Guiding a new generation into the organisation is the aim of the newly elected executive committee members of the South Canterbury Returned and Services Association (RSA).
The committee wants to change the perception the RSA is just for older soldiers.
They hope their own experiences in the services will help.
‘‘There are a lot of younger veterans and we want to try and make it relevant for them.
‘‘We have a bit of an uphill battle ahead of us to try to make it more relevant, ’’ executive member Daphne Cockburn said.
South Canterbury RSA president Grant Finlayson said the RSA had changed its mode of operation and was in the middle of some big and positive changes.
‘‘The books are no longer in the red; the books are back in the black.’’
The executive team wants the RSA to be a place where everyone can come along, not just on Anzac Day.
‘‘We want to make the RSA a place where service people and their whanau can come together, and not just those who served but also their descendants.
‘‘The RSA is a place for the whole family, even if the younger ones have not served, but their relatives did,’’ Adam Thomas said.
Many younger veterans might not realise what they could gain and what services they could access from the RSA, they said.
‘‘People are unaware of what kind of help there is for vets, like assistance and help from Veteran Affairs New Zealand, or help transitioning from the services to civilian life.
‘‘For a lot of people that has been hard,’’ committee member Rick Wright said.
Busy lives and they ways in which society has changed over the years are all factors the executive team consider have affected getting newer members into the RSA.
They want to make the RSA a place where future generations can come and talk to other people who understand what it is like to serve. ‘‘There’s always that part of you if you served that misses the camaraderie — I certainly do. You do miss it. You appreciate the catch-up when you get the chance to do it,’’ Mrs Cockburn said.
They are all proud to be guiding the future generations and say they do not want the RSA to die on their watch, like RSAs have in other towns.
‘‘It would be a shame for it to go. We want to guide the way.
‘‘A lot of local RSAs are gone, and if this one goes so would the memorabilia and memories, they would all be gone,’’ Mr Wright said.
They have seen the huge turn outs to services like Anzac Day and know people are interested in it and may find a second home at the RSA.
‘‘There’s a definite keen interest there for it and we need people to carry that on so we can share those stories and pass on those ones from the ones who had gone before us,’’ Mrs Cockburn said.
