I didn't get there- to the 2013 Annual General Meeting which is a bit of a pity. Had another engagement to be involved in.
Anyhow I have always believed that the club have been rather generous in handing Life Memberships out through time. Quite a few in the past have got them prematurely & perhaps questionably. Many salaried employees have been given one for doing their job that they are 'usually' well renumerated for. One high profile former paid employee got this award in recent years after 7 years in his job. I question that elevation, however that is in the past now.
I can't speak with authority for all of them that got it, however I can with strong conviction about 3 of those awarded Life Membership- Darren Arthur, Scharlaine Cairns and Stuart Coffield as I can vouch that these three are genuine fans who love the club 100%.
If it was all about geography and where you live than Stuart should barrack for Geelong. Happily for the club he doesn't, Stuart and his family have been big financial contributors- Stuart's generosity late in the disastrous 2004 season (as well as at other times) massively helped the club out when in a major predicament.
Scharlaine and Darren are heavily involved in the historical side of things. Darren was the researcher for the 1996 Club History Book- Unleashed. Then the next book- The Bulldog Heritage. Scharlaine also worked on these books providing lots of assistance with interviews and in all other areas needed to facilitate a historical book. Without those two people, these books wouldn't be written. Both played a big role in establishing the club museum at the club headquarters. Both are modest people who don't go around big noting themselves, they just get things done quickly and methodically purely because of their lifelong love of the Footscray Football Club.
As none of them are old, the lifelong love from Stuart, Scharlaine and Darren has never seen their efforts rewarded with having a Grand Final week for them to enjoy. This makes their efforts more impressive than people performing similar roles at say Hawthorn, who have been bathed in success, since that watershed of the half time break at the 1961 Grand Final.
So well done there, excellent to see genuine fans being recognised for their unquestioning love for the club.
