Tuesday, 3 February, 2026
Highway Patrol give back with blood donations
Local band in the Hottest 100
Bree Walker going for gold at 2026 Winter Olympics
See Real Estate liftout inside
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A Star News Group Publication
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Pilates all for a good cause By Mikayla Van Loon As a pilates instructor, Vicky Kamakaris knows the importance of movement but she’s also seen firsthand the impact of what losing mobility does to the body. That’s why, for the second year, she’s hosting her Pilates 4 Parkinson’s fundraising event on Saturday 21 February at Hubert Estate, within the stunning Gallery of Art space. All proceeds raised from ticket sales and donations will be donated to Fight Parkinson’s, a foundation that’s “more geared towards support for carers and providing information to people who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s” rather than research. Ms Kamakaris said the support Fight Parkinson’s provided when her dad was diagnosed was essential to his care but also the family’s understanding of what was required. “I want to give something back to a cause that is very close and important to my heart,” she said. Turn to page 14 for more
Vicky Kamakaris’ Pilates 4 Parkinsons’ fundraiser will honour her late father. (Stewart Chambers: 530906)
Soccer boost vital By Mikayla Van Loon The future of soccer in this state has been brought to the fore after Football Victoria (FV) launched a pre State election campaign to level the playing field across the game. Priority projects, including a lighting upgrade at Mooroolbark’s Esther Park, were identified as essential to ensure facilities keep pace with the growth of the sport. FV unveiled its 10-year strategy for facility improvements and along with it, the statistics on in-
creased player numbers. Participation increased by 43 per cent since 2022, with a 65 per cent growth in the MiniRoos and 39 per cent in the juniors. Mooroolbark Soccer Club president Stuart Milne said for Esther Park, lighting was essential to providing equal playing opportunities for the women’s sides. “The women’s teams play on a Friday night, and we’ve always done that because it allows them to have a weekend,” he said.
Typically women’s games are scheduled for Sundays but Mr Milne said for women with young families it may not be feasible for them to play, nor can young players party with their friends on Saturday nights which may prevent some women from continuing in the game. “It sounds like quite a silly, little trivial first world problem, but it does impact on it greatly,” he said. But in choosing to play on Friday nights, alongside training, Mr Milne said the electricity
costs for running the lights is about $9000 every quarter. On top of that, every two years the globes need to be replaced at a cost of $10,000 and also must be audited for safety and compliance purposes. Although Mooroolbark’s lights passed the audit last year, with a few minor fixes, Mr Milne said he doubts they will pass for this year and replacement estimates sit in the sphere of $140,000 to $180,000. Read more on page 5
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