Patricia Gill, Denmark Bulletin

Community leader Roger Seeney called on attendees at the Anzac ceremony in Denmark last Friday to reflect on the concepts of courage and community.

The 2017 Denmark Citizen of the Year and 45-year national service medal recipient was guest speaker at the service.

He said the courage of Anzacs and all serving Australian Defence Force personnel had ensured that Australia and its communities were safe and free.

“How can you serve your community and your country like those Anzacs so many years ago?” Mr Seeney said.

“It’s our responsibility to educate our children and grandchildren on the history of the Anzacs, along with (that of) our courageous Australian Defence personnel who have served Australia so well.”

Mr Seeney defined a courageous person as one with a love of life but when called upon would put their life on the line for their loved ones and their country.

He listed Second Lieutenant Ralph Fowler, Nurse Nellie Mabel Saw and Flight Sergeant Edward Vivian Laing among those courageous men and women from Denmark who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the community and the country.

Their names were only a few among those inscribed on the ‘wings’ of the Denmark War Memorial.

Mr Seeney said that as a Denmark resident of 34 years he had observed many retired defence personnel contributing to the local community.

By joining volunteer organisations such a volunteer fire rescue service, bushfire brigades, St John Ambulance and other groups, all volunteers, along with a community-focused police force, had made Denmark a safe place to live.

This had enhanced the group of people who already had a sense of belonging and connection to each other, sharing a geographic location, interests and identity.

A veteran of numerous community groups and causes among them being a leader of Denmark’s Black Dog Ride, Mr Seeney commended the Albany at Ease project.

Both the Black Dog Ride and Denmark RSL had funded and supported the project which provides support and respite accommodation for Australian Defence Force veterans.

These were veterans struggling with mental health problems, and their families.

Albany woman Veronique Derschow and her team coordinated and ran the project making the veterans and their families welcome and comfortable while having respite on the South Coast.

This article appeared in Denmark Bulletin, 1 May 2025.