So often the beating pulse of a country town, football clubs have the ability to serve not only as a community hub, but the driver of social change.

Never was this more evident than at a number of Central Highlands Football League clubs at the weekend.

An inaugural gay pride match, a tribute to a beloved club member and a campaign to reduce deaths on our roads; this was about far more than premiership points.

At Daylesford, players from both the Bulldogs and Newlyn wore special rainbow jumpers for the league's first Pride Cup match.

Club president Carson White said there was a growing push for sporting clubs to reflect expectations that were being set in the community.

Daylesford's annual Chill Out festival has become a major attraction for the LGBTI community; now the footy club has jumped on board.

"It was about raising awareness within the club and showing that we are evolving as a club," Mr White said.

"Certainly there's a change in sporting clubs these days. There was no negative feedback at all, which was great."

Mr White said he hoped to make the event an annual fixture for Daylesford, given this year's success.

At Clunes, there was a huge turnout as the club came together for a Motor Neurone Disease fundraiser.

Following the death of beloved clubman Tony 'Bushy' Hill earlier this year, the Magpies siezed the moment to create a fundraiser for MND.

Despite the near-freezing conditions, a number of people braved the giant slide into cold water to help raise money.

Watch the slide action here.

Christine Hill, the daughter of the late 'Bushy' Hill, said it was a huge day for the club.

"Obviously this year was really close to me and my family," Ms Hill said.

"The whole setup of everything was just amazing, but that's what the footy club does, everyone puts in and you end up with a day like today."

Watch Christine Hill talk about the event here.

Meanwhile, at Rokewood-Corindhap, the spotlight was shone on road safety and Victoria's troubling road toll.

Road trauma hit right at the heart of the Grasshopppers earlier this year when a club supporter died in a crash on a local road.

The Toward Zero round is part of the Transport Accident Commission's partnership with AFL Victoria.

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