dmd – a decade of Gifting!

Date: 13th December 2012

Driscoll, McIllree & Dickinson will celebrate an astounding ten years of dedicated partnership with the Australia Post Stawell Gift in 2013.

Such support over a decade which has seen drought, floods, and the GFC is indeed a feat worthy of making a fuss of.

Stawell Athletic Club President Scotney Hayter said dmd’s uninterrupted support was outstanding.

“We never take it for granted; each year we issue the invitation and each year they say ‘yes, we are in’. It is an excellent example of how local businesses can contribute to our iconic event.”

Company director, Gary Driscoll, explained how the partnership began. “Ten years ago we were invited by a SAC committee person, who was an existing Stawell branch client, to see if we would be interested in sponsoring a Saturday event.  With further discussion and the idea of a ‘Fashions on the Field’ it was agreed that there would be a Driscoll McIllree and Dickinson Family Day now known as ‘Ladies Day’.”

“Fashions on the Field has grown from year to year with more than 60 lady entrants vying for the $1,000 prize and sash and now there’s even a men’s fashion on the field. We are rapt with being the sponsor of fashions on the field. It’s a bit of a diversion from our core business I guess, but we are all in this together – country people must support each other and this is our way of supporting the Stawell district and the whole Wimmera.”

“To be honest, we think every business in town should be behind it. It’s worked for us.”

Gary Driscoll and Andrew McIllree have a long history with Central Park and the Australia Post Stawell Gift with both families being involved. Andrews father Jack ran for many years in the Gift heats from 1949 – 1954, while Gary’s family “never missed” with his grandparents, parents and then their families. As each of the five children were born, they booked a seat every Saturday and Monday in the No. 1 grandstand, not to miss recording each race placings and reminiscing about all of the famous names that continued to come back to Stawell every year.

During their commitment, dmd along with Gary Driscoll made suggestions to help attract people to Central Park Stawell at Easter.  They encouraged local children to experience the Gift surface by running in the Junior Gift and then sponsored the U/17 event and were instrumental in introducing Little Athletics into the program, allowing kids from across Victoria and interstate to run on the track.

“Family Day on Sunday has become a wonderful relaxing day for all of the family including grandmas & grandpas watching their grandchildren run on the hallowed turf”, continued Gary.

“It is amazing to find that a huge number of people in the Grampians, Wimmera/Mallee region have never been to Central Park during Easter,” Gary said. “I challenge all that have never been to come and ‘Experience the Gift’ in 2013.”

dmd is all about community with branches in Nhill, Horsham and Stawell. Local company members are involved in many clubs and sports in their communities.

Businesses who are interested in partnering with the Gift are encouraged to contact SAC manager, Wendy O’Connor, on 5358 1326.

-ENDS-

Comments are closed.