AFL Finals Lunch another great success
This year’s event was again excellently facilitated by Bruce Eva with a panel of three outstanding guests in Melbourne’s champion ruckman Max Gawn and Lauren Pierce (who also recently won the 2019 VFLW Best and Fairest) and the wonderful former St Kilda and Brisbane player and media personality, Gilbert McAdam. They each had great stories to tell and a bit more was added given the close associations that Gilbert and Bruce had with the St Kilda Football Club and Danny Frawley whose memorial service was on the day before the lunch.
Not unexpectedly, this led to some reflections on the issue of mental health and how each of our guests perceived the challenges in their own worlds. They all also shared some humorous and some inspiring stories of life in elite sport and the communities in which they have lived.
Raffles and auctions were well supported and enabled us to make a significant donation to Biala Ringwood who provide respite support for parents with children with additional needs.
A special thanks and congratulations to Grant and Nick Brookes of Warranbrooke for your auction success winning the signed Max Gawn footy jumper – well done.
Thanks to everyone who supported the event by attending or donating a raffle prize or auction item or making a donation. Special thanks too to Daryl Stevens, Jim Dean, Paul McPherson and the rest of the Board and volunteers for making the event happen and for your continued support for the Foothills Foundation and the work that we do in “Improving the lives of disadvantaged people in our community” of Maroondah, Yarra Ranges and surrounds.
Thanks also for the continued and generous sponsorship of Bendigo Community Bank Morroolbark.
to help a local family in crisis. Each of us contributed a third ($3,540) of six months’ rent for a family in which the mother is suffering with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. While she has been undergoing bone marrow treatment, her husband has taken leave of absence from work without pay to look after their three children and they needed a hand to meet rental commitments.
We also provided $1,500 to the Holy Fools after their trailer and supporting goods were stolen earlier this year. The Holy Fools provides unconditional love, care and support for people on and around the streets of Lilydale and the Yarra Valley, in particular the homeless. See http://www.holyfools.org.au/