Congratulations to both the Mooroopna and Shepparton Swans Football / Netball clubs who again this year play for the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation medals and the Blue Ribbon Cup. These two proud clubs began competing for this cup (which is in fact a shield) back in 2002 and continue to keep the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation in the public eye.
A medal is presented to a player from each club after the 7 games (3 football and 4 netball). Sergeant David YOUNG from Mooroopna Police will present the medals to the four players after the Under 18 and Reserves games are completed while Policewoman Senior Constable Bernadette BROOKS will present all the netball medals. Inspector Ian BULL from Shepparton Police will present the two Senior players and the two central umpires from the Senior game with their medals after the Senior game along with the Plaque to the winning club. The winning club is determined by the club who has the most wins over the 7 games. Cats President Darren HALL reports that over the years his footballers have probably won more games that the Swans but it has been the strength of the Swans netballers that have prevented the Cats from ever winning this plaque. It certainly will be a proud day when the Cats can display the plaque in their clubrooms as they, like the Swans, have been great supporters of the Blue Ribbon Foundation.
The Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation was incorporated in 1998 after several committees, all working to memorialise members of the Victoria Police killed in the line of duty, combined to form one organisation. The Foundation has volunteer business units that manage and implement all of its fundraising events plus there are 17 regional branches in Country Victoria that provide focus and fundraising in their local communities under the Blue Ribbon Fundation's mission statement.
In total, 157 Victoria Police members have been killed in the line of duty. Of these, 30 have been murdered which underlines the dangers Police members face on a daily basis. We can do nothing to bring them back but as a grateful community we can take steps to honour their memory and ensure their sacrifice is acknowledged through a range of projects that benefit the wider community. The Foundation provides funding for new and improved facilities in public hospitals named in memory of fallen officers. It is a program that remembers lives by saving others.
People within the Goulburn Valley are particularly close to this wonderful Foundation through the horrific murders of two young Constables in Walsh Street, South Yarra in Melbourne at 4:50am on 12th October 1988. 20 year old Damien EYRE with 22 year old Steven TYNAN were shot in cold blood afer they were lead into an ambush. Damien is the son of Shepparton identity and long serving retired Policeman Frank EYRE and mother Carmel. Frank and Carmel were awoken just before daylight on this terrible day and have lived with this horror every single moment since. But as Frank has said a number of times; from something so bad some good can come with the creation of the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation. Frank and Carmel have been towers of strength to others who have so sadly had to go through the same fate and will remain committed to the Blue Ribbon Foundation. As an aside on a heartwarming note, we can report that Damien's nephew Chris EYRE has just recently graduated from the Victoria Police Academy down at Glen Waverley. Chris is a son of Frank's son Darryl who too is a member of the Victoria Police stationed at Cobram.
As another aside that you may be interested in, Shepparton have a branch of the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation with former Shepparton Swans player Glen GIBSON as the Secretary with Dean LLOYD as the President. Dean is the father of young Shepparton gun James who has enjoyed a very good year in the Bears senior team this year. Both Dean and Glen can be contacted at the Shepparton Police station on direct telephone line 58205830.
For further information on the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation give either Dean or Glen a call or perhaps Google "Police Blue Ribbon."
Last Modified on 28/03/2015 19:21