Over $30,000 raised and counting for bushfire relief

The total amount raised by Hockey Australia and the country’s hockey community for the bushfire crisis has surpassed $30,000 after the weekend’s FIH Pro League matches and the conclusion of the Australian Indoor Hockey Festival.

Hockey Australia and its corporate partners Ausdrill and its parent company Perenti, TigerTurf and Westfund pledged $500 for every goal scored by the Kookaburras and the Hockeyroos across the four FIH Pro League match days in Sydney.

Australia’s national teams struck a combined eight goals against Belgium, taking the figure to $16,000 for the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal with next weekend’s two double headers against Great Britain to come. Over $600 was also raised through spectator donations across last weekend’s two match days.

Prior to the matches with Belgium, Hockeyroo Kalindi Commerford pledged $50 for every goal scored by all four teams (men’s and women’s) and $100 for each goal she scored across the weekend.

Commerford will donate $1,750 out of her own pocket, while a number of her Hockeyroos teammates have also contributed over $100 each to the Treading Lightly Inc Milton Ulladulla Region Bushfire Appeal.

Furthermore, across the three weeks of the Australian Indoor Hockey Festival, a grand total of $5,436.85 was raised for bushfire and drought relief.

These funds came from amounts donated by teams who won the Play the Whistle Awards in each age group, team donations (Queensland’s combined state teams donated $1,800 over the course of the festival), along with donations from spectators.

Australian hockey legend Jamie Dwyer managed to raise $11,000 to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal after offering to give away his Rio Olympics playing shirt and hockey stick as incentive for people to donate.

Then there is the $5,000 Hockey Victoria is donating towards the Victorian Bushfire Appeal, while Hockey ACT are providing support through the #WeAreOne campaign.

“There has been a fantastic response from the hockey community and there is more to come,” said Hockey Australia CEO Matt Favier.

“The funds raised will go to helping the people that need it most as they look to rebuild and recover from the devastating catastrophe of the bushfires.”

“We applaud and sincerely thank everyone who has put their hand in their pockets to donate, particularly those at the Indoor Hockey Festival.

“This shows the strength of the Australian hockey community to come together and contribute to aiding a disaster that has struck many regional communities, including the hockey fraternity in these areas.”

The current total does not include the US$25,000 and signed memorabilia donated by Hockey India plus the other fundraising initiatives of fellow hockey nations including Great Britain whose men’s team are conducting a clinic at Ryde Hockey Club in Sydney tonight to raise funds for the bushfire appeal ahead of this weekend’s FIH Pro League matches in Sydney.

Kookaburras players will also hold a junior coaching clinic prior to the Pro League matches this Saturday and Sunday with proceeds going to the bushfire appeal.

Details of the fundraising campaigns including how to donate can be found here.

People can still donate to those affected by the bushfires and drought through a host of charity and emergency organisations including the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal, NSW Rural Fire Service, Victorian Country Fire Authority and WIRES Australian Wildlife Rescue Organisation.

Tickets for the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos FIH Pro League matches against Great Britain are available through Ticketek.