By VICTORIA STONE-MEADOWS
SENIOR football teams Belgrave and Healesville clashed for a good cause this weekend with funds raised by the match being donated to beyondblue.
The Belgrave senior team wore a specially designed beyondblue jumper on the day instead of their usual jumpers.
Despite the charity match being won by Healesville, Belgrave Football and Netball Club (BFNC) committee member John Schill said the day was a great success.
“This was the inaugural beyondblue cup, and took 12 months of planning,” Mr Schill said.
“It was a very successful day, and we had a lot of great support from great people in and outside of the club.”
Deputy Premier James Merlino, Yarra Ranges Mayor Maria McCarthy former St Kilda player Steven Milne and former Richmond Tigers star Francis Bourke were in attendance.
“We had a great turnout and a great lunch function,” Mr Schill said.
“Francis did a fantastic job speaking on the day, and Steven Milne did a brilliant job hosting the event.”
Money raised through ticket sales to the lunch, items sold at an auction and raffles there held throughout the day will all be donated to beyondblue.
There was also money raised by kids from the footy clubs collecting donations around the ground, and BFNC had players raising money on the main street of Belgrave as well.
“Bendigo Bank was heavily involved in the fund-raising and (staff) were wearing the beyondblue footy jumper all week,” Mr Schill said.
“It was a very community-minded activity.”
Following the game, the beyondblue cup was presented to the Healesville
Football Club and their names will be engraved on a plaque that stays at the BFNC.
Mr Schill hopes this event will become a yearly occurrence, depending on the interest of other football teams in the league.
“Belgrave Senior Football and Netball Club decided on their own to put on this event,” he said.
“We know some other leagues do it, but we did it on a big scale and heavily publicised it and hopefully we can make it an ongoing event.”
