Good Talks Event – 6 September 2024

The latest Good Talks lunch held on Friday 6 September featured two distinguished guest speakers, Brendon Gale, former player and (at this time) CEO & Executive Director of Richmond Football Club, and renowned sports journalist Caroline Wilson. The event attracted an enthusiastic audience eager to hear insights from two of the most influential figures in Australian football.

Brendon oversaw Richmond’s Premierships in 2017, 2019 and 2020 and at the lunch he shared his experiences on leadership, team culture and Richmond’s rise to success, offering valuable lessons on resilience and strategic planning. He also briefly touched on his move to Tasmania and the exciting challenge he faces in setting up the new AFL team, the Tasmanian Devils.

Caroline, known for her pioneering work in sports journalism did a great job interviewing Brendon. Their mutual love of AFL and Richmond was evident with the free-flowing banter between them.

The talk concluded with a lively Q&A session, where Brendon engaged with the audience, offering several personal stories including his rise to CEO status.  

The lunch was a great success with the added benefit of the auction items raising much needed funds for the community.

Estate Planning Insights Session – 16 August 2024

The Foundation was very pleased to be able to present a fascinating and in depth session regarding  issues and considerations we need to be aware of when planning our wills and estates.

We were delighted that Emma Woolley, a Hall & Wilcox partner and a specialist in this area, could share her extensive knowledge with PK members. Topics covered included family law, issues of capacity, awareness of superannuation guidelines and much more. Following the presentation, members were forwarded a copy of her slide deck so they had a record of what was discussed.

With nearly 50 members and guests in attendance, this event demonstrated to the foundation that the offer of a timely, practical information session targeting members’ interests and stage of life concerns, was a valuable offering. The fact that this was also a free event was no doubt a helpful bonus.

PKCF Pro Am Golf Day – 15 January 2024

On a warm and windy Monday, the PK Community Foundation staged its fourth Charity Pro Am on a Composite course.

We had a full field with Matt Griffin, the winner of the Heritage Classic on the Sunday leading a star-studded professionals field which included Wade Ormsby. Matt and Wade jointly took out the event with a well-crafted 3 under par in very challenging conditions on the day.

Other prominent pro’s included, Olympians, Su Oh and Marcus Fraser along with PK favourite sons David Micheluzzi, Andrew Kelly, Cam John, Tim Walker, Daniel Gill and Harrison Gilbert-Wong. The winner of the 2023 Sandbelt Invitational, Daniel Gale was joined by retuning favourites Andrew Martin, Zach Murray, Steph Bunque and a couple of very competitive veterans, Richard Green and David Bransdon among others.

Andrew Turner’s Banner Asset Management team with Adam Kelly, Gareth Thomas and their pro Steph Bunque took out the teams competition. The leading amateur in the field was Frank Andrews with a workman-like 38 points. Congratulations and well played to the winners!

The composite course set up along with high winds and fast greens provided plenty of “reflections” over a fabulous lunch. We are grateful for Andy Lee’s light entertainment roving the room and light-hearted chats with players.

PKCF Chair, Mandy Milledge did a spotlight chat with Ben Farish and Mason de Wit  the co-founders of Speak & Share about their important work in the Frankston Mornington Peninsula community on mental health and suicide prevention with young people. This was followed by an auction held by member Mark Guthrie which raised a further $16,000 to take the grand total just over $50,000 for the event. Funds raised for the event will be distributed across a number of Frankston community programs such as Speak & Share.

We’d like to express our deep gratitude to all participants for their generosity and some major contributors to the successful event being:

• Marcus Fraser & Andy Lee
• Drummond Golf and Big Swing
• Callaway Golf
• Millbrook Resort, Queenstown
• UChoose Golf
• Steven May
• Mark Guthrie – Ray White Cranbourne & Cheltenham
• Bann, Lynch & McDade
• Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath, Victoria Golf Clubs

We look forward to welcoming you all back for the 2025 event!

Ballam Park Preschool Playground Opening – November 2023

Ballam Park Preschool which is down the road from the Club, received a $15,000 grant from the Foundation this year. The grant was to re-landscape the play area of the preschool so that students
would have a safe and attractive nature play space that would incorporate water, sand and equipment, such essential ingredients for sensory development.

We were thrilled that our Course staff were very willing to assist with the landscaping work, bringing enthusiasm, tools and materials to ensure the
playground fulfilled its requirements.

Thanks to Glenn Stuart’s team and especially Peter Starpins and Nathan Breen, who helped co-ordinate the project and the many team members for
donating their time.

Good Talks ‘Golf for Good’ Event – 27 October 2023

The Foundation was thrilled to welcome three special guests to speak to members and guests at the ‘Golf for Good’ lunch held at the Club on Friday 27th October.

‘Giving back’ was the theme of the event with writer/producer Tom Gleisner AO acting as our

humorous moderator guiding a lively conversation with distinguished philanthropists Bonnie Boezeman AO, DSG and Paul Wheelton AM, KGSJ. All three shared stories about how and why they became passionate about philanthropy, which encompassed offering their time and talents on Boards and in fundraising positions, as well as financially supporting their chosen charitable organisations.

Clearly evident by the keen attention of the audience, these personal stories and anecdotes

were inspiring, and the message that personal philanthropy has many forms, was embraced.

Following this event, the foundation was able to donate $10,000 to Community Support Frankston for their Christmas Appeal.

GOOD TALKS Luncheon with Ash Barty AO – 31 March 2023

The PK Community Foundation was thrilled former world No.1 tennis champion Ash Barty AO (and PK member) donated her time to speak at the 2nd GOOD TALKS fundraising luncheon.  We were privileged to hear Ash speak candidly in conversation with journalist Konrad Marshall, she discussed her tennis life, teamwork, family, and told some stories from her book “My Dream Time”, with every guest receiving a copy to take home.

Students at Mahogany Rise Primary School were also surprised and delighted when prior to the luncheon Ash popped in to visit them at assembly and speak about the importance of reading and to share a reading of her children’s book, “Little Ash”. Barty generously gifted several copies of her children’s books to the school’s library.

Once again the Foundation was very well supported at this sold out event. Our sincere thanks to our members, generous supporters and partners:

– George Kevan, Owner of Ultra Merchandising
– Andrew Turner, Chairman of Banner Asset Management
– Mark Raisbeck, Managing Partner of RCKT Co

Auction item donors include:
– Ash Barty
– Millbrook Resort, Queenstown NZ
– Callaway Golf
 – William Watt Photography

PKCF Pro Am Golf Day – 23 January 2023

PK’s own Marcus Fraser hosted 24 professional men and women golfers gathered to play PKCF’s 3^rd staging of its Pro Am on an immaculately presented North course on a beautiful warm sunny day.

The field was led PK’s very own David Michelluzzi, Geoff Ogilvy, Andrew Kelly, Lawrence Curtis and Tim Winter. Joining them and others included defending champ, Stephanie Na and regular veterans Matt Millar and Richard Green and golf media personality Mark Allen.

This year, Jake Higginbottom took out the top prize for the pro’s with an impressive 66. The winning amateur team were Tim Newton, Myles Tehan and Michael Verhoeven – Congratulations to the winners!

We wish to sincerely thank our event supporters: Callaway Golf, St Andrews Beach Brewery, Port Melbourne Storage and Rehab Hire.

GOOD TALKS Luncheon with Victorian of the Year, Kevin Sheedy AO – 1 July 2022

The inaugural GOOD TALKS Luncheon was a sell out event with strong support from members, community leaders and businesses. The Foundation’s aim in holding these fundraising Good Talks functions for members and guests, is to present distinguished Australians which highlight the ‘good works’ they have achieved in the community.

Special guest Kevin Sheedy AO, who was announced as ‘Victorian of the Year’ just a day earlier, was sensationally at his best, providing much humour and candour. He discussed his journey in football and how that facilitated learning and admiration for Indigenous culture and the talent First Nation Australians possess. Principal of Mahogany Rise Primary School, Andrew Schneider, interviewed Sheedy and led an engaging discussion.

The key messages Kevin focused on throughout his discussion with Andrew was not only how great Australia is, but how much better we can become. He believed that with greater Indigenous participation, support for our Veterans, inclusion of migrants and better support for disadvantaged Australians, we can achieve even greater success in the future.

The Foundation raised $29,200 through ticket sales and the raffle, with prizes donated by Frankston Toyota, Drummond Golf and the Club. Generously, Sheedy not only offered his time for the event, but also auctioned off a private luncheon at PK to the highest bidder, which raised a further $4,500.

A special thanks to our GOOD TALKS Partners:

• The Order of Australia Association Victoria
• Sean Sammon (CEO) and Greg Walsh (Chairman) of York Park Group
• Greg Curtain MD of Peninsula Sotheby’s
• Fred Harrison, CEO of Ritchie’s Supermarkets