Omakau and Poolburn schoolchildren are helping "breathe life" into the names on the district's war memorial boards.
The children are researching the lives of district residents who fought for their country - those who returned and others who were not so fortunate.
At yesterday's Anzac Day service in Omakau, they presented a profile on Frank Morgan, of St Bathans, who served in World War 1 and received such severe gunshot wounds to his face that he spent two years in hospital in France, before returning back to New Zealand.
Mr Morgan continued to farm in the area after returning home, was married and raised two children. He died in 1977, aged 82.
His son, Jim Morgan, of Omakau, attended the service yesterday and was impressed by the children's project.
"Through working on this with them, I've learned a lot more about his experiences. My father never spoke about the war much and he certainly never complained about his injuries."
Omakau RSA acting president Graye Shattky said the school children from Omakau and Poolburn made a special contribution to every Anzac Day service.
"They breath a special life and atmosphere into this service and you can see on their faces that they are interested and enjoy taking part. This project was also aimed at them breathing life into the names on those honour boards. To portray the names, so they're people, not just a gold-lettered name.
"These people who went away to war grew up in these valleys, walked the hills where you walk, went to school in St Bathans, Cambrian, Becks, Poolburn and Omakau, played some of the same games that you play today," Mr Shattky said.
The children's project would gather pace and continue in the future.
"You've done a superb job of this and we look forward to hearing more about the people from here who served in the war," he told the children.
Janie Shaw (12), of Omakau, said it was interesting to learn more about Mr Morgan as a person.
The soldier turned 21 on the boat on the way to start his war service. The children's presentation talked about the conditions on the boat during that six-week trip as well as the time Mr Morgan spent fighting, and then recovering in hospital as medical staff tried to rebuild his face.
They also outlined how he had "lived life to the full" after returning home.
