PROJECT: Indigenous Reaching Out Project
TASKFORCE: Sunshine Coast Lions Supporter Group
SUB COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Len Bidstrup, Chairman
Judith Bidstrup
Diane Robinson
Ian Robinson
Peter Cheeseman, Supporter Group President
Mary Cheeseman
Jill Smith
Robert Smith, Supporter Group Secretary
MISSION STATEMENT:
To extend friendship and goodwill to Australia’s Indigenous communities through a mutual interest in Australian Rules Football.
MISSION OBJECTIVE:
To provide and distribute footballs to identified Aboriginal communities requiring new sporting equipment, to strengthen their social networks and encourage more active and healthy lifestyles.
MISSION METHOD:
To conduct a pilot study in consultation with the Brisbane Lions, the Australian Football League and other interested parties to identify and support appropriate Indigenous communities with AFL sporting equipment and Brisbane Lions merchandise.
MISSION ACTION:
FIRST DELIVERY
Six boxes of approximately 50 footballs, ball pumps and various Lions merchandise were sent to the AFL North Queensland branch for distribution to the Djarragun Indigenous College in Cairns, the Bamaga NPA College and the Tagai College on Thursday Island.
Quite coincidentally, the second Indigenous Curtain Raiser match before the Lions v St Kilda clash this Sunday 25 May is the Djarragun Indigenous College v St Peter’s Lutheran College from 10:45am – 12:20pm over 15 minute quarters.
The Sunshine Coast Lions Supporter Group is now hoping to catch up with the Djarragun team in the flesh at the Gabba on Sunday and take some well deserved photos of the encounter after their match. So no surprises which team the Supporter Group will be cheering for at this curtain raiser!
SECOND DELIVERY
Seven match balls, seven training balls, 12 junior balls, ball pumps and Brisbane Lions giveaways including caps, stickers and lanyards were sent to the Galiwin'ku Indigenous community on Elcho Island – 400 kilometres north-east of Darwin. This island is populated by approximately 700 children aged between 5 and 18 years.
There are seven teams on the island who run laps together and complete other physical training drills around the oval. Next, they take it in turns to complete their ball skills work, as they currently only have one football which is already incredibly worn. This same ball is also used for all matches!
The sporting package provided by the Sunshine Coast Lions Supporter Group has given each team their own football and pump to allow them to facilitate better and longer training sessions and really give their competition a practical boost on match-days.
Another 50 footballs were also parcelled up and transported to the North Queensland Police C.A.P.E. PCYC Indigenous Program to be distributed amongst the Indigenous communities of Naparanum, Wujal Wujal, Hopevale and Mapoon.
MORE INFO:
The Supporter Group fund this project through sponsorships, their own generosity and promotions with family, friends and the wider football community in their area. All equipment packing is handled by the group after their meetings and they’ve even appointed a sub committee to work purely on the Reaching Out project to ensure its ongoing success.
Anyone is welcome to support the Indigenous Reaching Out Project. For further details on getting involved or to make a donation, please contact the Supporter Group directly:
Peter Cheeseman – 07 5499 6565
Robert Smith – 07 5478 0732
Alternatively, a footy can be sponsored for $25 and the donation can be forwarded to:
BLSCSC, 7 Coney Court, Mountain Creek QLD 4557
Great work everybody in the Sunshine Coast Lions Supporter Group – you’ve made the Lions’ pride extremely proud during this AFL Indigenous Round!
