The Lions Club of Ararat has donated significant funding to the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation Ararat Branch’s fundraising project, a mammography unit for the Blue Ribbon Foundation Wing at East Grampians Health Service.

Members of the Lions Club met with Blue Ribbon Ararat Branch members and EGHS staff to present a cheque for $20,000 towards the project.

The mammography unit project is the largest in the Ararat Branch’s 24-year history. The Ararat Branch has committed to raising $250,000 towards the purchase of the vital equipment, which will cost in total $296,000. Additional funds will be provided by East Grampians Health Service.

Mammography is a specialised breast x-ray imaging technique used for early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer.

Having a mammography unit at EGHS will enable the health service to offer an additional service to Ararat and surrounding areas by improving access to the national free screening program, BreastScreen, which can identify early signs of breast cancer in asymptomatic people.

It is estimated that EGHS could screen approximately 700 clients through BreastScreen each year and having a local service will reduce the need for long-distance travel, with Ballarat currently the closest service.

Ararat Branch president Dianne Radford was thrilled to accept the cheque on behalf of members.

“Almost everyone knows someone or has a relation who has been affected by cancer in some way,” she said.

“This donation from Lions is just incredible and I cannot thank them enough.”

Lions Club president Peter McNeil said the members of the club were delighted to support such a worthy cause.

Mrs Radford said the Ararat Branch had already raised $55,000 toward the project, with the Lions donation providing a welcome boost.

The EGHS Murray to Moyne Cycle Relay team is aiming to raise $10,000, which will also go towards the Blue Ribbon Foundation mammography unit project.

The Blue Ribbon Foundation’s next fundraising event for the mammography unit project will be the annual Gala Night, to be held on Friday May 29 at the Ararat Town Hall, with ticket details to be released soon.

Since the Ararat Branch of the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation was formed 24 years ago, it has donated more than $1.2 million to East Grampians Health Service.

The Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Stone AM as Chair of the Board.

Mark brings extensive leadership experience across the notfor-profit, public and private sectors, with a long-standing commitment to community service and governance. He has held senior executive and board roles with a range of organisations including Chief Executive of Parks Victoria and Chief Executive of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He currently Chairs SCT Logistics and Goulburn Valley Water. Mark is highly regarded for his strategic insight, stakeholder engagement, and strong values-driven leadership.

Mark has been a dedicated supporter of the Foundation’s mission for many years and is deeply committed to honouring the memory of Victoria Police members who have lost their lives in the line of duty. His appointment as Chair reflects both his professional capability and his personal passion for ensuring the Foundation continues to deliver meaningful impact across the Victorian community. In 2016, he was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for ‘significant service to commerce and industry through leadership roles, to the environment and tourism sectors, and to the community’.

The Foundation also welcomes the appointment of Nicole Baker as Deputy Chair, Leo Kennedy as Treasurer/Secretary, and Rosanna Bruzzichessi as a new Board member. Together, they bring a diverse mix of skills, experience and commitment that will strengthen the Board and support the Foundation’s ongoing growth and effectiveness.

Ongoing Board members include Deputy Commissioner Robert (Bob) Hill APM, Myles King OAM KSJ, Anne Rogers and Dave Ellis, whose continued service provides valuable continuity and experience to the Board.

The Board acknowledges with deep gratitude the outstanding contribution of retiring long-term Chair David Mann AM, whose leadership and dedication have been instrumental in shaping the Foundation over many years. We also extend our sincere thanks to retiring Board members Pat Boyle, Grant Coultman-Smith and Craig Harwood for their valued service and commitment to the Foundation’s mission.

This follows the recent announcement of Vedran Drakulić OAM as the Foundation’s new Chief Executive Officer, marking an exciting new chapter for the organisation’s leadership and future direction.

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Vedran Drakulić OAM Appointed Chief Executive Officer of Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation

In his new role, Mr Drakulić will lead the Foundation’s strategic direction, fundraising activities and stakeholder engagement, supporting the Foundation’s long-standing commitment to enhancing policing resources, hospital facilities and trauma care for the Victorian community.

Mr Drakulić said it was an honour to be appointed CEO of the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation.

“The Blue Ribbon Foundation has a proud history of supporting Victoria Police and improving outcomes for victims of trauma,” Mr Drakulić said.
“I look forward to working closely with the Board, donors, volunteers, Victoria Police, the Blue Ribbon branches and our many community partners to build on this significant legacy and ensure the Foundation continues to make a meaningful difference across Victoria.”

Mr Drakulić succeeds Neil Soullier OAM who the Board thanked for his dedication and long-standing contribution to the Foundation.

The Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation (originally named the Tynan-Eyre Memorial Foundation) was established in 1988 and has since raised millions of dollars to help fund new and upgraded emergency and trauma care equipment and facilities in Victorian public hospitals, each named in memory of police officers who died in the line of duty.

A record contigent of 580 riders and pillions from across Victoria, SA and NSW took part in the 18th annual Grampians “Ride to Remember” on Sunday, February 1st.
With cooler conditions motorcycle enthusiasts came out in force arriving in Ararat from Friday onwards, with many of the 460 plus who had pre registered taking advantage of a weekend in the area, and those who chose to register on the day mostly from across the local region making up the record participation for the 2026 Ride.

Led by Victoria Police Solos and followed by the Victoria Police Forward Command with Acting Snr Sgt Shaun Allen at the helm then Ride Patron Paul Margetts, the Ride travelled out via Tatyoon Road to the rural countryside taking in Maroona, Lake Bolac, Wickliffe before arriving in Willaura for morning tea which was prepared by the Willaura Health Care Auxiliary volunteers with a number of Pomonal supporters coming along to assist after doing the morning tea last year.

After an hour break to rehydrate the Ride took off again and headed via Yarram Gap Road to the Grampians National Park and then south through last year’s fire affected area to Dunkeld. The Ride then started the journey back to Ararat via Glenthompson to Willaura/Moyston Rd, turning into Andrews Lane and back through to Ararat arriving at the Alexandra Gardens ontime with everyone eager to pickup their Ararat Lions Club prepared lunches and rehydrate with plenty of bottled water on offer, in addition to picking up a hot drink from the IC Coffee vans. It is worth noting that the Ararat Lions Club have catered for the Ride for many, many years and again did a great job, this year preparing 600 lunch boxes.

The Show N Shine aspect of the Ride again attracted good entries and longtime sponsor Shannon’s Insurance’s David Waight assisted in the presentations of the six category winner/runner prizes. Together with Horsham Harley Davidson both have supported the continuation of the Show N Shine every year. Ararat Branch President, Dianne Radford said: “ We have had a most successful 2026 Ride which kicked off with a full house at the Welcoming Dinner at the Ararat RSL. It was great to see many familiar riders/pillions attending and the extra activities added to this function makes it more popular each year.
The Ararat RSL team did a great job on the night, then had to regroup for a very early start on the Sunday morning catering for brekkie prior to the Ride taking off.
The Ride itself was conducted safely and was most enjoyable with lots of comments of how spectacular it was travelling through the Grampians National Park and to see the regrowth following the fires of last year.

To everyone involved Blue Ribbon/Ararat puts out a big thank to our Victoria Police, Marshals, Vehicle and Medical Support who did a great job out on the Ride in addition to the Ararat Rural City and the Willaura community for their involvement. Well done to the Ride Sub Committee, Branch members and partners, plus the many communty volunteers who helped out at the Ararat RSL registrations and at the Alexandra Gardens, in addition to those who helped out leading up to the event we certainly could not have done such a big event without you all – a fantastic effort.
Importantly the Ararat Branch acknowledges our major sponsors AME Systems, ACE Radio, Ararat Rural City, TAC, the Ararat RSL and the Ararat Advocate together with the many other supporters who all assisted in making the 2026 Ride the best”.

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Join us for a spectacular 221km Ride!

Starting from Ararat at 9am, this scenic journey will take you through the beautiful rural countryside, passing through Tatyoon, Maroona, Lake Bolac, and Wickliffe, before stopping in Willaura for a relaxing morning tea.

From there, continue through Yarram Gap into the Grampians National Park, where you’ll have a moment to reflect on last year’s bushfires and witness the incredible regrowth across the landscape. The ride then travels onward to Dunkeld, returning via Glenthompson and Willaura to Ararat, where a well-earned lunch awaits at the Alexandra Gardens.

In honour of Blue Ribbon Day and in memory of the recent passing of Neal Thompson and Vadim de Waart-Hottart, police members, volunteers and community groups across Victoria have stepped up to show their support for the Blue Ribbon Foundation.

In Melton, the Police’s volunteer group — the Melton Community Safety Register (MCSR) — continues to make a meaningful impact by phoning some of the area’s most vulnerable and elderly residents each weekday morning. At their annual dance last week, the group took the “Blue Ribbon Tin” and merchandise along, selling nearly all of their pins and ribbons. With generous donations from attendees, the fundraiser is believed to have raised hundreds of dollars, helping to support the foundation’s important work.

At Wangaratta Police Station, staff and community members created a powerful display to mark Blue Ribbon Day, honouring fallen officers and raising awareness of the foundation’s mission. The display drew steady attention throughout the week, encouraging locals to pause, reflect, and donate. Officers reported that many members of the public contributed to the cause, with donations flowing directly to the Blue Ribbon Foundation.

Meanwhile in Bendigo, the Blue Ribbon Foundation’s local branch partnered with Bendigo Health to host a fundraising event. Volunteers and staff sold ribbons, pins and merchandise at the hospital, with a steady stream of patients, staff and visitors showing their support. The initiative raised significant funds for the foundation while also strengthening ties between the police, the health service and the wider Bendigo community.

At Craigieburn Library, a dedicated Blue Ribbon Day display was set up to raise awareness and honour those who have given their lives in the line of duty. The display attracted the interest of many library visitors, sparking conversation and community engagement. Even after the Blue Ribbon Day materials were removed, the display continued to draw attention — now featuring a bright pink cap as a new point of interest. The library hopes to keep the display in place until the end of October, with plans for the CFA to contribute materials to promote bushfire awareness heading into summer.

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