RENMARK Girl Guides have continued a long-standing Anzac Day tradition marking the graves of local war veterans with Australian flags while adhering to social distancing restrictions.
The tradition started 12 years ago when two Renmark Girl Guides going for the Queen’s Guide Award, Felicity McDonald and Lisa Taylor.
Renmark Girl Guides leader Sue Schubert said she and four other volunteers went out to place flags this year.
“We rang the police to check that we could go out, but none of the girls came with us,” she said.
Mrs Schubert said she was joined by Bronwyn McDonald, another Girl Guides leader, local researcher David Coombs, her husband and Renmark RSL co-vice president Jason Schubert, and her daughter Samantha Schubert.
“David helped the original girls with their research, and did a lot of research this year to find an extra 30 graves,” she said.
“It has just grown bigger and bigger there’s something like 570 flags placed now, including on unmarked graves.”
Mrs Schubert said she thought it was important to continue to the tradition this year, with other Anzac Day events being cancelled.
“Seeing as this year there can be no dawn service and no march, which the Girl Guides are normally involved with, we thought at least it’s one thing we could do to show respect,” she said.
“Even while we were putting them out, people who were going past to visit family members thanked us for doing it.
“It’s a beautiful site when you go out there and it’s a bit of a breeze and there’s all these flags blowing.”
Ms Schubert said it was unfortunate that the girls could not be involved this year.
“The girls love to do it, and we were going to get all of the other Riverland Girl Guides involved this year, but unfortunately we just couldn’t,” she said.
“The girls have been sent packs so they can make a wreath to put out on the morning of Anzac Day, and we are encouraging them to stay at home on Anzac Day and get up at dawn to still show their support.”
Ms Schubert thanked local businesses for their donation, including Grower Services and Irrigear, as well as the support of the Renmark RSL.
“Without the donations we wouldn’t be able to keep doing it,” she said.