There is no better time to think about our health and participation with the Seniors Festival just around the corner.

As Commissioner for Senior Victorians, I am a firm believer that participation in community life provides immense personal enjoyment, a sense of connectedness and contributes to our general sense of well-being.

In my travels around the state, seniors tell me that participation with neighbours, friends and family, doing something they love or trying something new keeps them active, connected and interested.

One of the best ways we can acknowledge our seniors in all of their magnificent diversity, and to encourage connectedness, is through events like the annual Victorian Seniors Festival.

This year's festival's first official event - the Victorian Seniors of the Year awards - marks International Day of Older Persons on 1 October, and recognises the outstanding efforts of seniors in their communities.

The festival then runs across Victoria for the whole of October with a jam-packed program featuring more than 1300 free or low-cost events, promising something for everyone.

The Victorian Seniors Festival offers a range of great opportunities to get involved and have some fun. It's a real incentive to get out and about, enjoy activities or try new ones with friends and family.

Celebrating participation is wonderful not only for the people involved, it shows our community that, to age well and positively, the benefits of getting involved and being active cannot be underestimated.

Pick up a Victorian Seniors Festival program from any Coles supermarket, local council or neighbourhood house or find out more by visiting the Seniors Online website at seniorsonline.vic.gov.au.

The McGrath Foundation would like to say a huge thank you to the Bendigo community for getting behind our community cricket initiative, Pink Stumps Day, and helping to raise more than $1.2 million to help support families experiencing breast cancer in Australia.

The McGrath Foundation set community cricket teams a challenge to help smash our fundraising goal and we haven’t been disappointed.

Thank you to Bendigo United Cricket Club, Crusoe College, Kangaroo Flat Primary School, Majors Supa IGA, BUCCS under 12As and Colbinabbin Cricket Club for their fantastic efforts.

They got their local community involved, turning their pitches pink and raised a collective $4,588.

Not only that, over 1000 teams around the country brought some magic to their cricket club, going above and beyond to really make a difference.

Through support like this, we are able to ensure families experiencing breast cancer have access to a breast care nurse, no matter where they live or their financial situation.

To date, our extensive network of McGrath Breast Care Nurses have helped support over 36,000 families in Australia through their breast cancer experience, providing invaluable physical, psychological and emotional support from the time of diagnosis and throughout treatment.

We know we wouldn’t be able to continue our important work without your community’s support, so thank you.

Registrations for Pink Stumps Day 2016 are now open and can be made online at pinkstumpsday.com.au

As we say at the McGrath Foundation, together we can make a difference.