Geelong premiership captain Cameron Ling will be the keynote speaker at the Ballarat Sports Foundation’s inaugural gala dinner at North Ballarat Sports Club on Tuesday, May 29.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The BSF is organising the event as a key fundraiser as well as a higher profile platform for scholarship presentations.
BSF chairman John Burt said the foundation was delighted to have secured Ling for what was exciting venture for the Ballarat sporting community.
“We appreciate his willingness to provide his support.”
Burt said the foundation had formed a strong core of sponsors, members and other supporters since being formed in 1995.
He said the dinner, which the BSF planned to make an annual event, would help further strengthen an already strong financial base for the long-term future.
The foundation has distributed more than $450,000 by way of 1260 scholarships.
The dinner also marks the start of a new format for BSF scholarship presentations. Instead of three scholarship rounds a year, there will be just two.
Burt said this would not mean a reduction in funding available each year. “We’ll be distributing the same amount – between $20,000 and $30,000 a year – to Ballarat athletes and other members of the city’s sporting community.
He said the foundation was eager to lift its public profile, with the plan to open up presentation functions to a wider sector of the community.
“The greater the awareness, the more scope we’ll have to increase out financial resources and in turn have even more funding available to distribute.”
Ling, who is now television commentator, played 246 games with Geelong from 2000 to 2011, playing in premierships in 2007, 2009 and 2011.
He captained the 2011 team and became well known as a shutdown tagger.
Tickets are $85 each. Inquiries to John Burt (0417 354 748) or BSF secretary Corey Saitta (5327 9890 or wvas@federation.edu.au).