“Sincere generosity” sees North Heidelberg among nation’s top fundraisers again
In the Good for Footy campaign, North Heidelberg has raised more money than any other club in the state thanks to the "sincere generosity" of its players and fans.
North Heidelberg's "sincere generosity" among its players and fans has helped the club place among the top fundraisers in the Toyota Good for Footy raffle for the second year running.
The Bulldogs had raised $22,250, good for second place among the more than 700 participating clubs across Australia as of Thursday.
In 2020, the Northern League club placed third in the nation, while in 2021 and 2022, they placed second.
The only team in Queensland to raise more this season is the Sherwood Magpies.
Warren Haysom, president of North Heidelberg, said the players were the driving force behind the accomplishment.
We started and kept above the $20,000 level in 2020, the COVID year, and we're really pleased with that, he said.
We were worried it would drop this year with everything going on at the club, but attendance has remained steady.
It's a mix of factors, but players have had a big impact in recent years.
We've made it standard practice over the past few years to provide our playing representatives (both football and netball) with an inside look at how we run things, so they have a firm grasp on how clubs function.
It's great that our members contribute and that we also have friends and family who aren't regular gamegoers but who continue to support us year after year.
"It's genuine kindness on the part of a number of folks at the club's various levels."
Five Victorian clubs, including North Heidelberg, occupy the top ten: VAFA's Old Melburnians, the Outer East's Olinda Ferny Creek and Woori Yallock, and West Gippsland's Warragul Industrials.
All of the over a million dollars that have been raised will be returned to the respective teams.
The deadline for entries is September 18, and the winner will be announced on September 22.
The Bulldogs have used the money they've raised to upgrade their facility on Shelley Street.
Haysom explained that the pavilion expansion was prioritised when the team first considered what needed to be improved in 2020.
We have funding from the federal government that should see that through to completion by 2026.
"Most obviously, illumination, which has been put in place this season with the help of Banyule Council, and secondly, ground enhancement.
The old saying goes that Rome wasn't built in a day, and so that's where we're at in terms of making it a good venue to watch a game of football: "There are a number of projects going on behind the scenes."
In both the senior and reserve grades of the NFNL Division 1, North Heidelberg is still a title contender.
The Bulldogs' Sunday schedule features a minor semi-final matchup against Montmorency in the second game and Banyule in the first.