The footy day was organised by the school’s Student Representative Council (SRC), giving staff and students the chance to show their true colours while raising money to put something back into the community.
The gold coin donations helped raise $500 for the Bulldogs FRESH Program, which will be used to construct a community garden at 526 Barkly Street.
School captains Jacob Formosa and Katie Turner presented the cheque to Bulldogs captain Brad Johnson, whose daughter Ella is a student at the school, at a special school assembly in front of all 355 students.
Western Bulldogs General Manager of Education, David Haynes, thanked the school for their support of the club’s community program.
“The generous donation from the students at St Mary’s Primary School is an example not only of the school’s commitment to a comprehensive and well-rounded education, but also to its vital role in the community,” he said.
“Through their generosity, they will be supporting the educational programs delivered by the Western Bulldogs through SpiritWest to young people who are facing difficulties in gaining the best education they can achieve.”
St Mary’s Primary School Principal, Jim Sheedy, said it is important that primary school students understand more about the community they live in.
“This donation has introduced the students to the Western Bulldogs community work through SpiritWest Services. I’m extremely proud that our students have shown great initiative in giving something back to their local community,” he said.
“In Term 4 our senior students will visit SpiritWest and learn more about the community programs they provide people in the western suburbs. We look forward to expanding this relationship even further.”
Staff and students will visit the FRESH Program centre later this year to see some of the work the Western Bulldogs do with young people aged between 15 and 20 who have had difficulties with mainstream education.
Before then everyone at St Mary’s will be cheering on the Bulldogs in their quest premiership glory, starting tonight with the preliminary final against Geelong.
