as they enter the Park.

Pernod-Ricard Vintage Festival Truck: We were asked by Pernod-Ricard if we could find someone with a military uniform to accompany their staff on their truck in the parade and our member Colin Owen has volunteered. The truck will display two banners acknowledging ANZAC Day. (Thanks Colin)

Our Hut Wine: Our "The Hut" wine produced by Gomersal Wines has been selling well at our Happy Hours and we've managed to sell a few cartons. If you need to add to your shiraz stock before Easter, you know where to get some.

Father Mark Sexton's Transfer: We were saddened to hear that Mark has been transferred, however, he's agreed to do our ANZAC Day service for which we are most grateful.

Mark is a serving Army Chaplain who has been providing services to our sub-branch for years and will be missed. However, taking up a parish at Glenelg doesn't sound like a hardship and we wish him every success.

Dinner Bookings: The booking system I had organised changed and we've found that people turn up for meals who haven't booked and sometimes don't turn up when they have booked. Bookings with Craig need to be made three days in advance of the meal date to allow food purchase and preparation.

If you have booked and can't attend, please let Craig know as soon as possible, otherwise we find we have food that is wasted. 

Our next major meal will be a luncheon in May and will be advertised closer to the date. I will also be arranging a Sunday meal with Mallala Sub-Branch for anyone interested.

Recreation Park Signage: You will note there is a new sign on the right-hand side of the Bilyara Road entry to the park advertising our presence within the precinct.

Airconditioning for the Bar: Committee member Peter Annells has generously offered to provide funding for an airconditioner for our bar that gets very warm during summer. That's not good for our two bar heroes or the stock. 

And finally ... A Revenue Focus: During the past year or so we've spent a lot of money beautifying the Hut, installing a glass washer, new doors, getting names on our Honour Board, and so on. You can see the difference when you visit.

Much of the funding has been possible because of the revenue gained from the two successive Fashion Shows held at Lambert Estate and their subsequent very generous donation of two pallets of their wine. Some of the improvements have also been due to generous donations from members.

The Committee, having agreed that we've done as much as we needed to, is now going to focus on revenue raising through bar and memorabilia sales and sausage sizzles. 

Saturday, April 5, 2025

Lutheran Care Community Connections Wellbeing Programs

---- Have you visited the Hut Friday evenings after 5 pm and met our friendly, happy team? No! You're missing out ... everyone is welcome. ----
Lutheran Care Barossa provides a range of well-being and friendship programs across Barossa towns in which members or some of their friends may be interested. You could pass our link to anyone whom you feel might benefit from these programs.

Feedback the editor has had suggests that the programs are well supported and do everything they say in their fliers.

If you click on the image at left, you may download a full PDF file file providing much more information than we could place here.

If you do attend some or all of the activities, we'd appreciate your feedback and you can provide that in the comments section below.

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Elevate your hot beverage experience with this beautifully crafted Courage, Honour and Sacrifice poppy glass mug. Boasting a 350ml capacity and a comfortable handle, it combines elegance with functionality for a truly refined drinking experience. The design features a stunning stained-glass arrangement of seven red poppies on each side, offering a poignant reminder of those who have served our nation. Each sip invites reflection, making this mug a meaningful and stylish tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of our heroes. (This is the wording on the side of the box. The other side has the Flanders Poem)

Click the image to purchase or wait until 22-23 April when our volunteers will be staffing a Memorabilia Kiosk outside Foodland Tanunda. These will go like free pancakes, so don't miss out.

Sunday, March 30, 2025

Our new house wine "The Hut" Shiraz has arrived

---- We open most Fridays from 5 pm. Everyone is welcome, you don't need to be a member. ---- 
Thanks to the efforts of a few volunteers who habitually and invariably contribute, we now have a 2021 Gomersal Shiraz that we can proudly call our own - introducing "The Hut" shiraz.

It was launched Friday night at our monthly major dinner and everyone who tried it said that it was a very pleasant drop. Your editor agrees, he tried a glass and enjoyed it too.

The Hut Shiraz
It's competitively priced at around $16 per 750 ml bottle if you buy a carton. A glass will set you back the usual $6 and of course you can by any quantity from one until we run out.

The wine comes from popular winemaker Gomersal Wines and the label front and back is a superb design. The blue background and white text are part of the RSL's National Australia Style Guide requirements and what better name to have given it than that of our meeting place - "The Hut", established in 1946 as you can see on the banner above.

Below our logo is a photograph of The Hut taken after it had been transported to it's present location. On the rear label is the story of the Hut.

The Hut wine makes a perfect gift for visitors and for birthday, Christmas, and other celebrations. But it doesn't have to be a gift, you can keep a few bottles in your wine rack (you do have a wine rack don't you?) and have a glass with your dinner.

When next you visit the Hut, have a taste of The Hut shiraz and let us know what you think. Better still, invest in a carton. 

Thursday, March 27, 2025

2025-2026 Federal Budget Delivers Funds for DVA Veteran Services

---- When did you last visit the Hut? Visit us most Fridays after 5 pm for our Happy Hours. ---- The Australian Government handed down the 2025-26 Federal Budget on 25 March 2025. 

The 2025–26 Budget builds on previous investments that have seen the demand for the Department’s services increase. 

$47.6 million in 2025–26 has been provided to increase resourcing in key service delivery areas of the Department. This includes funding for up to 120 service delivery staff in the following areas: 

  1. the Veteran Access Network
  2. Veteran Support Officers
  3. Complex Case Management teams
  4. Information Access teams, and 
  5. mental health support teams. 

 A further $11.9 million in 2025-26 has been provided to support continued access to key health and support programs for veterans and families, including:  

  1. extension of the Military and Veteran Psychiatry Training Program
  2. extension of the Veterans’ Chaplaincy Pilot Program
  3. supporting the delivery of the Veteran Employment Program
  4. extension of the Veterans – volunteer training in suicide recognition and intervention program
  5. supporting Invictus Australia 
  6. supporting Kookaburra Kids. 

This additional funding builds on significant investments into the Department via the 2024–25 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) process, which included $34.9 million to provide DVA with additional resourcing as well as funding to support the Department’s implementation of the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.  

To find out more about the 2025–26 Budget measures, please visit the 2025–26 Budget page on the DVA website.

Your Editor uses one of these notebooks every day!

Monday, March 24, 2025

The Daring Legacy of the Australian Light Horse Brigade

---- Come and join us on Fridays from 5 pm. You'll enjoy good company and affordable happy hours. ---- The story of the Australian Light Horse Brigade during World War I is one of bravery, ingenuity, and triumph against the odds.

An Australian Soldier with Waler Horse

These mounted infantry units, originally formed in the late 19th century for home defence, became legendary for their skill, resilience, and determination. 

Although their role in Gallipoli saw them fighting dismounted, the brigade's shining moment came during the Battle of Beersheba on October 31, 1917. 

Facing Ottoman forces entrenched in the town of Beersheba, the brigade undertook a daring cavalry charge that changed the course of the war. The 4th and 12th Light Horse Regiments, armed only with bayonets, galloped through open desert under heavy fire to capture the town. 

This bold manoeuvre secured vital wells and shattered the Ottoman defensive line, paving the way for Allied forces to advance in Palestine. What made their success even more remarkable was their use of Waler horses—a hardy breed uniquely suited to the harsh desert conditions. These horses, combined with the soldiers' adaptability and courage, allowed the brigade to overcome immense challenges.

The legacy of the Australian Light Horse Brigade is not just about military triumph, but also about the resilience and spirit of Australian soldiers. Their actions at Beersheba are celebrated as one of the last great cavalry charges in history, a testament to their exceptional bravery. 

Today, the story of the Light Horse Brigade continues to inspire Australians, reminding us of the indomitable spirit that defines our nation.

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