Coolaroo raises $25k for Toowoomba Hospital Foundation in AFL Darling Downs fundraiser

Coolaroo men’s head coach and sponsorship co-ordinator Miels Grice was left blown away by the efforts of the AFLQ Darling Downs community in their recent Kick for Cancer fundraiser. Find out the staggering amount they raised here.

Toowoomba Hospital Foundation CEO Alison Kennedy with Coolaroo men's head coach Miels Grice with the cheque after the inaugural Coolaroo kick for Cancer Day.

The Coolaroo Australian Football Club rallied together recently and showed that it is not only a force to be reckoned with on the field, but a community capable of making an impact for the greater good.

The club held its first Kick for Cancer Day and raised more than $25k for the Toowoomba Hospital Foundation after the wife of a former premiership winning coach was diagnosed with cancer last year.

Coolaroo men’s head coach and sponsorship co-ordinator Miels Grice led the charge for organising the event and was overwhelmed by the outcome of the fundraiser.

“It was unreal, probably a bit overwhelming towards the end, I didn’t think we’d get that high,” he said.

Coolaroo men's captain Henry Sheath and women's captain Ada McKenzie with regional cancer centre ambassador Rebecca Johnson. Picture: Jessica Cooney.

“We just dipped our toes in the water this year, I was speaking to the hospital foundation, they couldn’t believe such a small club raising so much.

“We pushed and ran 90 per cent of it ourselves and it probably wasn’t even a lengthy planned event this year, we sort of just got it up and going wanted to do something for Beck and the Hospital Foundation so to be able to pull something off like that is fantastic.”

Grice also praised the wider AFL Darling Downs community, who all embraced the day and supported where they could.

“South Toowoomba got involved in the day, obviously we played most of our games against them,” he said.

“Obviously anyone in the crowd bought things like raffle tickets and stuff like that and that all went to the cause and Warwick brought some kids to play at the halftime football game.”

Toowoomba Hospital Foundation CEO Alison Kennedy was thrilled by Coolaroo’s efforts in their first fundraising venture for the foundation.

“We have a very large total of $10 million, which is our aim for our Regional Cancer Centre, and over $25k towards that amount in one weekend at a football ground is absolutely amazing,” she said.

“We are so ecstatic, and they should just be so proud of themselves because I know we are, and it’s going to go a really long way towards the tally of $10 million for the Regional Cancer Centre.

“We announced just not long ago that we were at around $365,000, so if we add this to the total, obviously we are just getting closer and closer by the week.”