Booralee Big Bash honours young lives lost to suicide in charity day and raises big funds for Gotcha4Life
The inaugural Booralee Big Bash has been hailed a success after raising vital funds for mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Check out the gallery of photos from a big day in Botany.
HyperLocal
Don't miss out on the headlines from HyperLocal. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE Booralee Big Bash has been hailed as a success by organisers after raising a big sum for mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
Held at Booralee Park in Botany at the weekend, the cricket event raised over $6400 for the Gotcha4Life charity.
Event organiser Tony Pengue said they were thrilled with the response from participants, and said they will return bigger and better next year.
“It was unbelievable,” he said.
“We had a goal set of raising $5000 and we exceeded that., with expenses on top of that.
“It was a great response from the community. There was over 300 people there at one stage. We wanted the community to come together and they did. We had some amazing feedback and it’s going to happen again next year.
“With the help of Bayside and Dr Christina Curry (mayor), we want to turn it into an annual event.
“The whole day was positive and to see so many local (sporting) codes come together was great.”
With the support of local businesses, local members and speakers, Pengue said they were able to get their positive message of mental health awareness across.
“We had the likes of Michael Zirps from the Steak-Out Butchery cooking all day, a donation from Rockdale Return and Earn that helped the day get started, and Colin Cuthbert donating the major prize in the raffle,” he said.
“Cam Merchant from Gotcha4Life spoke for 15 minutes and everyone listened. When he found out we were playing cricket he wanted to be a part of it. He was great.
“Matt Thistlethwaite (Kingsford Smith MP) was on his way to Canberra but had to stop and come down.”
Check out a gallery of photos from the event
ORIGINAL STORY
IT’S the day of cricket nobody hoped would exist, but one organisers believe will be a success if it saves just one life.
WARNING: This article contains references to suicide and self-harm.
In recent years the southeast Sydney community, particularly around Botany and Mascot, has been rocked by the tragic suicide deaths of prominent young members in the area.
Now Tony Pengue is spearheading the Booralee Big Bash this Sunday as a fundraiser for Gotcha4Life, and to encourage men and women of all ages to reach out if they are struggling.
It’s a cause he holds close to his heart, having both had those negative thoughts cross his mind, and helping out a mate who has gone through the same.
“We’re trying to raise awareness that there are people out there you can speak to if you need to talk about things,” Pengue said.
“We’ve seen people lost in their mid 20s and those who have lost a father in their 50s. Back then it was never spoken about. Now in the modern day people are starting to talk.
“The local community in the past few years has lost too many people. It is preventable.
“I had a young man call me about who said they needed to talk. He was having bad thoughts.
“He came around, we had a chat, and I set him some goals. In the past people wouldn’t have talked about this.
“I’m a survivor. I’m lucky that I survived. I believe that I’m meant to be here.
“Once you cross that line, I call it meeting the black dog. You feel numb and have no feelings. It’s terrible.
“This young man, he achieved the goals we set and I’m so proud of him. To turn his life around from a thought of ending his life is incredible.
“Nothing in life should ever want to make you feel that way.”
It’s why this Sunday (February 5) at Booralee Park, Botany, the local community is coming together for a cricket day to get people together, enjoy each other’s company and feel comfortable to open up to one another or a professional.
With activities for the kids, raffles on the day and a sausage sizzle among the attractions, Pengue is hoping people can get behind their cause.
“We want it to become an annual event,” he said.
“If it means one person talks, it’s a success.”
When Matt Farbman tragically took his life in 2017, it left a gaping hole in the community as those around him struggled to come to terms with him no longer being around.
His mates came together to revive the South Sydney Mustangs rugby league team, a team Pengue’s son Louie played in, running out in his honour with his smiling face adorning their jerseys.
In their second year of playing they took out the Souths Juniors A-Reserve premiership, a humbling moment for a family club, albeit bittersweet with Farbman not there beside them.
They are among a number of local sporting clubs fielding teams for the event, along with teams in various codes from Easts, Newtown, Pagewood, Coogee, Clovelly and Botany.
Sharon Marsh knows all too well the pain suicide causes, losing her son Josh at just 19 years of age.
His departure hit the local community hard, with his immediate family left with a huge hole in their hearts.
“Josh had a twin brother and older brother,” Marsh said.
“He had his ups and downs, but he was springing out of bed and seemed to settle. He brought a new ute and seemed happy as. He was out with mates and something triggered him.
“You can’t see it. Nobody could have picked it.
“When we lost Josh, we said that we would live for him. That’s how he would’ve wanted it to be. We’re living these moments for him and for us.”
Pengue said the impacts on family and friends during tragic times like these, especially involving young men, are reasons people need to talk.
“I spoke with people just after Matt took his own life,” he said.
“It affected all the kids. We saw that day how distraught and upset they were. It impacts a lot of people.
“When Josh took his life, the first person I thought of was Sharon. Everything can change so quick. It’s a disease.”
Here’s what you can expect with today’s Bondi weather
As summer sets in what can locals expect today? We have the latest word from the Weather Bureau.
Check out the latest on Bondi roads
The daily commute is better with a little planning. Here's some roads it might be best to avoid today