The honour of Club Life Membership was awarded to very worthy recipients, Christine Weller and Matt Francis at the Anzac Day 2025 Dawn Service.

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Certificates of Club Life Membership were presented by Emerald RSL President, Kane Falconer as former, Peter Maloney, spoke emotionally about the contributions and poppy legacy of Christine and Matt.

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"Since 2015, when Anzac Place was established, Christine Weller and Matt Francis have made a substantial contribution to the history and culture of the Emerald RSL. In 2015, Chris and Matt were unable to be in attendance at the Anzac Place opening by the Governor General, as they were in Africa working for World Vision making videos for their global fund raising efforts. On their return later in 2015, they set about making a documentary of the Anzac Place project using the services of a well known film maker, Paul Williams. This video the Club has as a permanent memory of the work done by Club members to make Anzac Place and Walk happen, with the assistance of the Shire of Cardinia. Following this, in 2017, Chris and Matt organised a concert at Gemco that served as a thank you to all in Emerald who contributed to the Anzac Place and Walk project. They asked singer/songwriter, Eric Bogle, to present the Concert which was a sell out at Gemco - featuring our signature tune - “And the Band played Waltzing Matilda”. This Eric did - gratis. A great night to remember. Around this time, Ken Purdham, the author and director of the Anzac Walk audio trail, spoken by John Shiells, produced a play at Gemco called “While their Names are still Spoken” - a story of Emerald men at war after 1914 - and Chris and Matt helped make this happen. Late in 2017, Chris and Matt approached the Club to make the 100 years anniversary of the end of WW1 in 2018 an event to remember. They organised Emerald and Australia to knit and crochet 25,000 poppies and assisted in the organising of a Remembrance Day service at Anzac Place that was very special for Emerald. A photo album exists in the Clubrooms depicting the whole project with poppies covering everything in Emerald, including Puffing Billy. The event was featured on Melbourne television news channels. Since the 2018 Centenary, poppies have continue to adorn Emerald every Anzac Day and Remembrance Day thanks to the continued work of Christine and Matt. It will be their legacy.

Christine and Matt are leaving Emerald this year to live near their family down by the Bay. They have given 10 years of service to the Emerald RSL, building up our unique memories that our RSL is renowned for, and for this the Committee believe they are worthy recipients of Club Life Memberships of the Emerald RSL.

Congratulations, Christine and Matt. A round of applause please. I now hand over to the President of the Emerald RSL to make the presentation."

Former President, Peter Maloney.