Raised through a tournament to help those affected by the floods in Shepperton, Faulkner brought together football clubs across Melbourne to reach an impressive total.
Faulkner Club President Michael Ryan said: “We are very proud.
“The whole club, the committee that put all this together, it’s absolutely amazing what we’ve been able to achieve.
“Thank you very much to everyone who was involved.”
While similar fundraising events can take months to succeed, Faulkner said sponsors donated everything from trophies to barbecues, and Shepperton Cup organizers, the Australian Football School, spread the word, making it four days. did it in
Ryan, who organized after the cancellation of a junior football tournament to be held at Shepperton, said there were several reasons the club decided to go ahead with the event.
“Of course the kids wanted to play, but I think the most important thing for us is to be able to actually give back for what we’ve been given,” he said.
“We were just blown away by how much money we were able to raise.
“I think it started out at maybe $5,000, then it went to $10,000 and ended up being over $15,000, which is huge.
“To be able to donate this amount of money is a really proud moment.”
Everyone smiles: Faulkner Football Club Committee members speak with Mark De Paola, President of the Greater Shepperton Foundation.Photo by Daniel Webb
After receiving the donation, Greater Shepperton Foundation Trustee Julia Thomas said the club’s commitment was impressive.
“This means a lot to us and our communities. There are many very worthwhile initiatives that can be used to help flood-affected areas,” said Thomas.
Thomas is set to help people in a number of ways, with the money donated to financial literacy efforts, to those temporarily homeless or in need of home repairs, to activities due to the floods. Said it would be used to help exchange belongings for young people who were unable to attend. .
Thomas said he was proud of the ties now shared between Faulkner and Shepperton, and that the foundation appreciates the football club’s efforts.
“The generosity is overwhelming, actually,” she said.
“The fact that they basically thought about holding a tournament to replace the one they missed here, but turned it into a fundraiser in their own community over 150km away is overwhelming. And very generous.”