2023-2024 Winner Testimonials

Moe Racing Club  - Chief Executive Officer, Cassandra Rendell - 2023-2024 Winner of Regional Community Club Award 

"I wanted to nominate for the CCV & Keno Gala Dinner and Awards Night because this CCV played such a pivotal role in supporting me when I first started my career. Their guidance and encouragement left a lasting impact, and being a part of this event has always been something I've aspired to. It's an incredible opportunity to celebrate the industry's achievements and give back to the organisation that has given me so much.

The most rewarding part of the process was definitely winning the Regional Club of the Year award, but it was so much more than that. It felt like a collective reward that recognised everyone’s hard work and dedication. Seeing the effort and passion of the entire team being celebrated made the experience truly special.  Also, with such a broad reach I was congratulated in the street and the supermarket.

The win has opened up fantastic opportunities by encouraging more visitors to the club and increasing our visibility in the community. The recognition and media coverage that came with receiving the award provided excellent publicity, helping to showcase what we do and attracting even more interest in the club not just in the hospitality space but also our racing visitors.

Being recognised as a winner means so much to me—it’s a validation of all the hard work, passion, and dedication that goes into what we do. It’s an honour to be acknowledged in such a meaningful way, and it serves as a reminder of the impact we can have on our community and industry.

My advice would be - just go for it! If you have something you’re truly proud of, share it with as many people as you can and even as a finalist so many people still get to hear your story. The recognition is worth it. And if it’s not your year, don’t be discouraged—keep striving, and your time will come, trust me I know".

Bendigo District RSL  - General Manager, Martin Beekes - 2023-2024 Winner of Best Hospitality Team Award and Regional Mental & Social Wellbeing Award 

"The Bendigo District RSL is a firm believer in the Community Clubs Victoria gala awards night, as it is a way for all clubs (gaming / non gaming) to get together and celebrate the amazing work they do for their communities, sporting interests and veterans.

The most rewarding thing is it is a way for staff from clubs and RSLs to get together and be recognised for excellence in their respective nominated fields and allow for some good natured competition. With increased services, facilities and support, the winners overall are the club members, veterans and guests. It’s great that we can all get together to let our hair down after another incredibly busy 12 months in a supportive & good natured environment, where we all understand the pressures we have had to deal with. It is rewarding to see everyone other than in their everyday workplace, where people have had to deal with cost of living pressures, increased costs / charges and changes in and around compliance. The results of our wins underpin the culture of excellence we strive to create. It reinforces the good work we do, advertises to the Bendigo community at large that we look after veterans as best that we can, and the hospitality offered at the club is second to none.

 It is something we are extremely proud of. Nominating isn’t just about the potential of winning a category (although that’s always a nice thing that can happen as a byproduct of the application), it’s about looking in a critical way at your businesses / club in general, and seeing where you have excelled over the last 12 months, or where you need to improve if you don’t meet the criteria in the application.

 It’s about seeing on the night, what services other winning clubs are providing to their veterans and or members, and whether you see anything they are doing that you may not have considered that could replicated in your local communities. Excellence is something that needs to be worked at. Clubs need to reinvent themselves to keep up and be the place where people want to gather and enjoy the facilities on offer".

Greyhounds Entertainment  - Operations Manager & Compliance, Sajith Raghavan - 2023-2024 Winner of  Best Member Experience 

"We strongly believe in the positive impact Greyhounds Entertainment have and contributed to residents within our local community. Recognizing and celebrating these contributions would acknowledge the hard work and dedication our club provided, and for us to strive for even better achievements in the future. The most rewarding part of the process was the recognition of Greyhounds Entertainment achievement in providing the Best Member Experience and seeing the incredible and collective efforts from our club and community coming together.

To continually witness the joy and happiness from those visiting our club and the successfulness of our member events. Winning has opened doors to greater collaboration and support with our community. The win has provided us with the credibility in partnering with charities where we collectively work with our community to contribute and support those in need. Being recognized for the Best Member Experience was an incredible moment. It validates our incredible achievements, and the effort Greyhounds Entertainment provided to accomplish this.

The experience further motivates us to continue delivering the best experiences to our members and local residents. It is a great opportunity to showcase the hard work and dedication your club provided to your community. The recognition and exposure are invaluable and will definitely provide a positive result for both the club and the community".