Scotch College

Scotch Family helps Kinglake community find its feet

Words and Photography: Mr Tim Shearer

The Scotch family has raised more than $90,000 for Victorian bushfire relief through several fundraising initiatives.

On Sunday 22 March the Old Scotch Football Club’s social team, the Cardinals, played a match against Kinglake Football Club at Kinglake. The Old Scotch Under 19s played a curtain-raiser against the Kinglake Reserves, and the Scotch College Junior School played the Middle Kinglake Primary School at half-time of the senior game.

The Old Scotch Cardinals team members and officials raised funds before the match, and further funds were raised through a barbecue at the Kinglake ground, by selling drinks and through a raffle. The Cardinals handed Kinglake Football Club a cheque for $15,000, to be distributed to the community to it help re-establish itself after the Black Saturday bushfires, the worst in Victoria’s history.

Boys from the Scotch College Class of 2009 were also present at Kinglake where the Principal, Mr Tom Batty, was present to hand a cheque for $7,000 to Jeanette Cook, the Principal of the Middle Kinglake Primary School, to help with rebuilding the school which was totally destroyed in the bushfires. The Year 12 boys, with the support of the entire School, raised over $50,000 through fundraising initiatives at Scotch.

Kinglake Football Club President Cameron Caine said he was overwhelmed by the day. ‘This day has brought the entire community back together for the first time in six weeks. Instead of people talking about the fires, they are talking about who is playing well and who we are playing next week. It is the first sense of normality that we have had.’ Middle Kinglake Primary School Principal Jeanette Cook was also grateful for the support. ‘It has been a really trying time but the students have been terrific. We are looking forward to getting routine and structure back into their lives.’

Mr Batty was joined at the matches at Kinglake by the Vice-Principal, Mr Ian Savage, Head of the Junior School, Mr Guy Mason, and the President of the Old Scotch Football Club, Tim Shearer, together with parents and boys from Scotch. Sincere thanks are extended to Sandy Robertson (’69) and Tim Pritchard (’94) for organising this special day. GS