STUART Sly of French Park is a member of the Osborne Football and Netball Club.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
And he was delighted to learn that Lockhart Shire Council would host the 2018 Australia Day celebrations at the club’s popular southern NSW grounds.
Over the years Osborne has earned a reputation for producing premiership clubs and also prides itself on one of the most picturesque and well-kept grounds in the region if not beyond.
“It is terrific, just great, this is such a family orientated club and it will be great to have Australia day here … I am really looking forward to it,” Mr Sly said.
Nicholas Gleeson who is an athlete, accessibility advocate, global adventurer, public speaker and author will be the shire’s Australia Day Ambassador. Nick will share his stories of courage and sporting achievements with participants at Osborne.
Mr Gleeson has a gift of being able to convey a serious message, that of overcoming the challenges of living with blindness, with warmth, humour and honesty.
He was born in Broadmeadows in the 1960s and his life changed forever at age seven when an electronic swinging supermarket door hit him on the side of his head, causing a retinal detachment. He has represented Australia in athletics on three occasions, racing in America, England and Hong Kong. He also played blind cricket (much like the traditional game, but using an audible ball) for almost 20 seasons, representing Victoria, NSW and Australia.
Much of Nick’s success as a speaker is down to his ability to bring his sporting and travel adventures to life.
These include crossing the finish line in the New York City Marathon three times, carrying the Sydney Olympic Torch, racing up the 1576 steps of the Empire State Building and completing the gruelling 90km from Durban to Pietermaritzburg in the Comrades Marathon.
A year after returning from South Africa, Nick put together an expedition named Blind Ambition to climb Africa’s highest mountain. Four members of the expedition reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. The next year, while climbing in New Zealand, Nick had the privilege of telling his hero – Sir Edmund Hillary – of this achievement.
The Australia Day program at Osborne features a breakfast from 8am with the official ceremony at 10am.
There will be a children’s jumping castle, face painting, three-legged race, sack race, egg and spoon race, lolly scramble and plenty of sporting competitions and activity. A silo bag will be used as a “water slide” and there will be classic cars on display.
Rural journalist with Fairfax media based in the Riverina.
Rural journalist with Fairfax media based in the Riverina.
