President of the Horsham RSL Bob Lockwood has described the cancellation of Anzac Day ceremonies "devastating", but said he believed preserving human life is "a lot more important."
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Anzac Day services on April 25 will be very different this year with stage three COVID-19 restriction in place in Victoria, limiting gatherings to just two people.
RSL sub-branches across the Wimmera will not be holding their own public Anzac day services, instead a small dawn service will be broadcasted from Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance.
RSL state president Dr Robert Webster OAM said that there are exceptions to stage three restrictions, for which Anzac Day might be included.
"In consultation with the State Government we no longer feel that it is socially responsible for the RSL to hold multiple formal services, even small ones," he said.
People can still be involved in commemorating the day from home through the 'stand to in your driveway' campaign.
The campaign encourages Australians to stand in their driveways, balconies, patios, and front yards at dawn to show your Anzac Spirit, and Mr Lockwood of Horsham is hoping members of his community participate.
"After all, Anzac Day is to remember the horrors of war and I just hope people, if not in their driveway, give one minute of silence to remember those who have fallen and those people who have served," Mr Lockwood said.
In Stawell, president of the RSL sub-branch Graeme Cox will lead a ceremony involving only two people, at a distance, with one lowering the national flag and a bugle call at dawn.
"We don't want the public there, it'll be too dangerous, and it's illegal," he said.
In Ararat, RSL general manager Maria Whitford said people were welcome to lay a wreath at the Ararat Cenotaph in their own time, if they deemed it necessary to and could do it safely.
"We're hoping people jump on board the 'stand to in your driveway'," she said.
"The dawn service is a big part of what we do, but commemoration can happen anywhere, it doesn't have to happen in big crowds."
"It would be magnificent if we had driveways full."
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