AC99 - Calendar of Events

	Stop Press Australian Coalition '99

IYOP 1999 GOES TO THE FOOTY

Football is a major part of Australian culture and no more so than in Victoria (where we like to think it originated). Unfortunately, like most sports, it is usually associated with younger people.

In Victoria, AC'99 (the coalition of groups that have come together for IYOP) have been trying for some time to gain some acknowledgement and recognition for all the older people who are part of the football culture in Victoria. We were unsuccessful with the Grand Final but finally achieved a break through with the International Football Match on Friday, October 8.
Jo Capp, part of AC'99 Victoria's Media and Publicity committee, was successful in convincing the organisers to highlight IYOP during the match. Before the match and at every interval the following message was displayed on the giant scoreboard for all 64,000 attendees to consider:

1999 is celebrating the International Year of Older Persons

What's that got to do with football?

Look around - - the Fans who've been there, good times and bad;
- the Leaders in the board room
- the Faithful who cook the meals and wash the jumpers

Older people …. the backbone of football

Also shown at the same time was the Commonwealth Government's IYOP television advertisement that has been running for some time featuring the message "never underestimate an older person". Readers may have seen with delight the story of an older man and woman helping two young male truck drivers remove their hay-truck from where it has stuck under a railway bridge - the older couple using their experience and knowledge in ways that leave the young ones dumbfounded.

The footy audience reacted to both messages with delight.