Above: Dandenong North’s Josh Denholm.By Shaun Inguanzo
GREATER Dandenong residents were struck with baton fever last Thursday as the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay made its way through the city.
On day 32 of its Australian leg, the baton travelled from Phillip Island to Frankston in the lead-up to the Games, which open on Wednesday.
Upon its arrival in Dandenong, the baton stopped at Dandenong Hospital at 1.20pm, where the Starlight Children’s Foundation ensured that it visited the children’s ward to offer the sick and seriously ill an opportunity to be part of the Games atmosphere.
Captain Starlight – the organisation’s mascot – was on hand to carry the baton through the ward and into a playroom where young children looked on with amazement at both the baton and plethora of journalists following it.
The baton then moved through swarms of school students outside the hospital before making its way to the Dandenong Plaza for more formalities, prior to moving on to Frankston.
Greater Dandenong mayor Peter Brown was at the plaza as cyclist Kathy Watt carried the baton into the centre with what he estimated were ‘thousands’ of people, mainly school students, lining the path to the plaza.
“It was a huge crowd, there were a lot of school students there, particularly from primary schools, it was great to see them support the Games and Dandenong the way they did,” Cr Brown said.
“All credit to the principals for allowing the excursions to proceed.”
Cr Brown said the baton’s visit created a “great feeling of civic pride”.
