The Mornington and Pines Football Netball Clubs have come together as one to help kickstart a wonderfully supported two weeks of Sockit2MND round across the AFL South East Region.

AFL Victoria is proudly supporting FightMND by raising awareness and funds with the Sockit2MND round on June 15-16. But key figures and supporters of both clubs – quite literally – jumped in early to raise $9,000 for a very worthy cause at Mornington’s Alexandra Park last Saturday.

The clubs sold the familiar blue MND beanies, socks and scrunchies, as well as selling stubby holders and conducting raffles to help reach a very impressive figure.

But the highlight of the fundraising event was the dunking of key figures, including the coaches and presidents of both clubs.

Mornington coach Simon Goosey, left, and his Pines counterpart Paddy Swayn prepare for an ice-cold dunking at the FightMND event at Alexandra Park. 

Pines President Jeff Svigos praised the Mornington Football Netball Club for its efforts in organising the event, in particular, MFNC President Rob Smith and Secretary Allison Dillon.

“Rob and Allison and everyone at Mornington were fantastic in organising the event and making everyone feel welcome,” Svigos said.

“On behalf of Pines, we’d like to extend our gratitude to Mornington, and the sporting community as a whole, for organising and participating in such a great family day.

“It was freezing in the ice bucket, but to raise $9,000 between the two clubs says a lot about what community sport is really all about. We wish all clubs the best as they prepare for their fundraising events this weekend.”

FightMND is Australia’s leading independent Motor Neurone Disease Association, co-founded by AFL legend Neale Daniher, which is fighting to find a cure for MND through fundraising events such as The Big Freeze and Sockit2MND Rounds right across Victoria.

What FightMND has done since 2014 is be the voice and the guiding star for Australians who want to fight ‘The Beast’.

The horrible and debilitating disease gradually takes away the patient’s use of their arms and legs, their ability to eat and swallow, their speech and ultimately their ability to breathe…all in an average timeframe of just 27 months.

Since launching in 2014, FightMND has committed more than $28 million into research designed to take potential treatments from the science lab to the MND patient and to ultimately find effective treatments and a cure for MND.

This includes a world’s first drug screening program, $10 million committed to clinical trials and in 2019 alone, seven new MND research projects.

MND is a beast that takes the lives of two Australian’s each day. To help support FightMND, head to www.fightmnd.org.au

-ENDS-

AFL South East Media