The Footy Almanac is a proud supporter of the wonderful Footys4all Foundation. Their link is here http://www.footys4all.com.au/
After you have read this inspiring story, why not slip a fiver in the plate on your way out. Anyone who backed the Caulfield Cup winner can donate a twenty. If you didn’t have a bet yesterday give the fifty you saved yourself.
Foundation Director Michael Gallus sent us this update:
Here is another example of the world wide reach of the Footys4all Foundation, and why we are all working so hard to provide hope and sporting opportunities to all those children who require them. No matter where they are in the world. A new ball does make a difference as Michael states below. We thank Michael Papenfus for his generous work in delivering these balls to kids in need across Africa. We thank Ross Faulkner and Sth Melbourne FC for their generous donation of balls that allowed Michael to take these new balls overseas. These are his words. Please take the time to read and again be proud of providing hope and sporting opportunities to those children in need, as without your support none of this would be possible and Footys4all thanks you for it.
“Hi Michael
Attached are a few of the many photos we took of kids receiving your footys. We handed out balls to kids throughout our journey through Kenya, Tanzania and also Rwanda.
I really appreciate and now fully understand the value of the work that Footys4All are doing. We witnessed first-hand, the joy in the faces of all of the underprivileged kids that we presented footballs to.
We finished with an amazing and enlightening 4 days in Rwanda. A truly inspiring country where the people have made some incredible strides since the unimaginable horrors of the genocide there in 1994. Despite what they would all have gone through during those dark and dreadful times, their teachers and carers were all so caring, warm hearted and inspiring. Our young guide, Ishmael-picture below in front of the green troop carrier, really brought home the recent violent past. He fled Rwanda with his mother towards the end of the genocide. He lost his older brother during this time but still spoke very candidly and reconciled about what he, his family and country had been through. He was only 7 at the time.
It was a pleasure to assist with your amazing work. Thanks again most sincerely.
Regards
Michael Papenfus”
To the Michael’s: most enjoyable story I have read for ages. Well done. My cheque is in the mail (honestly for a change).
Loved the round ball and the oval ball co-existing in kid’s hands. If the Hutus and Tutsis can live together – so can we.
The kids must get months of joy out of a new ball. Do they get a bike pump and a box of patches also? That African speargrass must be a killer on the Ross Faulkner hide.