From the GFC website:

AFL community camp

The AFL in partnership with the 16 clubs has staged community camps since 2003. These annual training camps are held in various regions throughout Australia in locations as diverse as Hobart in the south, Darwin in the north and Wollongong in the east to Pilbara in the west.

Each club conducts a four-day training camp and also participates in a range of activities to promote and develop the game and strengthen each community’s connection with the game.

The location of the 2009 AFL community camps will be confirmed soon.

From the Herald Sun website

Community camps face the axe

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl...9-19766,00.html

According to GFC CEO, Brian Cook:

"We actually told them that we'd prefer to do our camp in Geelong and on the Surf Coast (if it goes ahead)."

Maybe MFC will do its camp somewhere in Melbourne - maybe in Casey!!

From the Herald Sun website

Community camps face the axe

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl...9-19766,00.html

According to GFC CEO, Brian Cook:

"We actually told them that we'd prefer to do our camp in Geelong and on the Surf Coast (if it goes ahead)."

Maybe MFC will do its camp somewhere in Melbourne - maybe in Casey!!

If they have a choice one would hope for it to be in Casey. Build on what they are already working on

If they have a choice one would hope for it to be in Casey. Build on what they are already working on

Locations for AFL Community Camps announced on afl.com.au this morning:

http://afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/2...px?newsId=71445

Melbourne FC Community Camp for 2009 is at Casey on Feb 6, 9, 11, 13.

As melbman says, building on what they are already working on.

Good choice.

That's not a camp, that's just four normal training sessions at Casey Fields!!! Perhaps with a bit of community stuff thrown in - as per the clubs contract with the City of Casey!

I'd have liked to see them go to Wonthaggi, Phillip Island, Leongatha...areas that are within 30-60mins of Cranbourne and promote the club to them.

That's not a camp, that's just four normal training sessions at Casey Fields!!! Perhaps with a bit of community stuff thrown in - as per the clubs contract with the City of Casey!

I'd have liked to see them go to Wonthaggi, Phillip Island, Leongatha...areas that are within 30-60mins of Cranbourne and promote the club to them.

You're right - they're not sleeping in tents so it's not a camp.

But the benefit I suppose would be measured in how much community stuff is involved - I think the key word in "community camp" is "community" rather than "camp".

When you look at who is going where:

Brisbane to Brisbane

Geelong to Geelong (and the nearby Surf Coast)

Richmond to Craigieburn (location of their planned Casey Fields equivalent)

Essendon doing a day of country visits.

And the Western Bulldogs doing Inverloch.

I think there is so much opportunity and need to build the relationship with the Casey community (so that MFC can develop the stronghold it seeks) that expending effort on areas further afield would be a waste of finite resources. There is so much to be achieved in Casey alone.

That's not a camp, that's just four normal training sessions at Casey Fields!!! Perhaps with a bit of community stuff thrown in - as per the clubs contract with the City of Casey!

I'd have liked to see them go to Wonthaggi, Phillip Island, Leongatha...areas that are within 30-60mins of Cranbourne and promote the club to them.

They should go to Inverloch, they wear Demon jumpers; or they did in my day.

They should go to Inverloch, they wear Demon jumpers; or they did in my day.

No, Casey.

They should go to Inverloch, they wear Demon jumpers; or they did in my day.

They still wear the Dee Jumper at Inverloch.

Still, I think if people are in Inverloch, Wonthaggi, or anywhere East of Melbourne its much better to be going to Casey Feilds than Junction Oval.

Gippy

Info has been published about when it's on (6 to 13 Feb), and today the Members' E-mail advised that the club's Community Camp in the City of Casey will culminate with an Intra-Club practice match on Friday 13 February at Casey Fields (starting time 5 pm).

Hopefully there'll be more info about the community activities to be undertaken during the camp published soon.

They still wear the Dee Jumper at Inverloch.

Gippy

Inverloch going over to the Dee jumper coincided with the start of my support for MFC.

I still remember their original strip; green with a red vee.

Hopefully there'll be more info about the community activities to be undertaken during the camp published soon.

Published last week:

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/newsart...px?newsid=71682

Demons Community Camp

Join in the fun as the Demons bring the Community Camp to the City of Casey.

The Melbourne Football Club will be hosting a range of activities from 6 – 13 February.

The Camp will be kicked off by the 'Connecting with its Community' breakfast, aimed at community stakeholders. Throughout the week, players will connect with the Casey community via schools, coaching forums and super clinics, with proceedings to be concluded by an intraclub practice match.

We invite all community members to participate in the Community Camp, and encourage you all to come along to the many activities on offer:

Friday 6 February

“Connecting with its Community” breakfast

Super clinic @ Casey Fields with Demon players (2 pm- 3 pm)

Monday 9 February

Secondary School Leaders breakfast

Wednesday 11 February

MFC training @ Casey Fields

Recreational football for women @ Casey Fields, from 3.30 pm, with Melbourne players

Coach the Coach session

Friday 13 February

Intraclub practice match @ Casey Fields, kicking off at 5 pm

Regular updates will be available on the MFC website, so log on and follow the players' Community Camp journey!

I've just finished a look thorugh the fire news from today and my head is spinning a little.

Would it be possible to do a mini-community camp later, perhaps during the gap between NAB cup and round 1, in one of these places.

Anything to cheer those communities up and let them know they wont be ingnored, and hopefully mobilise a bit of extra practical support in the form of donations. Maybe we can even get a small contingent of people up there to help with the clean-up. Horrible thing to have to do alone, coming back to a burnt-out property and shovelling the ruins into a hopper.

I reckon I'd be up for making the trip, if there was some kind of central organisation getting together temporary accomodation (i.e. City of Casey and MFC).