The Essendon District Football League would like to congratulate new three Life Members and 25 Year Jimmy Ainsworth Service Award Recipients from last week's Season Launch.
Margaret Perkins, Ken Waters, and Bernie Shinners were officially awarded EDFL Life Membership at the EDFL Season Launch last week.
All three new life members received overwhelming support upon nomination and have significantly contributed to the EDFL across a range of areas.
Margaret Perkins has volunteered at the Craigieburn Football Club for over 20 years performing a range of roles including Auskick Coordinator, Senior Team Manager, Registrar, Secretary, Treasurer, Senior Vice-President, as well as finding time to look after club merchandise, assisting in the canteen and bar, club and player histories, and social media.
Additionally, Margaret supported the EDFL interleague program as Team Manager for five years.
Margaret was awarded the Jack Harris Club Administrator of the Year in 2018, and has more recently played an important role in the establishment of Craigieburn’s junior girls program.
Ken Waters started as an umpire in the EDFL in 1990 and in the 34 years since then played a significant role across umpiring and operations.
When injury forced Ken to stop umpiring, he started volunteering for the EDFL Umpires Association as a member of the Umpires Appointment Board (Goal Umpires Observer) and was the first to begin capturing footage of EDFL games to aid umpire coaching.
Ken started volunteering as the Umpires Administrator for the EDFL in 2002 and accepted a new role in 2012 within the EDFL looking after football operations and fixtures.
During Ken’s years of volunteering and working for the EDFL, he tirelessly set about working to better communications between clubs, club volunteers, and the league.
Additionally, his knowledge of umpiring, tribunal processes, and the use of associated technology became an asset to the EDFL administration.
EDFL Life Membership adds to an incredible amount of recognition he has rightfully received, including Best Clubman for Pascoe Vale Football Club in 1995, Life Membership of the EDFL Umpires Association in 2000, AFL Victoria Recognition of Service Award in 2007, and a Community Umpiring Appreciation Award in 2012 and 2017.
He has mentored many EDFL employees and has been part of a team which provides the EDFL with the structure for continued success and growth in the northwestern suburbs.
Retiring EDFL Chair Bernie Shinners was the final recipient of Life Membership and was nominated by Life Member and Chair Ian Price.
Bernie is a Life Member of the Craigieburn Football Club and served as its President from 2006 to 2011, before successfully nominating for the EDFL Board in 2012.
In 2019, he was elected EDFL Chair and across 12 years demonstrated through his legal profession that the EDFL is in a strong legal position.
His knowledge of the EDFL rules and by-laws has placed the EDFL as one of the most successful metropolitan football leagues in Victoria, and his passion for the EDFL competition from juniors through to senior football is exemplary as a servant of the EDFL.
The EDFL would also like to congratulate Russell Dowling (Northern Saints) and Sandra Natoli (Craigieburn) for receiving 25 Year Jimmy Ainsworth Service Awards.
