We all hope we leave a meaningful legacy behind.
One person at Seymour Football Netball Club has done just that and his impact will now be written into history.
As of this season, the player named the Lions’ senior best-and-fairest will be awarded the Gary Brown medal following the endorsement of a proposal at a recent club committee meeting.
Brown served as club secretary for 34 years (1989-2022), a period that included four senior premierships, headlined by a three-peat between 2005 and 2007.
He worked alongside nine presidents, seven of whom gathered at the Royal Hotel in Seymour for lunchlast week to pass on some special news.
Seymour’s best-and-fairest award was previously named after the late Mark Cox, who was club from 1993 to 1997.
Cox’s son Paul also served as president in the early to mid-2000s and, while he was unable to join in person, he dialled in to the lunch with Brown and the seven other living presidents.
Paul fully endorsed the renaming of the best-and-fairest award, citing Brown’s record-breaking volunteer service over three-and-a-half decades.
Current president Gerard O’Sullivan organised the lunch and said the recognition was fitting for such a selfless and club-focused man.
“It’s hard to find the right way to recognise someone who gave so much to our club and played such a huge role in getting us to where we are today,” O’Sullivan said.
“There wouldn’t be many people who have more love or passion for the Lions than ‘Browny’.
“Our volunteers are the people that make our club what it is, and this is the perfect way to commemorate Browny’s dedication to the club for generations to come.
“We look forward to sharing the importance of this renamed award with our club and the broader Seymour community.”