As of this season the player awarded Seymour Lions’ senior Best and Fairest award will receive the Gary Brown Medal following the endorsement of a proposal at a recent Seymour Football Netball Club, SFNC, committee meeting.
Gary Brown served as secretary of the SFNC for 34 years from 1989 to 2022, a period of time that included four senior premierships, headlined by a three-peat between 2005 and 2007.
Across 34 years of service, Brown worked alongside nine presidents – seven of those presidents gathered at the Royal Hotel in Seymour with Brown to pass on the special news.
The Seymour Lions Best and Fairest award was previously named after the late Mark Cox, president of the SFNC from 1993 to 1997.
Mark’s son Paul also served as president in the early to mid-2000s, and while he was unable to join in person he dialled into the lunch with Brown and the other living presidents.
Paul Cox fully endorsed the renaming of the Best and Fairest award to Brown, citing the record-breaking volunteer service he gave to the club 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,” he said.
“There wouldn’t be many people who have more love or passion for the Lions than Browy.
“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.”