Candle tradition dates back 20 years

Woy Woy Rotary Club's practice of handing out around 800 candles and 400 cups of tea and coffee at the Anzac Day Woy Woy Dawn Service each year has a 20-year history, according to club community service director Mr Don Tee.

"In the early 1990s, the club was participating in Carols by Candlelight in Woy Woy," Mr Tee said.

"The Rotary Club purchased 4000 candles for this Christmas venture," he said.

"Unfortunately, the next year total fire bans were put in place and the Carols floundered and were cancelled altogether.

"This left the club with a large number of candles in stock.

"In 1995, with president Bob Baxter, the club decided to attend the Woy Woy Anzac Dawn Service and hand out candles to get rid of them as a one-off venture.

"The candles were so well received by those who attended the service and comments were made: 'What a great addition and spectacle it was to have the candles burning in the pre-dawn light'.

"Many of the candles were returned so 'we could use them next year'.

"Next year we again handed out candles at the service and again they were handed back to us 'so we could use them again next year'.

"In 1997, while enjoying a cuppa from the thermos out of the plumber's morning tea esky, someone asked where they could get a coffee.

"In 1998, we started serving tea, coffee, orange juice and Anzac bickies to those who attended free of charge as a community service.

"We now have a cult following with many people knowing a coffee and a bickie is available provided by the Rotary Club of Woy Woy.

"About 10 years ago, we started with the breakfast for the workers of bacon and egg rolls.

"We have now purchased approximately 12,000 candles and over the past years we hand out around 800 each year and most of them are returned after the service.

"We serve around 400 cups of tea and coffee.

"This really is a great community service project of the Rotary Club and is well received by the public and the RSL.

"We look forward to continuing the service."

Newsletter, 23 Apr 2018

Don Tee, Woy Woy Rotary Club