Graham Woodrup Memorial Award – 2017.
Posted 01 June 2017
Congratulations Ann Hennessy & Christina Mavridis (Colac Cranks Team 30) joint awardees.
Ann Hennessy has been part of the team for 14 years and Christina Mavridis participated in her 16th ride this year. Both Ann and Christina have been incredibly hardworking team members and are hugely committed to the team. So much so, that at the end of 2014, both had to face serious personal challenges and still able to participate in the ride.
Ann and Chris work within the Allied Health Department at Colac Area Health, and each are well known amongst the Allied Health team as keen recruiters for the Colac Cranks Murray to Moyne team. Ann and Chris have been known over the years to persuade many an unsuspecting physio, dietitian or podiatrist into riding or crewing for the team. Their recruitment efforts have resulted in strong teams, and substantial team member numbers, with the team fielding an impressive 30 members in 2017. Throughout the years Colac Cranks have been represented by 150 riders and crew – and it is no surprise that many of these team members were recruited from Allied Health.
It is not just in the recruitment process that Ann’s commitment to the team is noted. During the training season, which starts in November, Ann attends weekly training rides to drive the follow vehicle to keep the riders safe, and then provides drinks and homemade snacks afterwards- with a good dose of humour to boot! Similarly, Chris is one to encourage new riders along on training sessions and is always up for a ride week in, week out.
Ann and Chris’s enthusiasm for the Colac Cranks and M2M is without a doubt infectious, and their keen ability to pass this onto anyone who appears even slightly interested in taking part is amazing. An example of this was in 2012 when a new Allied Health team member from Melbourne started working at Colac Area Health and didn’t have any friends or family in the area. They overheard Ann and Chris talking about M2M one day, and enquired what the event was all about. Although the team member didn’t own a bike and had never ridden a road bike before, Ann told them to ‘show up for training on Thursday and it will be all sorted.’ Six weeks later the team member participated in their first ever Murray to Moyne, made new and lifelong friendships, and is now one of the core members for the Colac Cranks M2M committee and has participated in the event every year since.
The Colac Cranks fundraise for Colac Area Health to provide much needed medical health-related equipment and supports for the Colac Otway Shire community. Ann and Chris are always the first people to put their hands up to assist with any Colac Cranks fundraising effort. Whether it is a dress up movie night, trivia evening or a group dinner, Ann and Chris will work hard to bring the event together and gather as much community support as possible.
