Wrap your laughing gear around one of these snags!
Last weekend in Saigon, the Vietnam Swans met up at Danny & Jo Armstrong’s house for a BBQ to farewell Muzza and Christina. Below is Part I of a speech.
G’day Muzza, Christina and the rest of the Swannies
In December last year, we said See ya, Scotty Stacey.
Today, the Vietnam Swans Farewell Club thanks and farewells Muzza and Christina. Muzza was a star on the field. Off the field, in our footy tipping comp, he was the Tip-Star. Meanwhile, Christina, exasperated with our repeated fluffs at designing a new footy jumper, single handedly wrung the duck and replaced it with a Swan that sung.
In December last year, we noted that our footy club, from Hanoi to HCMC, is about fitness, camaraderie, community, competition and creating experiences that people would find difficult to find as individuals. We celebrated our successes which included a new footy jumper, a photo with Miss Australia, a 2nd Asian Champs, a match against an Australian warship, our inaugural AFL Grand Final Party in HCMC and the Indochina Cup in Phnom Penh. We wondered if it could get much better than that. We wondered if it was possible to get any better without the presence of Scotty the Saigon Prez.
In 2009, the existing Saigon Committee of Danny Armstrong, Shagger, Anh Joe, Drew, Gus and myself were re-elected. We also added Nicko, Derrin, Monkey, Fleur, Larry and Greg Armstrong. Derrin was elected Saigon President – and has done an absolutely outstanding job since.
Black Saturday Bushfire Match and Fundraiser
On 7 February 2009, Victoria was engulfed in a firestorm. Six weeks later, on 27 & 28 March, together with the Bali Geckos, we hosted the Black Saturday Bushfire Fundraiser and Match. We received terrific support from sponsors and raised AUD4,517. We donated this money to the Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League which was at the heart of the devastated communities.
David Carter, CEO of club sponsor, Odyssey Resources, recently said that he was:
Chatting to the editor of the Australian CPA magazine and it turns out that she lives in Kinglake and was personally affected by the tragic Black Saturday bushfires. She is yet to live in a house again. She was personally touched by the spirit and donations from the Vietnam Swans after I sent over a copy of the powerpoint presentation that was prepared following the match and fundraiser”.
Phil Martin, the AFL’s Manager of Government Relations wrote to the Vietnam Swans to say:
Great work. Have passed the Bushfire Fundraiser and Match presentation onto the Victorian Premier’s office.
Last Saturday, Greg Armstrong, who is currently in Melbourne, visited the YVMDFL. Greg says that:
Upon arrival we were greeted celebrity style at the gates by the YVMDFL’s CEO, Stephen Walter and their President, Graeme Tulpin. We were taken up to the members’ lounge situated above the club rooms and provided with complimentary food and drinks for the afternoon and a perfect position to watch a great afternoon of country footy.
On behalf of everyone in the YVMDFL who was affected by the bush fires, both Stephen and Graeme expressed their gratitude and thanked all the efforts by the Vietnam Swans and Bali Geckos in raising money for those affected.
They will be sending a YVMDFL jumper over to Vietnam as a token gesture of their thanks.
Part II of the above speech which covers the Anzac Match and the Kainey Cup coming up next.
