Hi All, Something i read in todays South Coast Register (Nowra) newspaper may be of interest to subscribers of this list. There is a bloke in Bomaderry who is building a memorial garden at the premises of the former United Aboriginal Mission. His name is Sonny Simms. The Garden will be opened on October 21. You may be able to find the article and photo at... http://nowra.yourguide.com.au/home.asp under the title...."Sonny's a man with a mission" Here is part of the text of the article : Sonny’s a man with a mission By Keeli Cambourne of the South Coast Register (Nowra NSW) PHOTO : (of Sonny Simms) with caption.... MEMORIAL: Sonny Simms has worked tirelessly on creating a memorial garden for the Stolen Generation at the former United Aboriginal Mission in Bomaderry. Mr Simms said the garden is a tribute to the thousands of Aboriginal people who passed through the mission's doors, including his father Henry Joseph Simms who was one of the first children at the mission when it opened its doors in 1908. "This was the birthplace of the Stolen Generation and I told the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and ATSIC that it needed to be recognised," Mr Simms said. To that end, Mr Simms has worked tirelessly over the past few years obtaining grants, and designing the garden which will be ready to open to the public on October 21. The official unveiling has been widely anticipated by the Aboriginal community across Australia and Mr Simms said he has had calls from as far as Cape York with people wishing to come down to remember their own time, or that of relatives, spent time at the UAM. "There are 1000 people still on the books at Link Up Australia who have an association with the Bomaderry Children's home and most of them will hopefully be coming down," he said. "My Uncle Herb Simms, one of the oldest living people from the home, will give a talk on the day along with Harold Stewart another of the elders. "It will be a very emotional day." Mr Simms said all attending members of the Stolen Generation at the ceremony will help unveil the plaque commemorating the children who stayed at the UAM. He said the native garden will contain two special flowers - the Australian white rose which signifies peace and the Australian Forget Me Not. "I think they are very appropriate plants to have in this garden," he said. I hope this will be of interest. Niall Tangney