West Australian Football

THE RAC Football Volunteer of the Year Award is up for grabs again in 2010 and the West Australian Football Commission is calling for more nominations.

The winner will receive a trip for two to the AFL grand final including flights and accommodation as well as the chance to march in the Grand Final parade and attend an AFL breakfast function.

Now in its fifth year, the award aims to recognise the hard work of over 40,000 volunteers.

The West Australian Football Commission will recognise football’s unsung heroes following the launch of the 2010 RAC Volunteer of the Year Award in conjunction with National Volunteer Week from May 10 to 16.

Now in its fifth year, the RAC Volunteer of the Year award has grown each season, with almost 300 nominations received in 2009 and Peel District volunteer Robyn Sutton named overall winner after 20 years of service to Waroona Junior Football Club.

Mrs Sutton received a trip for two to the AFL grand final including flights, accommodation and a grand final breakfast function.

THE West Australian Football Commission is excited to announce that high profile business-woman and respected politician Marion Blair has been appointed as Chairman of the Peel District Football Development Council, bringing a broad range of experience to the role vacated by Dr Neil Carroll.

Mrs Blair’s interest in football started from an early age and has seen her remain a fan ever since. Her wealth of community involvement also stretches over a number of areas and gives the Peel District an excellent advocate for participation in our State’s leading sport.

Her experience in the political arena began in 1987 when she was elected as a Local Government Councillor, which was followed by nearly 20 years of service, nine of these as Deputy Mayor.

WA Football has received a club level funding boost of nearly $120,000 to purchase equipment to support and assist the role of volunteers.

All community organisations across Australia were eligible to apply for the Federal funding totalling $21million. The grant is supplied through the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FAHSIA).

WAROONA’S Robyn Sutton has described her four day stay in Melbourne as the “trip of a lifetime” after edging out nearly 300 other nominees in WA football’s 2009 RAC Volunteer of the Year Award.

While most people would jump at the chance to fly to Melbourne and experience the AFL Grand Final for free, it took Mrs Sutton and her husband a week to decide as neither had left the state or travelled on an aeroplane before.