By BRIDGET COOK
HUNDREDS packed the Arthur Wren Hall on Thursday night for the Casey business community’s night of nights.
There was plenty of glitz and glamour at the 2013 Casey Business Awards with a red carpet entrance and performance from award winning opera singer Shu-Cheen Yu.
But the stars of the awards were the 14 local businesses, as well as the finalists, who won the range of award categories.
Hallam business Wastech Engineering reigned supreme, winning the coveted Business of the Year title.
Former Australian cricketer and AFL footballer Max ‘Tangles’ Walker was the guest speaker and entertained the crowd his humour and stories.
Ms Walker inspired the group with his story of his journey to wearing the baggy green, and said businesses too could achieve anything they wanted.
“The word we have heard tonight is dream, and we all have the ability to do that,” he said.
“When I was seven or eight years old, I used to lie in bed in the Empire Hotel and dream of wearing the baggy green cap for Australia.
“And I got one. Even from Hobart, Tasmania I got one.”
Mr Walker said he still remembers the moment he got the cap and told his father about it.
“We lived in a flat in Camberwell and ate a lot of takeaway,” he said.
“As I walked in, I put the cap on and asked my dad Big Max, ’What do you think of that?’
“And he nodded his head and said ’not bad’.”
Mr Walker said his Dad then put the cap on too.
“When I got in really close, there he was – two, big pale eyes and a tear rolled down his cheek.
“I knew tomorrow when I walked onto the MCG, it wasn’t just my dream.
“Dreams are also achievement for our parents, mentors, teachers and all sorts of people we meet on the journey to fulfilling our dream.”
Mr Walker also spoke to the crowd about his many other ventures including playing AFL footballer and becoming an architect, commentator, author and motivational speaker.
He left the crowd with a message to dream big and go for what they wanted.
“You are only limited by your imagination, so step out of your comfort zone and have a good old crack at it,” he said.
“To be able to dream any dream, which is where we started, is the beauty of the human mind.
“To be able to do anything that you want to do, that is the strength of the human will.
“To be able to trust yourself to trust your limits, that is the courage to succeed.”
