The Port Stephens branch of the Men of League charity foundation will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its hugely annual popular bowls day on Sunday, October 9.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The event will be held at Nelson Bay Bowling Club starting at 9.30am and will feature a morning of men's, ladies and mixed fours bowls.
Participants are encouraged to wear their favourite team colours.
Entry is $25 a player, or $100 for a team of four, which includes lunch. It costs $10 for anyone wanting lunch only.
Some of the proceeds from the day will go towards the Bennett family, from Salamander Bay, to support 16-month-old Ari Bennett, who was born blind and is profoundly deaf and has spent large chunks of his short life in hospital.
The family is fundraising to get Ari to Thailand for stem cell therapy.
Ari's father Troy Bennett played more than 180 games for the Nelson Bay junior and Northern Blues senior rugby league clubs.
He also gave back to the game, coaching his three other children over six years.
This year he coached the Marlins under 7 side.
Men of League Port Stephens branch secretary Peter Arnold said that the foundation had recently provided the family with a Woolworths voucher as an immediate relief package, and that they would continue to support the Bennetts.
"We will be assisting with a further grant to help ease the family's financial burden, as they try to raise funds for Ari's ongoing needs," he said.
Arnold said that the annual bowls days had supported many people, and families, struggling with health and other conditions, over the years.
"We have raised somewhere in the vicinity of $100,000 over the past decade of bowls events, thanks mainly to the supporters of the MoL and the generosity of the Nelson Bay bowling club management and members," he said.
"In addition to thereat support we receive from the bowls fraternity, special mention must be made of long time supporter and 10-year sponsor from Debbie Cousins, owner of Elite Strata and Property Service."
Bowling club CEO Richard Girvan said that the club was proud of its involvement with Men of League, and it support of community and charitable events.
"The Men of League committee continues to provide great support to those in need in the local community and we are more than happy to support their efforts," he said.
"We are expecting another big day on October 9, with all three greens in use throughout the morning."
The Port Stephens branch of the Men of League is one of the most active in the state.
Local charities to have benefited from the foundation since its inception include Hunter Breast Cancer and Prostate Cancer groups, Hunter Medical Research, Port Stephens Suicide Prevention, Cerebral Palsy association, Sporting Hope, Tomaree Prostate Cancer Support, Port Stephens Palliative Care and the Motor Neurone Disease foundation.
To book your place for the bowls day on October 9, contact Bill Gainsford on 0412 605 957.
