North Queensland Toyota Cowboys club legends Matthew Bowen and Brent Tate headline a club delegation to Mackay on Monday where they will 'blitz' four schools, spreading the healthy living, healthy eating, healthy being message.
The visit will be held in conjunction with North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation, who have recently joined the Cowboys as a Community Partner.
As part of the visit, the Cowboys and NQBP will visit four Mackay Schools – St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Beaconsfield State School, Andergrove State School and MacKillop Catholic Primary School – on Monday 21 November, with Matthew and Brent speaking to students and helping out in the classroom.
The 'Bulk Ports Blitz' will continue in the 2017 season with visits to Weipa, Bowen and Mackay, where the former Cowboys players will hold coaching sessions for local children.
North Queensland Bulk Ports operate four sea ports along the North Queensland coast – in Weipa, Bowen, Mackay and Hay Point.
“We are absolutely thrilled North Queensland Bulk Ports have partnered with us in the community space,” said Cowboys CEO Greg Tonner, who will be guest speaker at a stakeholder event at the Mackay Surf Life Saving Club on Monday night where he will outline the partnership.
“North Queensland Bulk Ports are very active in the communities within which they operate, and for us, this partnership is a perfect fit as we’ll work within the very institutions that lie at the heart of NQ communities: our schools.
“If we can work together to help get students to stay engaged in learning and to stay healthy, we’re a big part of the way to creating vibrant, caring communities.”
Activities at the four schools will include talks from the Cowboys duo on teamwork and the importance of school attendance, games of touch and writing activities.
Brent Tate said the regional nature of the partnership presented a golden opportunity to connect with students in the Cowboys’ footprint living outside of the team’s Townsville headquarters.
“We are so proud that we represent a region, not just a city, and Mango and I can’t wait to get up to Weipa and Bowen, and back to Mackay, to share our love of rugby league and learning with the students.”
Bowen played 270 games for the Cowboys over a dazzling 13-year career.
He was made the club’s third life member and currently works as the club’s community engagement officer.
Tate was a proud Cowboy for four seasons (2011-2014), playing 67 games in the blue-and-grey before retiring from professional rugby league.
He currently works in the corporate sector at the club, while also doing ambassador work.
