Across several generations, Assumption College at Kilmore has drawn students from the Macedon Ranges area, and continues to do so.
The renowned Catholic co-educational secondary day and boarding college in the Marist Brothers tradition has a long and proud history, and later this year a significant building will get underway.
The new state-of-the-art Neale Daniher Community and Sports Pavilion is a major undertaking.
Already more than $1.6 million has been pledged in the college’s first capital appeal since the 1970s. The target to raise $3 million through philanthropy is well on the way to being achieved, with donations still welcome.
Principal Kate Fogarty said the project had been made possible through the generosity of past students, friends, families and suppliers who had contributed to the Building Greatness Appeal.
“Without a doubt, the Neale Daniher Community and Sports Pavilion will be a stunning feature of the college, adding to its education facilities, providing a gathering place for alumni, a state-of-the-art home for all Assumption sports, and, importantly, a place for community use,” Ms Fogarty said.
The building has been a priority project since 2013.
“We are pleased – even at this challenging time – to be able to start work on an infrastructure project that will contribute to the economy both locally and more broadly.”
WHY NEALE DANIHER?
The naming of the building was an important decision for the college, which has a large group of distinguished alumni who have gone on to achieve success in many fields from sport and law, to the arts, philanthropy and humanitarian work.
Ms Fogarty said there was no question that Neale had been a high achiever in sport, but he was more than his sporting success, being a community leader, an articulator of the gospel values, dedicated to those in need and a man who lived the college motto – Quae Supra Quaere’ – every single day.
“Quite simply, Neale is a role model who embodies so many of the values we as a Marist community hold dear. “He is an inspiration to people from all walks of life, a high achiever, a family man, a tenacious spirit who is deeply grateful for the opportunities he has received.”
From a well-known Riverina family, Daniher was an outstanding footballer and cricketer at Assumption, highly praised by legendary long-time ACK coach Ray Carroll for his leadership qualities.
Injuries curtailed his footy career at Essendon, where he played 82 games and was best and fairest in 1981 and captain in 1982.
He went on to be assistant coach at Essendon and Freemantle, then coached 223 games at Melbourne, and became inaugural coach of the AFL Coaches’ Association.
He went on to be football operations general manager with the West Coast Eagles for six years.
FIGHTING MND
In 2015, he joined the Cure for MND Foundation (now FightMND) as patron and vice-chairman, and since joining the foundation, Neale has become the face of MND in Australia.
He has worked tirelessly to promote MND awareness and raise much-needed funds for medical research and care for MND patients in Australia, publicly sharing his own battle with MND and in doing so, giving MND patients in Australia hope, support, and a voice to be heard.
Daniher is the driving force behind FightMND’s two biggest fundraisers, the Big Freeze and Daniher’s Drive.
So far over $70 million has been rasied for research and medical support for sufferers. This year, Gisborne Football Netball Club raised more than $88,000 – the most by an individual fundraiser – through selling 4400 MD Beanies.
In 2016, Daniher was conferred as a Member of the Order of Australia for services to Community Health, in particular people suffering with MND and to Australian Rules Football.
The new building will replace the much-loved Harry M Anderson Pavilion, a special place that has served the school since 1974.
Anyone interested in financially supporting the project can visit www.assumption.vic.edu.au/donate
