How a tiny footy club raised $150,000 in a Big Freeze

Don’t stand in the way of this tiny footy club when they are on a mission – they’ve just raised $150,000 for the Big Freeze.

Jess I’Anson, Jordan Schilg, David Schilg, and Luke Schilg at the Brocklesby Burrumbuttock Big Freeze which raised more than $150,000 for MND. Picture: Photos by Jess

Two tiny Riverina towns that have to band to together to form a football team have raised an incredible $150.000 over the weekend to support one of their own.

Brocklesby has an official population of 238 and Burrumbuttock just 421 but their combined footy teams, known fondly as Brock-Burrum, put on their first Big Freeze to support one of their own.

Local farmer David Schlig from Brocklesby has been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease and his local footy club decided to show its support by a major fund raising effort over the weekend towards MND research.

Kate Schilg Dressed as Kath from Kath and Kim at the Brocklesby Burrumbuttock Big Freeze at Brocklesby, NSW, which raised more than $150,000 for MND. Picture: Photos by Jess

Club president John Heagney, another local farmer, said the idea to raise money for research “took off”.

Initially, they dreamt of a target of $50,000 but as the event drew closer, more and more people and businesses lined up to offer their support.

“There is no doubt these are difficult times for the area – we’d not had rain since the first week of April and things were looking pretty tough,” Mr Heagney said.

“There is also the cost of living which everyone is struggling with.”

That struggle includes fielding enough players for the club’s football and netball teams each week, which must draw on the bigger centres like Albury and Wodonga for numbers.

None of that was going to stand in the way of the weekend though, and three times the usual number of people attended the game and stayed on for the charity auction.

“Three to four days before the Big Freeze, we still had businesses ringing up and wanting to offer to give us things, or make cash donations,” Mr Heagney said.

“It shows how rural communities can band together and make a big difference.”

David Koschitzke dressed at Donald Trump at the Brocklesby Burrumbuttock Big Freeze event at Brocklesby, NSW, which raised more than $150,000 for MND. Picture: Photos by Jess

And that support extended to their football opposition on the day from the Rand Walbundrie Walla Walla Giants, another amalgamated club, who provided sliders and hung around to bid at the auction, Mr Heagney said.

“It has all been a pretty humbling experience, to be honest, and one we are still trying to get our heads around,” he said.

“We had about 40mm of rain late last week and then this amazing amount of money raised – my mind is really in a spin still.”

Those who would like to support the club’s efforts can still do so by donating at https://support.fightmnd.org.au/fundraisers/daveschilg