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PAST & PRESENT PLAYERS’ & OFFICIALS’ MEMBER NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2021 EDITION and booking link. Other events discussed • Raising much needed funds (please FROM THE CHAIRMAN included our match day functions, which dig deep if you can via the GoFundMe are obviously a work in progress and page or directly via any committee - ROD GRINTER will be determined by the restrictions member) imposed through any COVID-19 rules at • Refining our structure and strategy to elcome all the MCG. support the MFCP&PP&OA to our first W The other area that is also a very newsletter for • Planning events for 2021 important part of the MFC P&PP&OA is 2021. support for our members and fundraising. A big thank you also goes to all those I hope that More details regarding how you can who have contributed to our monthly everyone contribute appear further on in this newsletters. enjoyed a safe festive break over the newsletter. Keep an eye on our website and Christmas/New Year period. We also congratulate our own past player Instagram, and please pass on Your committee has already met and past MFC P&PP&OA committee this newsletter to ensure constant to discuss a number of items for member in Brad Green for his nomination communication to our members. 2021, with the main area being to join the MFC board at the club’s AGM As always, stay safe and healthy. engagement. The first event for this month. the year will be our Regards The ongoing points of focus from your annual Nine & Dine committee are: Golf evening during Rod Grinter this month - see in • Ensuring we keep connected with our this issue for details members MFC P&PP&OA Chairman BENEVOLENT FUND 2021 n 2020, contributions to the If you would like to join the list IAssociation’s Benevolent Fund via our GoFundMe page provided the greatest signs of everyone working together, DONATE NOW despite all obstacles. The generosity of so many has meant that your Association has a solid foundation to Or go to: gofundme.com support members of our community in and search MFC P&PP&OA need. We are set to continue the campaign in 2021! With past player John Gallus sneaking under the radar to be the last COLLEEN DOOLEY (Above right) donor of 2020, we welcome our first We look forward to welcoming all donor for 2021: If you’re born to the red and blue, there’s contributors during 2021, and sharing little doubt that you will do everything some of their stories with you. One of Deluxe Print possible to assist the Demon family those to donate in 2020 was: whenever it’s needed. continued pg2 PAST & PRESENT PLAYERS & OFFICIALS MEMBER NEWSLETTER was the Benevolent Fund, and – as her BENEVOLENT FUND 2021 cont. story undoubtedly suggests – Colleen readily donated to the cause. ‘I think it’s a Such is the case for Colleen Dooley, who president during her tenure. fantastic idea – we can help people on hard emerged from a large, primarily Melbourne times. We’re all part of the same group, The paths of Colleen and Bev would meet supporting clan to work at the club in the and we can help each other.’ As she sees it, in other ways via the Melbourne Football 1990s, forging connections and friendships the sense of benevolence springs from the Club. Colleen’s friendship with Sean Wight that have lasted to the current day. likes of Association chairman, Rod Grinter. – forged through involvement in car rallies ‘Rod’s inclusive, and he knows that it’s all Colleen is also one of those fortunate – saw him suggesting that she should about good communication.’ It’s also about people who saw the club’s 1964 attend the past players’ reunion. ‘It was lasting connections; when Colleen was premiership win. Aged just thirteen, she the first thing I went to, and the only other working for the club, ‘Rod worked for the and her fifteen year-old brother were the female there was - Bev O’Connor! I was so marketing department. I don’t think he’d lucky recipients of tickets purchased by glad that she was there.’ their father, the patriarch of the Melbourne ever touched a computer before, but he Asking if she could join the Association, supporting crew. was never afraid to ask for help.’ Colleen received a less than enthusiastic Such good humour and memories of ‘All my clothing was red and blue’, response to her membership query, but – Melbourne are vital to so many, which is she recalls with a laugh. in due course – she was welcomed into the why Colleen, along with nearly 100 others, fold, and now ‘wouldn’t miss the reunion!’ From this, Colleen went on to work at the sat down and logged on to join in the This function has evolved over the years 1991 and 1992 Grand Prix, before landing a Association’s Zoom reunion in October last to be an invaluable platform for renewing job in Melbourne’s marketing department, year. ‘It was nice to see faces, and it was friendships and establishing an across- where she stayed until late in 1996. ‘I left well done.’ Hopefully, of course, the real the-club community. just pre-merger in 1996. I went to the office thing can be held in 2021. a few times after that, and it was horrible.’ Of course, 2020 has been the exception to And so it is that Colleen Dooley, who every rule, and with no reunion, the sense Apart from the turmoil of those times, lives in Creswick, has two great-nephews of community and gathering has been well Colleen had already made an indelible and who play for Hepburn, and is Secretary and truly challenged. As Colleen points out, historical mark on the club. Hearing Bev of the local U3A (University of the Third ‘Last year was awful. Being part of a club O’Connor talk on breakfast radio of her Age), is waiting to see what 2021 brings. is much more than a game at the MCG.’ support for the Demons, Colleen helped Life as we know it took a tumble, and the Of Melbourne, she says, ‘Every year, I to get her to a breakfast function, which Association – like so many other collectives think they will do well!’ was just the start of an amazing chapter, – had to pick itself up and adapt. as Bev went on to become the club’s With support such as Colleen’s, from first female director, also serving as vice- One major initiative to emerge from 2020 the MCG stands to her Benevolent Fund donation, how could it be otherwise? to all, Stan Alves holding a philosophical PAUL BURNHAM – discussion about the upcoming season, and Graeme Yeats sharing the news of his appointment to the Port Colts’ coaching THE REV NEVER RESTS post (congratulations!) n his quest to continue providing the From yesteryear and Bob Skilton to the IPositive Pastoral Care that is at the recent past and Sam Blease, ‘The Rev’ is heart of the Association’s well-being, a major touchstone for the Association, ‘The Rev’ has been keeping in touch helping to ease uncertainty and maintain with the Melbourne multitudes, setting communication records over the contacts and friendships. While he may Christmas-New Year break. be wearing out the odd phone or two, his forty individual emails for Christmas commitment to caring and connection Between December 2020 and January greetings.’ Salutations came in return, is one of the treasured aspects of the 2021, he ‘called 135 members, and sent with Allen Jakovich sending his regards Association’s life. JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2021 LOOKING FOR…. VALE - IVAN BAUMGARTNER n 2021, another effort that will continue t was with much sadness that we Iis that of chasing up Disappeared Iheard of the recent passing of Ivan Demons. We thank everyone who has Baumgartner, who played five games helped us to reconnect with those we for Melbourne in 1955, in between stints with Geelong and St Kilda. Ivan, who listed in 2020, and look forward to re- wore No. 5 in his time at the Demons, establishing contact with many in 2021. As always, if you have contact details originally hailed from Wesley College. At present, we are looking for: for these or anyone else connected We pass on our most sincere Tomas Bugg Declan Keilty with the MFC, please don’t hesitate condolences to Ivan’s family and friends. Ross Fisher Debbie Lee to get in touch with Spike Harris via Stuart Grimshaw Craig Notman [email protected] or Guy Jalland 0411 235 073. VALE - MAURIE LEHMANN ll involved with the Association were Asaddened to hear of the passing of Maurie Lehmann. From State Savings GOLF DAY Bank, he played six games at the start of 1952, wearing No. 8. IT’S ON AGAIN! We offer our deepest sympathies to Maurie’s family and friends. Nine & Dine Golf Evening While both Ivan and Maurie were at Albert Park Golf Course the Melbourne Football Club for a • Friday, 19 February 2021 relatively short time, they are, and will remain, a valued part of the red and • Tee off - 5 pm blue family. • GOLF AND BARBECUE - $25 • BARBECUE ONLY - $20 Book today, via: MELBOURNE MILESTONE hile 2020 tested many, sometimes BOOK NOW Wthere were reasons to smile. A major one of these came in Round One, when or contact Spike Harris – spike.w.harris@ Kysaiah Pickett gmail.com or 0411 235 073. played his first game – the first of fourteen for was when MFC Life Member Dr the season.

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