Levin Anzac Poppy Day volunteer pouring cups of tea for 25 years

Jenny McGrath has served tea at Poppy Day at the Levin RSA for 25 years.

Behind every military operation on Poppy Day is a good cup of tea.

For the last 25 years, Levin woman Jenny McGrath has served tea at the Levin RSA for their annual Poppy Day for those people that were organising and selling poppies through the district.

There was no need to ration supplies, with Mrs McGrath also dishing out generous helpings of meatballs with noodles, curried sausages and sandwiches to the army of volunteers.

There were eight soldiers in uniform from the New Zealand Army who sold poppies through the Levin business ditrict in shifts, going door to door and standing on street corners.

Adam Gibson helped co-ordinate the operation from headquarters at the Levin RSA that required military-like precision, with a white board and map that could accurately monitor which areas of the town were covered.

Another RSA member, John Eades, had also given long service to the poppy drive with 23 years involvement. He was on deck again at headquarters as boxes of poppys were opened as required and handed out for dispatch.

Mrs McGrath's late husband Tim was a former member of the New Zealand air force and a life member of the RSA.