Residents from one street in Shellharbour used social media to plan and share the making and distribution of props to mark Anzac Day.
Donna Check, who organised a letterbox drop inviting people on her street to join a localised Facebook page to stay in touch and reach out to others when required, was the driving force.
"We are quite a large street, a 100 or so houses," Ms Check said.
"I just did a simple letterbox drop just to let everybody know we are here to help," she said.
Ms Check then found herself the principle organiser of a street-based community outreach group.
"We are here as neighbours," she said.
"We may not know each other very well, but if anyone is vulnerable to COVID-19 I am more than happy to go out and do their shopping, help them out with anything.
"So, that's where it started," Ms Check said.
Celebrating alone together
The Facebook group brought the street together giving residents opportunities to meet each other, virtually and even face-to-face.
"Everybody got involved and pretty soon Anzac Day came up.
"The driveway services idea has been floating around since restrictions were put into place, so I believe people in my street were doing it regardless.
"But once the letterbox drop went out it gave it real momentum," Ms Check said.
"Everyone was as keen as mustard to celebrate our Anzacs."
Over the past few days, various residents made poppy-painted milk cartons as candle-holders, making extras for their neighbours.
Inspired by a friend on social media, Sharon Hayman bought a bunch of sharpies and, with her son Thomas, set about making milk bottle candle-holders for placing tea light candles in so as to illuminate the dawn service.
"I sat at night in front of the telly and started," she said.
"The circle being the centre, you add four petals and centre spikes. Then I got bored so I started making varieties adding sunsets and smaller poppies to make it more interesting for me."
'I buried my dad with his medals'
Anzac Day is important to resident Barbara Bartczac, who typically celebrates by attending the local war memorial in Kiama and then the Warilla Bowling Club.
"I don't want to see it forgotten. A lot of children today don't even know what Anzac is and that's a shame," Ms Bartczac said.
"My dad used to talk to me about it all the time. The things he went through, and what did I do?
"I thought 'they are his', so that's what I did, but I wish I hadn't."
Ms Bartczac now feels that she should have passed them onto her boys.
"That's where the medals belong and they should have been passed down from generation to generation.
"I thought I was doing the right thing but in hindsight, no," she said.
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