Leaving before 6am on Wednesday 7 October, we arrived in Adelaide around 5pm. The car — and its occupants — travelled well. It was wonderful to arrive and reconnect with friends we made on last year’s Drive. It was great to feel that united spirit among friends and fellow supporters touched by MND. Day 1 – Thursday and what a way to begin the Daniher Drive. We were up early and headed straight to the Home of Tennis in SA for Sunrise and breakfast. Matt Tilley, CEO of FightMND, welcomed everyone and spoke about the impact of funds raised through the Drive. Professor Zachary Munn from Adelaide University then shared the progress being made on developing a national support plan for people impacted by MND, with a focus on improving immediate care for sufferers and their families. From there, we travelled to Athelstone Football Club for a community event featuring a footy clinic and the Ice Bucket Relay Challenge — a fantastic display of local support. Lunch was at Lot 100, a beautiful winery (once we found it!). Then it was off to Hahndorf for a treasure hunt, a fun way to spread the FightMND message while supporting local businesses. Our final event was an evening at the Adelaide Zoo, where some participants even fed giraffes. A beautiful meal, a heartfelt toast to Neale by his daughter Lauren, and an emotional speech by Jan, Neale’s wife, moved us all deeply. Day 2 – Friday we began the day with breakfast at the Adelaide Markets before heading to Port Elliot for a community event and beach games. The weather wasn’t ideal, but the enthusiasm and support from the local surf lifesaving club made the morning memorable. A little free time allowed us to catch up with Ruth and Geoff Van Senden at Wirra Wirra Vineyard — a real highlight. That evening we attended the fundraising gala at Adelaide Oval, a stunning venue for auctions and raffles. Guest speakers included Graham Cornes, Kane Cornes, Daisy Pearce and Tim Silvers. Items auctioned included an Essendon jumper signed by all four Daniher boys. It was also wonderful to see all the Daniher girls there supporting the night. A fun and successful event raising vital funds for FightMND. Day 3 – Saturday our morning community event was held at Lyndoch, an impressive sporting facility where we played tennis and met local community members. A generous $6000 donation from the Lyndoch Football Club capped off a fantastic morning. After some free time in the Barossa Valley, we visited Gibson Winery for afternoon tea. The owners’ daughter was recently diagnosed with MND, making the visit especially meaningful. It was also an opportunity to connect with other Drive participants, including Phil, who was diagnosed last year and was a classmate of Neale’s at Assumption College. Our final night was the Diamond Decade Celebration, marking 10 years of the Drive. A cherished moment came when Mr Brightside — Neale’s favourite song — played. The Baker Boys band kept everyone dancing, and all three Old Crackers woke up a bit sore but full of joy from such a special night. Final Reflections After a final breakfast and farewell, we began the long trip home — a chance to reflect on what has been an extraordinary experience. On our last morning, Bec Daniher spoke movingly about the impact of the Drive. This year alone, more than $1.1 million was raised, contributing to an incredible $14 million across ten Drives. Every dollar represents hope and a step closer to a world free from MND. Bec even mentioned our fundraiser Stop and Mingle, joking that it sounded like a speed dating event. A vital part of FightMND’s work is its support for the University of Adelaide in developing Australia’s National MND Care Guidelines. These guidelines aim to improve care quality and outcomes for people living with MND — offering better care, greater support, and a renewed hope. On the drive home, between reminiscing and plenty of big laughs, our thoughts turned to next year. As Bec said, we hold onto the hope that one day the Drive won’t be needed — because the beast will finally be defeated. Until then, FightMND will continue funding vital research and supporting every person and family touched by MND. We simply can’t stop now. None of this would be possible without the extraordinary support of our community. To every business, sporting club and individual who gave so generously — thank you. Your kindness carries us forward. We are blessed to call this community home. We are incredibly proud to share that we raised $45,315.00. While we were reflecting on our long journey home, we also talked about a couple of comments we received during this year’s fundraising events. We are always mindful that many other charities work incredibly hard to raise funds, and we support these whenever we can. We chose to fundraise for FightMND for our own personal reasons, and we fully understand that there are many other worthy causes in our community. We never pressure anyone to donate. Our hope is that through our fundraising we not only raise awareness for FightMND, but also promote local businesses and create enjoyable, inclusive events that give something back to the wonderful community we are so proud to be part of. From all of us, thank you — from the bottom of our hearts — for standing beside us and making this journey possible. Our hearts are full. Jacinta, Shaz and Wendy. The Old Crackers
