By TOM HAYES
HEAD and shoulders above the rest is Newborough Football-Netball Club, who are taking their fundraising efforts to the next level.
Newborough have prided themselves to create and send a positive message, and have done so yet again thanks to the efforts of those involved with their latest fundraiser.
On May 18, the Bulldogs opened The Kennel to Thorpdale FNC for a big fixture in the Mid Gippsland Football-Netball League.
Newborough FNC had spent weeks preparing the Breast Cancer Awareness Round, highlighting the need for awareness surrounding the cancerous disease.
Newborough’s Matt Rowlings had his mother sadly pass away to cancer, which sparked the idea of creating a fundraiser to raise awareness.
Rowlings came to clubmate Patt Frendo with the idea, who passed the idea onto the committee at a meeting. They loved the idea, and it didn’t take long for things to get off the ground.
Many people have, or know someone who has been affected by cancer, so it didn’t take long for support to come flowing through.
Newborough FNC registered their fundraiser with Pink Sports Day, something that a number of local clubs had done this season, including the likes of Morwell FNC and Glengarry FNC.
“It was absolutely incredible – the engagement through the entire group. But then again, facilitated by Patt (Frendo) and the playing group… it’s not just the executive committee that have driven it, its actually the playing group,” Newborough FNC President, Natalie Sellings said.
The Newborough FNC playing group generally focus on one fundraiser per year. Last year it was centred around mental health with the Mindful Aus program.
Although they might fundraise harder for a different cause each year, Sellings said the club remained devoted to fundraise for all causes.
“The involvement through, not just the playing group, but both the footballers and netballers, our sponsors, just the community in general was vast.”
Frendo noted that the engagement and generosity from the wider community was immense.
“The buy-in was unreal,” Frendo said.
“The playing group – we pretty much click our fingers, and they listen. We do pride ourselves on being a player-led club, especially in the way of functions and fundraisers, that sort of stuff.”
A bigger crowd was drawn to Newborough when they faced Thorpdale, which only helped with fundraising efforts, making for a special for the club.
With donations, raffles, bake sales, a memorabilia auction, and auctions to shave people’s hair, the club was not short of ideas to keep people engaged and involved, all while making money for a good cause.
While also shining a light on mental health during the weekend, the Bulldogs also hope to send a message regarding road safety with another fundraiser, and also remain involved and active in the community for things such as Anzac Day and Indigenous Round.
“We are very conscious always of providing a strong message, and the club’s always been like that,” Sellings said.
“We’ve got so many young ones coming through who we want to sort of shape into good little citizens.”
The Newborough FNC reached a total of $30,928 at the time of print, currently sitting as the number one club or organisation to register for Pink Sports Day.
More information, and the list of fundraisers can be found at: pinksportsday.bcna.org.au/my-fundraising
