Bermagui war widow Margaret Dodson is so grateful for Australian War Widows NSW (AWWNSW).
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This month AWWNSW is running its two annual fundraising campaigns - Buy a Widow a Coffee and Limited Release Lapel Pins - as it marks War Widows Day on October 19.
Ms Dodson was living in Narribri when her husband passed away in 2008.
He served in the Malayan Emergency where Australian troops were involved between 1950 and 1963.
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Ms Dodson moved to Bermagui in 2014 and regularly visited her 88-year-old aunt in Merimbula.
Her aunt, a war widow herself, suggested that Ms Dodson join AWWNSW.
Being outside of a major town, AWWNSW mostly provides her digital support.
It sends regular digital newsletters plus a quarterly digest by post.
"I am learning so much," Ms Dodson said.
Ms Dodson would love to attend the regular social gatherings but they are too far away and necessitate paying for overnight accommodation.
"Most of the widows are in their 80s and 90s and can't do that," she said.
Social, well-being and practical support
AWWNSW was started at the end of World War II when 10,000 Australian women were left widowed and struggled to make ends meet.
Originally it was a self-help group that helped war widows come to terms with their loss among others with similar experiences.
Today it provides services plus opportunities for members to come together.
AWWNSW has more than 50 social clubs and guilds across metro, regional and rural NSW to connect people.
Its digital health and well-being program gives members the opportunity to stay active while boosting social connections from their own homes.
It also has dedicated volunteers who run a friendship line.
Everyone who signs up to the friendship line has someone they can connect with.
On a more practical level, it supports members to get through the complex veterans' systems to access services, support and entitlements, and also advocates for the needs of war widows and veterans' families to the relevant bodies.
Very grateful for an amazing organisation
Ms Dodson is a lively woman, who only retired from her business in March this year and is heavily involved with her church and local seniors' club.
"At this stage I don't need any help but if I did I would definitely contact AWWNSW," Ms Dodson said.
She said AWWNSW does an amazing job and the people running it are on the ball and full of new ideas.
"I am very grateful for what they do and what they are doing for war widows is extremely important."
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