An ANZAC service will be held at The Sunshine Coast Private Hospital at 10am on Thursday 21 April to dedicate its new memorial garden and flagpoles.
The hospital will fly official Australian flags from three new flagpoles, situated at the main entrance. The flags will be flown at all times and will be lowered to half mast on ceremonial days or when required by Governments of the Commonwealth of Australia.
Wallis Westbrook, The Sunshine Coast Private Hospital General Manager, said the installation of the new garden and flagpoles was due to the foresight of the hospital’s Veterans Consultative Group.
“The hospital is extremely proud to have had a long history of supporting our veterans, and through consultation and engagement with our Veterans Consultative Group we have been able to build this memorial garden and erect these flagpoles as permanent symbols of remembrance, thanksgiving and celebration,” Mr Westbrook said.
“This ANZAC Day service means a great deal to the hospital’s staff, volunteers, patients and supporters. Our hospital is a place of healing and caring, and we approach ANZAC Day in this spirit,” he said.
Among those attending the event include representatives from RSL Queensland and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, who will join the hospital’s staff and doctors to lay wreaths at the site.
The three flags that will be raised at the ceremony include the Australian flag, the New Zealand flag and the Indigenous flag. The event will also include a Welcome to Country by Indigenous leader Aunty Betty McMahon and the dedication of the memorial plaque by Brian Iselin from the Veterans Consultative Group and the Coolum-Peregian RSL Sub-Branch.
Reverend Dennis Harth, Pastoral Care Manager, said ANZAC Day was a defining moment in Australia’s history and remains a poignant story of bravery and mateship in the midst of adversity.
“May these flagpoles and the memorial garden forever remind us of the call to be a faithful and grateful nation under God’s guidance and care,” Rev Harth said.
The Sunshine Coast Private Hospital has been serving the community for 35 years and is part of UnitingCare Health - one of the largest not-for-profit private hospital groups in Queensland which operates more than 1000 licensed beds across four hospitals.
The hospital has worked in an integrated way with veterans across the Sunshine Coast during this time and, in consultation with veterans groups, recently launched a Trauma Recovery Program for Veterans – visit sunshinecoasthospital.com.au/traumarecovery for more information.