Thirty VIPs from the St Vincent de Paul Society’s Townsville Men’s Hostel will proudly make the march to Queensland Country Bank Stadium on Sunday to support their Cowboys in person, many for the first time, thanks to Toyota.
It’s the first time Toyota have teamed up with the North Queensland Cowboys as a community partner with the club’s Field of Dreams program, which offers a chance for individuals who may be facing social exclusion or disadvantage to experience the thrill of attending a Cowboys game and see their heroes in action.
Toyota have donated their first allocation of 30 match tickets to the Men’s Hostel, with the benefits to staff and clients reaching far beyond the 80 minutes of rugby league.
St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland’s Coordinator of Housing and Homelessness Townsville, Celie Butler said many of their clients are often experiencing the toughest time of their lives, describing the generous opportunity to attend Sunday’s home game as a “gift”.
“The clients here are so excited, and you can feel it in the air – they are also extremely grateful,” she said.
“The main benefit is that clients feel they are not forgotten and are worthy of this opportunity, (and we) are immensely proud to be able to support and create opportunities for the clients to be able to feel part of the Townsville community.
“The majority of the 30 guys have never been to the stadium and all are NRL fans, and the attending staff member (has) an opportunity to socialise with them as interactions are usually confined to the hostel.”
St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland’s hostel accommodation supports men experiencing or at risk of homelessness, providing temporary accommodation, basic necessities and dedicated onsite support and referral services.
Staff and clients at the Hostel got a special surprise on Thursday when Cowboys second rower Kulikefu Finefeuiaki dropped by with their tickets on behalf of the Cowboys and Toyota.
Toyota proudly joins Field of Dreams partners Southern Cross Austereo, Townsville City Council and Cowboys Leagues Club in each supporting three charities of their choice during the 2024 Cowboys home season.
Cowboys Chief Community and Government Relations Officer Fiona Pelling said annually, the Field of Dreams program allows 360 people a memorable escape from their daily challenges and a chance to enjoy a positive experience away from what they may be going through.
“The Field of Dreams program has been running since 2007, and over the past 17 years we’ve seen the massive difference that a carefree night at the footy can have for someone doing it tough,” she said.
“With the support of our amazing program partners, we’re proud to provide an escape for those in our community facing challenging times, to show them they’re important, they’re supported and to give them a really positive experience.
“We thank Toyota for coming on board as our newest partner of Field of Dreams, and look forward to welcoming the clients and staff joining us from the Men’s Hostel on Sunday afternoon.”
For more information about Field of Dreams, visit cowboys.com.au/field-of-dreams
