A highlight of the calendar since 2018 has been the Grampians Community Health Over 40’s football
and netball matches. There’s been many laughs and rekindled friendships from the Over 40’s games
over the years, and vital funds raised from the events.
The organising committee will now be holding these games every two years, so you have a chance to
prepare yourself for the over 40’s games in 2025.
The inaugural Over 40’s football game in Ararat was the ‘Healthy blokes’ game in August 2018. The
initiative of Ararat’s Scotty ‘Fish’ Turner. It raised $9000 towards holding mental health awareness
programs in clubs and businesses across the Ararat district. Footballers took to the field to put on a
local legends match giving the huge crowd a thrill, and many young footballers the chance to watch
their parents relive their glory days. Not known by many is that the match football sponsored by
MPC Kinetic, and some football boots were given to a school in the remote Northen Territory Ti Tree
community for the football mad kids to use.
In 2019, the focus shifted to the ‘Healthy Families’ games, incorporating Over 40’s netball into the
schedule alongside football. Again GCH worked with Scott Turner and Meaghan Shea to host the
matches in August with funds raised for mental health, Alcohol and other drug, and family violence
support. The success of this event set the agenda for future football and netball games. Funding
from this game went to provide family violence by-stander training, and training for local sporting
clubs to provide a culture of gender equity and family violence awareness so they could be
community leaders in ending the scourge of family violence.
With COVID-19 it wasn’t until 2022 that we were able to hold our next games. Held in March as part
of pre-season, there was warmth in the air for the players and spectators, with funds raised towards
drug and alcohol programs.
The games returned in 2023 with resounding success raising over $10000 towards community
programs including gifts for people in aged care without family support, and aiding the Blue light
foundation with funds for youth to access and participate in community activities.
GCH is a not-for-profit charity and values tax-deductible donations. Our government funding is tied
to delivering specific programs that sometimes don’t meet an immediate need or give enough
flexibility to deliver locally tailored programs. GCH welcomes donations to be creative for our
community.
So mark March 2025 in your calendar and start getting ready to join the next cohort of over 40’s
athletes showcasing the skills they still possess, while raising funds to help out our local community
First published in the Ararat Advocate on April 12th 2024
