by Nick Rowe
Drouin residents Hazel and John Hedley celebrated the momentous event of their 70th wedding anniversary with family and friends over the Easter weekend. Such a milestone only occurs in 0.1 per cent of marriages - or one in a thousand.
Hazel and John have known each other for more than 80 years, having grown up within a few kilometres of each other at Ripplebrook and Drouin South. They went to Drouin South Primary School during the late 1930s and early 1940s.
Sources within the family suggest that in their teens John was known to have remarked "I'm going to marry that girl one day!" This proved a prophetic statement from John, as "after a few diversions over the years" he asked Hazel for her hand in marriage after a dance at the Athlone Hall.

Hazel recalls the proposal took place in the romantic setting of John'