Essendon Football Club’s Joe Daniher today made a significant contribution to the community by presenting Neale Daniher with a $5,000 cheque for the Cure for MND Foundation, on behalf of the Bombers’ playing group.
As part of the AFL Players Association’s new initiative – AFL Players Care, all players across the league decided at the end of 2014, they would increase their match payments charity contributions from $25 to $50 per match.
$25 of this is still contributed to the AFLPA’s Official Charity, Ladder, to help combat youth homelessness, and the remaining is now contributed to the AFL Players Care Fund.
With $10,000 per club per season provided from this fund to the players of each club to pass on to a charity or two of their choice, the Bombers rallied around past player, Club Legend and Uncle to Joe Daniher, Neale Daniher in his fight against MND.
Led by the Club’s AFLPA delegates, James Polkinghorne and Orazio Fantasia, the players said the ability to support programs and charities with a genuine connection and meaning to them was a wonderful initiative by the AFLPA.
“It’s great that we can have a say in how our match payment charity contribution is used,” Fantasia said.
“We voted as a playing group on which charities we wanted to donate our additional funds to and it was a unanimous decision to support Neale Daniher and his work with the Cure for MND Foundation.”
“He has done a lot for our Club and particularly with his strong connection as part of Joe’s family we wanted to show our support for him and the great work he is doing.”
Joe Daniher said he was honoured to have the boys’ support for a cause so close to his heart.
“I’m really proud to be able to present this donation to Neale in his battle against MND,” Daniher said.
“I hope that it can make a difference and contribute to necessary research for the foundation to find a cure!”
Neale Daniher said he was overwhelmed by the Essendon players’ generosity and support for him and the foundation.
“Every dollar counts and this donation is vital to help us shut the MND revolving door,” Daniher said.
“There’s still a lot of work to be done, but I am very thankful to the Essendon players for their support as we continue to fight the beast.”
The Bombers still have a $5,000 donation to be made which will be delivered in the coming months.
In support of the Cure for MND Foundation, The Big Freeze at the ‘G is on again on Monday 13 June.
For more information or to donate, head to; https://freezemnd.com
