Volunteer’s recognition for selfless work goes international

MICHAEL Gallus will have the unusual experience of attending a Ugandan soccer tournament named in his honour later this year.

Michael Gallus, founder of Footys4All at Clarke Oval in Sunbury with children who have been given balls.Picture: Rob Leeson

MICHAEL Gallus will have the unusual experience of attending a Ugandan soccer tournament named in his honour later this year.

It’s the latest way of saying thanks to the Keilor East founder of not-for-profit Footys4All.

“We sent five soccer balls and soccer uniforms to a community in Uganda,” he said.

“They were so happy they’ve organised a tournament and invited me over, it’s called the Michael Gallus Cup.”

On Sunday, Mr Gallus, 46, received the Victorian Premier’s Volunteer Champions Award for Community Impact.

He is one of a handful of Victorians acknowledged for their selfless work. Mr Gallus was introduced to volunteering growing up in Sunbury.

“My mum was a probation officer at the old Caloola Hospital,” he said. “One day there was a strike so I went up there helping cook and make beds.”

In under six years, Footys4All has distributed 22,000 balls, many to remote indigenous communities, as well as India, Fiji, Uganda and Kenya.

Mr Gallus also finds time to run a cricket competition on Sunday mornings at Port Philip Prison, and volunteers with the Sunbury Neighbourhood Kitchen and Sunbury Phoenix Sports Club.

“To me, sport is something which everyone enjoys and should be able to enjoy and wherever you are, everyone relates to chasing a ball around and playing, watching or just being involved with sport,” Mr Gallus said.

He said a highlight of his time distributing sports equipment was getting to meet remote Aboriginal communities.

Mr Gallus said he hoped the award would lift the profile of Footys4All further.

He aims to increase the distribution of sporting equipment to 10,000 a year among Victorian schools, targeting those in lower socio-economic areas and special needs schools.

“Like Gandhi said, I live my life by the mantra ‘be the change you want to see in the world’,” he said.