Raggies and Gullies unite to fight MND

 

On Saturday Athelstone FC and Tea Tree Gully Football Club had a day in honour of Chris Grigg and the late Damien Lane who has passed away due to this bastard of disease (Laney played junior footy at Norwood and as an adult for the Gullies) and the day followed on from http://www.footyalmanac.com.au/sanfl-round-13-norwood-v-adelaide-redlegs-defeat-crows-but-unite-together-fighting-mnd/.

 

 

Chris Grigg, Peter Johncock & John Tomaselli looking very contented after winning the 1995 flag

 

 

I wish to congratulate Geoff Hepworth and his hard working committee for staging a remarkable event, the amount of work which went into the overall event (not just the day, was extraordinary). Here is a video of Chris and his great mate Craig Hosking and one showing the special edition warm up top they wore to honour DOC.

 

If these don’t get the water works flowing you ain’t human.

 

Doc & Son Mitch

 

Some words from Geoff Hepworth:

 

“If MND could be beaten by the love and support that was on display yesterday, we kicked its ass!

 

I am so proud of the Athelstone Football Club “Raggies” and the Tea Tree Gully Football Club (John Curley) they way they got behind this day. Not only did we show our love for Doc, we remember TTGFC player Damien Lane (Nyree Lane).

 

Luke Rander attempting to mark

 

On a personal note, thanks to my band of merry helpers, who put this day together and pulled it off. Thanks to the Club’s band of volunteers, that toiled extra hard to feed and water the massive crowd that was there.

 

Thanks to the businesses that supported the campaign with donations and/or providing items for the raffle.

 

Finally thanks to the football community and greater local community that got behind the day.

 

As Neale Daniher said in his video to Chris Grigg, when asking the viewers to support the Fight MND campaign “without you we won’t find a cure”.  At the start of the day we had raised just over $12,750. Stay tuned this week for an update on this total based on the yesterdays fundraising efforts.”

 

When at first I heard and saw the catchcry “Show Us Your Laces” re Athelstone aka ‘The Raggies’ marketing the event, encouraging clubs and individuals to buy blue laces to support the day and raise money to fight MND, I thought yeah ok, not a bad gimmick, but can’t really see it achieving much, geez was I WRONG. It was a phenomenal success with sporting teams re all possible sports, work places and individuals really getting behind it, resulting in the remarkable number of 1,168 being ordered and sold.

 

Days and events like these are also very important for Nyree Lane and her daughters Cleo and Lola. Moving forward, Nyree, like all of us, was blown away with how many people attended (Athelstone think it was about 2,000 people who attended at some stage during the day). I really want this article to be a pictorial record to keep for every one involved, it really was a special occasion in which Geoff Hepworth nailed it saying If MND could be beaten by the love and support that was on display yesterday, we kicked it’s ass! Tea Tree Gully won the game of footy but the winners were society in general, binding together to fight MND, the atmosphere was fantastic with the end result being considerably more than the target of $25,000 being raised, stand by for a major announcement.

 

Thank you to EVERY sponsor, company and individual for your huge assistance, enabling so much money to be raised and the event to be such a huge success (Anyone please feel free to thank folk and companies below in the comments section)

 

Your thoughts and recollections of the day and the night?

 

Please SHARE this article and continue to raise awareness for MND.

 

Daughter Maddison, Doc & Mitch

 

Andrew Jarvis, Geoff Hepworth and Malcolm Ashwood

Comments

  1. Cameron Glenn says

    Great to see so many get behind a fantastic cause to fight MND. Sounds like a great day and glad to hear a good amount raised.

  2. Jill Tahtra says

    I love how the footy world looks after its players family in a crisis. Its so great. Illness of any kind is difficult but when you are told no cure it hurts everyone. This MND is such a bitch of an illness and I just hope that there is a cure, or even something to slow it down, around the corner.

  3. Geoff Reynolds says

    Tremendous article as usual Malcolm, so many helpers, volunteers on the day, credit to Heppy & all others involved. Sensational $$$ raised! You were dynamic as usual with the raffle around the ground. So many past Norwood faces & I was particularly chuffed to catch up with Jarvo (former Raggies coach) over from Melb & past Basher & current Charity organiser/near politician Rick again. No rain on that Parade, sunshine as well, just a memorable day & I would think long night! I’ll get to wear my ‘Doc 2’ training top again soon!

  4. Rick Neagle says

    Fantastic day Raggies. Great to see you too Geoff (and Jarvo)!! Count Me In was proud to be involved Congrats to the Norwood FC for helping to join the dots together and create awareness for MND

  5. Great to see two clubs get together around a great cause!

  6. Phil casburn says

    It is no doubt one of the proudest day in the history of The Athelstone Football club.
    To have everyone rally behind a great bloke & legend of the Raggies Chris DOC Grigg was as a good a moment in the history of ammature league footy in SA I have seen with support coming from all corners of the world
    With out the efforts of Geoff “Heppy” Hepworth
    Sarah “workhorse Thompson John “Thomo”Tomaselli Shane “Hatchy” Hatchard, Steve “The Pres” Young & many others The event just wouldn’t have been the massive success it was.
    P.s Thanks for your help to Rulebook you are now an hounary Raggie.
    $36k raised so far is just a phenomenal effort
    It some ways it was sad that the day ended as that warm & Fuzzy feeling on dsys like this is the best drug of all
    Well done all who donated,sponsored attended the day
    FROM A VERY PROUD RAGGIE SUPPORTER????

  7. Martin Rumsby says

    Well done to the Raggies and TTGFC for supporting this worthy cause and to you for your promotion of the events associated with MND, Malcolm.

  8. Well done to both clubs, players, officials and supporters for organising this successful event. Well done Rulebook for your continuing advocacy to support local footy and causes such as fighting MND. Great job.

  9. Malcolm Ashwood says

    Cameron fantastic day thank you.Jill it is the best thing about sport the way sporting communities unite for a cause and geez we all desperately hope so.Geoff yes it was great to see so many old faces and in particular,Jarvo and Tony Fantasia over from,Melbourne.Neags well said.Campbell very much so.Phil love your comment greatly appreciated and what a awesome amount of money raised.Martin and Paul thank you a privilege to be involved thanks folks

Leave a Comment

*