Toyota Good for Footy in 2009

Toyota officially launched the 2009 Toyota Good for Footy Program right before the big ANZAC Day blockbuster match between Collingwood and Essendon at the MCG last Saturday, 25 April.

The three-minute piece broadcast pre-match on Network Ten, recognised Toyota’s broader commitment to fostering grassroots football and supporting local communities via the Toyota Good for Footy Program, sending former Collingwood and Essendon stars to the bushfire-affected Traralgon area to lift the spirits of many of those affected by the Black Saturday fires.

Ex-Collingwood player Brodie Holland joined ex-Essendon greats Adam Ramanauskas, John Barnes and ex-Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy in Traralgon last Tuesday to meet and greet students from Traralgon South Primary School and Gormandale Primary School; identified by Wights Toyota in Traralgon as examples of schools affected by the tragedy.    

Arriving on the Toyota All Star Footy Tour bus, the AFL greats were greeted by Wights Toyota’s Gary Shannahan and Richard Wright, as well as the local Traralgon South CFA volunteers, who took the group to witness first-hand the destruction left by the Black Saturday fires.

On their return, the group put the students through their paces with an AFL coaching-clinic courtesy of Sheedy and a game of kick-to-kick and handball with Ramanauskas, Barnes and Holland. Wights Toyota’s Shannahan and Wright also put on a sausage sizzle for parents, students and teachers involved in the day.

Three AFL jumpers and four Sherrin footballs were signed by the stars in attendance and presented to the two schools, the local CFA and Bushfire Relief Centre.

“Meeting the incredibly brave people who gave it their all throughout those horrific weeks in February makes me feel proud that I was able to give them something small in return via Toyota’s Good for Footy Program,” said Ramanauskas.

“It was just a great feeling to connect with these locals and to reiterate the importance of community, especially in our current trying times.”

Gary Shannahan, Dealer Principal of Wights Toyota, agrees.

“To put a smile back on the kids’ faces after some of the toughest weeks they will ever experience, was fantastic. Wights Toyota was proud to be part of such a special day.”

Toyota’s Good for Footy Program fosters relationships between Dealers and their local communities, enabling them to provide opportunities around our game at the grassroots level.

More than 50 Toyota Dealerships in Victoria, Tasmania and Southern New South Wales have partnered with over 130 grassroots clubs as part of the Toyota Good for Footy Program to help improve grounds, fund renovations of club rooms and purchase equipment, uniforms and medical supplies. The 2009 Program will again provide clubs with this support.

Since 2005, Toyota’s Good for Footy donations have surpassed the $1 million milestone. Toyota and its Victorian, Southern New South Wales and Tasmanian dealers have also announced a further $1 million to be committed to grassroots football from 2009 until 2011. This financial aid will provide vital support for footy clubs, especially in the current economic environment where sponsorship is scarce.

The Toyota Good for Footy Program illustrates Toyota’s passion towards making a positive difference to grassroots football and local community.

Please visit www.toyota.com.au/afl for more information on the Toyota Good for Footy Program.