Queenscliff club makes a splash for good cause

QUEENSCLIFF Football Netball Club will make a splash next month to demonstrate unity and support for one another, while raising money for an important cause.

The club will take part in Laps for Life, a fundraising challenge where participants swim to help young people experiencing mental health issues. Money raised from the challenge – which runs from March 1-31 – goes to ReachOut, Australia’s leading online mental health organisation for young people and their parents.

The club has a close connection to the cause after being left heartbroken following the suicide of member and good friend Lucas “Nivs” Niven late last year.

“It’s well known we had a young man from the club take his own life last year, so from a club point of view, this challenge is as much about therapy as it is fundraising, and hopefully people get a real sense of self satisfaction and feel that they are doing something and feel good about making a contribution,” president Andrew Conlan said. “The money ends up going to ReachOut, which aims at helping youth through all sorts of mental health issues, so it’s a very worthy cause and relevant to what the club is going through, but also more recently with what we’ve been dealing with.”

Andrew Kidd is the latest member to sign up for the challenge, with a goal to swim 10 kilometres and raise $450. The Coutas hope more of their members, family and friends will sign up over the next few weeks.

“Remember your swimming ability is not the focus, you don’t have to be an Olympic swimmer to participate,” the club said through its Facebook page.

“It doesn’t matter how fast or how many laps you do, you can even walk laps of the pool if you don’t want to swim, it’s about us getting together as a community and supporting one another in this challenge and raising funds and awareness for a cause close to our hearts.

“You can swim solo or with friends if you prefer and we will even try and co-ordinate a couple of team pool sessions through the month and have a bit of fun with relays.”

If you don’t feel you are up to the swim challenge but would like to make a donation that would also be greatly appreciated.

To get yourself started, visit lapsforlife.com.au/join/queenscliffcoutasfootballnetballclub.

For more information, contact Tori Peart at [email protected] or Lisa Peart at [email protected].

If you or someone you know is suffering from a mental illness, help is available. Phone Lifeline on 13 11 14, and visit lifeline.org.au and beyondblue.org.au.