Mount Evelyn Football Netball Club president John Stroud, Morrisons CEO Jan Simmons and Monbulk MP James Merlino unveil a history display with a difference. 53148
By Russell Bennett
PUBLIC speaking once struck fear in the heart of Monbulk MP James Merlino, but his love of footy helped him overcome the anxiety.
Mr Merlino revealed his past struggles when opening an exhibition of Mount Evelyn Football Netball Club’s history.
“When I was 16 or 17, I was terrified of public speaking, so I did a short course at TAFE,” he said.
“I was very scared about getting up on my feet and talking so the teacher said ‘what do you love?’ and I said ‘well I love the Hawthorn footy club’. She said ‘then talk about that’.”
“When you’ve got something that you’re comfortable with and passionate about, it’s amazing how your skills can improve.”
The exhibition resulted from a Morrisons learning centre project that asked footy-mad Mount Evelyn residents to compile an oral and visual club history to enhance their digital literacy.
Mr Merlino helped them unveil the display at Morrisons Café earlier this month.
Morrisons’ CEO Jan Simmons, art education co-ordinator Kerrin Pryor and their team also helped locals improve their reading and writing skills.
Ms Pryor said a similar adult learning project in Edinburgh, Scotland, inspired the idea.
“Jan was aware that in Scotland they were working with soccer to help with reading and writing,” Ms Pryor said.
“So she thought ‘we’re as passionate about our football over here. It’s a different shaped ball but let’s see what we can do’.”
Morrisons used Mount Evelyn’s love of Aussie Rules as a hook to draw people.
“It was just all about relevance to the participants,” Ms Pryor said.
“They’d be more likely to be interested if the project revolved around something they loved.”
Mount Evelyn Football Netball Club president John Stroud said project participants were all involved with the club in some way.
