By Casey Neill
More than 200 guests from south-east businesses talked footy in the name of charity.
The Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce hoped its 15th Grand Final Charity Lunch, which was held at Sandhurst Golf Club in Skye on Wednesday 28 September, would emulate last year’s $10,000 fund-raising result.
The proceeds from the sold-out event will support Make-A-Wish Australia and Caroline Chisholm Education Foundation.
Lawrie Leeman from Make-A-Wish said the lunch had raised $74,000 for the foundation over the past seven years.
The money grants wishes to children aged three to 18 who have a life-threatening medical condition.
A video of cystic fibrosis sufferer Kai, 9, receiving his wish of being part of the Carlton Football Club for the day brought tears to eyes around the room.
Caroline Chisholm Education Foundation chairwoman Virginia Simmons said the charity helped people experiencing hardship to access education, often with just $1000.
She said recipients often said it was the first time anybody had showed faith in them, and that it gave them a reason to live.
West Coast and Carlton champion midfielder Chris Judd was the day’s guest speaker and provided an insight to his transition from a 14-year AFL career to the “real world” where he took on a funds management job.
His clothes didn’t fit, he was flooded with emails, and he struggled with office lingo.
“The other thing that surprised me was how bloody long a work day was,” he said.
He left the corporate world and for the past six months has been working in the media and on his private businesses.
The media role allowed him back inside the footy world he’d aspired to join since he was a kid.
“I was really surprised at how much I did miss it,” he said.
Sydney was his tip for the Grand Final, but “the heart certainly wants the Dogs to win”.
