![\"\"](\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/10\/DSC_9080_49986.jpg\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"PORTARLINGTON transformed into a sea of blue beanies last week when hundreds of participants taking part in the 2019 Daniher\u2019s Drive made a pitstop in the town.
\nStudents from Christian College Drysdale played music at the top of the rotunda as the cars rolled in, before Portarlington Primary School children performed two dance sequences, much to the delight of about 200 onlookers.
\nMC Richard Underwood welcomed all the FightMND (Motor neurone disease) teams and visitors to Portarlington, which he described as the jewel of the Bellarine.
\n\u201cIn particular, we would like to welcome the FightMND patriot and inspirational leader Neale Daniher and his family, and the support team who put together events like this,\u201d Mr Underwood said.
\n\u201cI\u2019m certain that everyone here today will have been touched by MND in some way, either through family or someone you know who has suffered from this hideous disease.
\n\u201cMost of you know that Neale has suffered from this disease for more than five years now, and when he was diagnosed he could have actually given up\u2026 but to his enormous credit he didn\u2019t and he took on what he calls the beast, devoting all his time and energy into finding a cure for MND.
\n\u201cWe salute you Neale and wish you all the best.\u201d
\nMr Underwood also paid tribute to Portarlington local Geoff Fary \u2013 an avid supporter of the FightMND \u2013 who lost his wife Monica to the disease in 2016.
\n\u201cI\u2019m sure I wouldn\u2019t be standing here now if it wasn\u2019t for the commitment of another man, Geoff Fary,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cGeoff lost his beloved wife Monica just over three years ago now.
\n\u201cIronically, and in some ways fittingly, it would have been Monica\u2019s 67th birthday today and so it brings back some special memories and a special time for Geoff.\u201d
\nMr Underwood said Geoff had been an avid supporter of FightMND for a number of years now.
\n\u201cI should actually know, but I forgot to count the number of beanies I have at home,\u201d he joked.
\n\u201cThis is five years now, and during that time, Geoff has raised $80,000 towards the cause and that\u2019s through both the beanies and his involvement in the Daniher\u2019s Drive\u2026 in Monica\u2019s old clapped out Suburu, so he continues that memory on.
\n\u201cIn fact, at the end of this year\u2019s drive, he will exceed $100,000 in funds towards what will ultimately be a cure for MND.
\n\u201cI\u2019m sure that Geoff would agree that without the support of our fantastic community here at Portarlington this wouldn\u2019t be possible.
\n\u201cWe are so blessed to have a wonderful community that turns out for every worthwhile cause, and this is another great example.\u201d
\nMr Underwood thanked the school students for their performances, Daniel\u2019s Donuts for serving up their scrumptious donuts to drive participants and attendees, Mr Mussel for their delicious mussels, the Lions Club of Portarlington for their sausage sizzle, and the Fight MND team for nominating Portarlington as its first stopover.
\nFightMND CEO Jamie Howden said a big thank you to the Portarlington community and indeed the Bellarine Peninsula.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s beautiful to be here and look over the bay, it\u2019s wonderful this is our first stop, and to you school kids, you were magnificent\u2026 I had my toes taping and everyone was clapping and you were the stars of the show in my eyes and everyone else\u2019s,\u201d Mr Howden said.
\n\u201cTo all the Portarlington business and community that have come out today it\u2019s been fantastic.
\n\u201cAnd to Geoff, you\u2019ve been a huge part of FightMND, it\u2019s a very touching story about Monica and unbelievable that today is her birthday and very touching for us to be a part of it.
\n\u201cYou\u2019ve been with us since day one of the drive and thanks for having us at your local town and thanks for being part of our organisation.\u201d
\nMeanwhile, the battle to beat MND has a received a very welcome boost with Premier Daniel Andrews pledging $1,000,000 dollars to FightMND via last week\u2019s Daniher\u2019s Drive.
\nFor more details, visit fightmnd.org.au\/events\/2019-danihers-drive.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PORTARLINGTON transformed into a sea of blue beanies last week when hundreds of participants taking part in the 2019 Daniher\u2019s Drive made a pitstop in the town. Students from Christian College Drysdale played music at the top of the rotunda as the cars rolled in, before Portarlington Primary School children performed two dance sequences, much […]<\/p>\n