Old Boys in the News – June 2019

June 27, 2019

Our Old Boys have been busy, including:

  • Old Collegian Blair Gilson (SPC 2009-14), pictured above,– is getting out of his comfort zone to learn how he can better take leadership in his preservation role as a field officer with the Wadawaurrung Aboriginal Cooperation. To read more of this great story, go to this link

  • Damian Ryan (SPC 1978-80, PY1981) and his wife Rosa were the winners of a $22,000 diamond ring in the recent Ballarat Foundation’s Dancing With Our Stars event. See Damian’s reaction at this link

  • Have a look at the East Point MND footy jumper that Old Boy Mitch Walsh (SPC 2009-14) has designed- for Saturday’s match against Bacchus Marsh. Great effort Mitch! To read more, go to this link

  • Fantastic to see Bombers defender Martin Gleeson (SPC 2012) play his first AFL game in 656 days after being recalled for Essendon’s clash and nail-biting triumph against Greater Western Sydney last night. To read more, go to this link

  • Great coup for the Redan Football Club, securing their favourite son Shaun Grigg (SPC 2001-06) to play for the senior side, perhaps as early as July 7 against Sebastopol. To read more, go to this linkand this link
  • Well done to Jack Denahy (SPC 2011-14, PY2016) who has clinched the elite men’s national 57-kilogram boxing championship for the second straight year. To read more, go to this link

  • The importance of the Walking Off The War Within movement that raises awareness of mental health and PTSD and was started in the memory of Old Collegian Nathan Shanahan (SPC 1988-93), a CFA firefighter and returned soldier who was fierce advocate of ending the stigma associated with mental health, continues to inspire others, like this story at this link

  • Gerard Nagle (SPC 1975-78, PY1980) chats about his work as a learner driver mentor with the Ballarat L2P Program, which is in desperate need of more volunteer drivers like Gerard. To read more, go to this link

  • Meanwhile, brother Phil Nagle (SPC 1976-80, PY1981) has hailed it as a “great day” for survivors following the announcement of reforms allowing victims an avenue to overturn unfair compensation claims in this story at this link

  • Waubra has quickly reappointed senior footy coach Matt James (SPC 2005-10) for the 2020 Central Highlands Football League season. Fellow Old Boy Jackson Kinna (SPC 2008-12, PY2013) was a new inclusion recently after recovering from a nasty ankle injuryTo read more, go to this link

  • Steve Bracks (SPC 1968-71) has his say recently about Ballarat’s future rail development in this story at this link

  • Read more about why Peter Blenkiron (SPC 1974-77, PY1979)– will be one of the Old Collegians to- be inducted as a Legend later this year by the College in this great story at this link

  • John Bourke (SPC 1969-75, PY1976) shares a devastating story which has taken an enormous toll on his life after becoming the sole survivor of a car which killed his mates. John was only a teenager at the time and has shared his story in the latest TAC campaign in the hope of reducing the road toll. To read this harrowing story, go to this link

  • Congratulations to Michael Caine (SPC 1977-82), who is the president of the Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia. Read more about Michael’s role at this link. We reconnected with Michael recently, and he shared his memories of being present at the speech night where the inaugural Caine Family Award trophy for swimming was awarded to Jacob Hopper, now an Old Collegian himself (SPC 2014-15) and AFL player for GWS.

    If you have any Old Collegian news, please contact Alumni and Foundation Officer Lorrie Liston on (03) 5322 4442 or email lliston@stpats.vic.edu.au