COMMUNITY AWARENESS 2002

BOMBER STAR SHINES BRIGHT

Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd visited some very special children today at the Starlight Express Room at the Royal Children's Hospital. Lloyd is captured with Captain Starlight bringing some Christmas cheer to six year old Harrison Fennell. Harrison had open-heart surgery for the third time three weeks ago and it looks like he won't make it home to Colac for Christmas. Harrison couldn't wipe the smile from his face when he got to meet the Bomber spearhead.

Harrison has a twin sister Cody and five other brothers and sisters who miss him dearly. Harrison's mum Kerry is staying at the Ronald McDonald house near the hospital to be with her son and is hoping he will be well enough to go home for Christmas. Lloyd chatted to the children and signed autographs, before trying his luck at Nintendo. The Starlight Foundation is the Essendon Football Club preferred charity.

James Davies, Stephanie Lake and Marc Bullen

LET'S GET PHYSICAL

The Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) launched its new studio with the "Closer" exhibition - with help from Bomber players James Davies and Marc Bullen, yesterday at the brand new Federation Square. Bullen and Davies known for their agility and speed on the football field, put their dances moves to the test at the launch with the Chunky Move Dance Group. However, Bomber fans don’t fear, the pair won’t be swapping their football boots for dance shoes any time in the near future - they had four left feet between them!

"CLOSER", a commission of ACMI and Film Victoria, is a new interactive screen-based dance instalation produced by the renowned contemporary dance company Chunky Move. The exhibition requires the audience to participate physically — to touch, throw or press their bodies against torso-size, floor and wall mounted sensor pads that activate the moves of an on-screen dancer.

Located in the brand new Federation Square, ACMI hosts some amazing facilities and several other fascinating interactive exhibitions.

Closer
Exhibition dates: 6 December 2002 — 27 January 2002
Exhibition hours: 10.00am — 6.00pm Monday — Sunday
Venue: Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Federation Square, Flinders Street

Entry is FREE

For more information, call ACMI on (03) 8663 2200 or visit www.acmi.net.au

Dear Essendon Football Club,

Back in June, I wrote to you requesting donations for me to take on my community service trip to Peru and you were kind enough to send a package of stickers, posters and an autographed Essendon Football.

We took these to Peru and distributed them to the school children in an isolated, rural primary school. The children were delighted with their "prizes" and we had lots of fun teaching them the finer points of Aussie rules. I enclose a photograph of the boys with their football (which they thought was very funny!) and thank you very much for your donation which we were proud to share.

Thank you again for your kindness- there are now a whole bunch of Essendon supporters in Peru!

Yours sincerely,

Georgia Nicholls
East Ringwood

Dear Essendon Football Club,

Thank you so much for the flag and Jersey and the photos all signed. I went to the shop and bought Essendon socks and I found an Essendon quilt cover for my bed. There are some photos of my friend Sebastian and I barracking for the Bombers against Collingwood, the day after my gift arrived ? you may have heard me and yea Bombers won! I feel that maybe by me wearing my new jersey that the fortune of the Bombers has changed for the better- No more losses- Bombers are best.

I have applied to the Starlight foundation for a wish. My first wish is to go to Melbourne to help Kevin Sheedy with coaching the team. I really appreciate your kindness, the lovely gifts and photos which are hanging above my bed and I wear the shirt every day!

GO BOMBERS GO!

Thanks Mark McVeigh for signing my shirt and please say hello to Matthew Lloyd and Dean Rioli, Dustin Fletcher, Paul Barnard and of course the coaching guru Kevin Sheedy.

Good luck for the finals
From
Bradley Algy Stevens

Mark presents a signed guernsey to Steven

STAR STRUCK

Essendon Football Club and its official charity - the Starlight Foundation – have combined to grant a wish for 15-year-old Steven at training yesterday afternoon. Steven, who suffers from severe Spinal Dysraphism, met the Essendon players and coaches prior to training. At the moment Steven can walk and can play limited sport, however he endures numerous visits to hospital and pain throughout the day.

Steven's favourite player is Mark Johnson and the star defender presented Steven with a signed No.1 guernsey. Steven and his family who have come all the way from Perth, watched training and then visited the Hall of Fame. To complete his wish, Steven will visit the change rooms pre and post match on Sunday at the Fremantle game and he also has reserved seats for the game.

Matthew Lloyd with the Tiwi Island footballers

TIWI ISLAND PLAYERS VISIT WINDY HILL

As a part of the Tiwi Island Leadership program – “Using Football as a Vehicle”, 30 aboriginals from the Tiwi Islands aged between 14 and 19 attended Essendon training yesterday afternoon. Following training the group performed a dance dedicated to Bomber coach Kevin Sheedy, Michael Long and Dean Rioli. The young players then had the opportunity to meet their Essendon football heroes in the new training rooms. Dean Rioli, Michael Long and Matthew Lloyd proved to be favorites amongst the group.

To complete the afternoon, the group participated in a 30-minute training session with Essendon coaching staff - Michael Long and Kevin Sheedy. Sheeds took the group through a warm-up and a brief skills session and kept an eye out for the next future AFL star. "This Leadership program is a fantastic opportunity for these kids to get exposure to AFL football - particularly the coaches and players. These opportunities were not available for aboriginals 20 years ago," Sheedy said. The group will participate in other football activities during the week and head back to the Tiwi Islands next Monday, August 26th.

WILSON - AS TOUGH AS NAILS!

There are many keen Bombers supporters at the Burwood grade 3 Auskick Clinic but few are as tenacious as James Wilson. Young James is so tough that on Saturday, August 10th, he broke his arm in the club's end of year match with barely a grimace. He's fast and furious and fierce at the ball - perhaps a bit too fierce! James is pictured in his Bomber guernsey with his Auskick group.

$50,000 COMMUNITY GRANT PROGRAM

The Essendon Football and Community Sporting Club has donated in excess of $200,000 to local groups in the last two years. Graeme McMahon, Essendon Football and Community Sporting Club chairman said, "Groups within the Essendon community have been able to achieve a great deal with their donations. We see the Community Aid Program as a great opportunity to help sporting and community groups in Melton do the same."

The Essendon Football Club and Melton Country Club Community Grant Program aims to recognise community groups that demonstrate:

Guidelines and grant applications are available upon request from the Essendon Football Club and the Melton Country Club. Applications open on Thursday August 1st, 2002 and submissions must be forwarded to the Melton Country Club Secretary, no later than 5pm on Monday September 30th, 2002. Initial queries should be directed to the Club Manager on ph: 9743 1843. Successful applicants will be advised in November 2002. All applicants will be notified by mail as to whether they have been successful or not.

WINDYHILLBOMBER DELIVERS - CHAMPIONS GATHER TO HAND OVER FIRST STAKES CHEQUE

BOMBERS VISIT ROYAL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

Essendon development coach David Flood said the visit was a good eye-opener for the players and also a great chance for the children to meet some of their footy heroes. "The players represented themselves and the Essendon Football Club in a very professional way. The players went around and visited the children in the wards and also spent time in the Starlight Express room. From the look on the kids faces, you could tell the visit made their day," Flood said.

Essendon Football Club would like to thank the Royal Children's Hospital for allowing the players to visit the children.

BOMBERS A HIT WITH THE KIDS

Steve Alessio and Mark McVeigh entertain the students at Abefeldie Primary School

NICHOLAS MEETS HIS HEROES

Ken Hall, Blake Caracella, Nicholas Witts and Michael Long

ABORIGINAL ARTISTS IN MELBOURNE

From left to right: David Bosun, Victor Motlop, Matthew Lloyd, Josh Mahoney, Billy Missi, Solomon Booth and Paul Tom.

From left to right: Paul Tom, David Bosun, Michael Long, Victor Motlop, Solomon Booth, Dean Rioli, Mark Harvey, Billy Missi.

PERTH FAMILY DAY AND KIDS CLINIC

Kevin Sheedy gives advice to the kids

Kevin Sheedy and Justin Blumfield at the clinic

The players take time out at the family day

Peter Murray
President
WA Bombers
Ph: 0402 794 294