There will be a special treat in store for residents who have secured a ticket to the Celebration of Sport in Stawell evening.
Organisers have been fortunate enough to secure personally signed jumpers from AFL stars Lance `Buddy' Franklin and Gary Ablett. Both jumpers will be specially framed for the successful bidder who is able to secure the merchandise at auction on the night.
The Celebration of Sport in Stawell evening has been organised by the Save Stawell Gift committee. The evening, which will feature popular members of Channel Nine's World of Sport team Billy Brownless and Danny Frawley, is being held at the Stawell Entertainment Centre on Friday, February 12 from 7pm.
As well as the entertaining anecdotes provided by Brownless and Frawley, the evening will feature a monster auction, the highlight of which will be the jumpers signed by Franklin and Ablett.
Bids will be taken from those in attendance at the Sportsman's Night, but telephone bids from those unable to attend will also be accepted for the jumpers.
Several other AFL jumpers will also be auctioned on the night, two of which are signed by Gary O'Donnell (Essendon) and Shane Crawford (Hawthorn).
The Save Stawell Gift committee is still sourcing more jumpers to be auctioned on the night.
As well as the AFL memorabilia, there will be a cricket bat signed by Australian captain Ricky Ponting and a fully framed print of Sir Donald Bradman, signed by the late `Don'.
The auction will also feature items such as loaves of bread, pies, gardening services, a pig, paint, dinners for two and dinners for four and much more.
The committee has been delighted with the sale of tables for the evening, but there is still time for anyone who hasn't yet secured a table to make a booking.
Tickets can be purchased at Foster's Mensland or by phoning either Ian Bigmore on 0409 182 332 or Graeme Anyon on 0408 501 247. Tickets cost $60 per person and include finger food and two complimentary drinks.
As part of its fundraising efforts, the committee has also been in contact with farmers across the district, accepting donations of two sheep in return for a double pass to the Australia Post Stawell Gift in 2010.
Frewstal has agreed to extend the offer of holding the sheep at their property until the end of February, so any farmers who still wish to take up the offer can do so by phoning Ian or Graeme.
As an added coup, several businesses in Stawell are offering incentives that will result in the issuing of double passes to the Australia Post Stawell Gift.
J B Barham Real Estate, Driscoll, McIlree and Dickinson and Rodwells have all jumped on board, with a double pass being provided for every house or block of land sold over $10,000 throughout the month of February.
Howdens of Stawell and Norton Ford will make the same offer of a double pass to the 2010 Australia Post Stawell Gift, for every vehicle sold over $10,000 during the month.
Both Mr Bigmore and Mr Anyon said they were delighted with the way the Save Stawell Gift campaign had been going.
``We are thrilled that the business people are coming on board to support the campaign,'' Mr Anyon said.
``The goodwill from people has been enormous and the donations they have made towards the auction for the Sportsman's Night has been sensational.
``It shows the business people of Stawell are really behind the campaign to save the Stawell Gift.''
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