Joanne Williams, Kai, 3, and Andrew Williams with the photo of Kai, then 10 months old, that Mrs Williams submitted for an army calendar this year and won a prize for her efforts. Picture: JOHN RUSSELL
HE wasn’t yet a one-year-old, but Kai Williams, wearing little more than his dad’s army hat, sat up and saluted.
“It was the wrong hand, but he’ll learn that when he’s older,” father Andrew Williams said with a chuckle.
Photos of young sons and daughters, like the one Wodonga’s Joanne Williams captured of son Kai three years ago, have long been a symbol of hope and strength for men and women serving overseas with the defence forces.
This has prompted the production of a competition calendar of kids in military garb.
The calendar is the idea of Donna Reggett, a worker with the families of dead or badly injured soldiers.
Named Heroes Mates, the calendar is raising money for Legacy.
About 300 photos were sent in for this year’s edition but only 12 used.
After winning the overall competition, the photo of Kai is now in the calendar as Mr March.
His parents now call Wodonga home after moving from Sydney to Wagga and then Perth.
With her husband having served overseas several times, Mrs Williams is a huge fan of the idea.
“At the time I took the photo I was pretty much raising him as a single parent,” she said.
“(The calendar) is understanding that families do it tough, too, when their fathers and husbands are away.”
Children whose parents serve overseas can also order their very own military medallion.
A 2014 calendar is now planned.
