PORT Kembla Blacks captain/coach and Fijian rugby league International James Storer is doing all he can to help the less fortunate back in his homeland.
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Due to unfortunate events, such as cyclone Winston more than a year ago, areas including Raa and Vanua Levu have been struggling and Storer is doing all he can to help.
On these particular islands, most of the men and children play rugby league barefoot but Storer wants that all to change.
”At this Friday night’s Indigenous All-Stars match at Corrimal’s Ziems Park, we are asking people to donate any old boots or training gear to the people back over in Fiji,” Storer said.
“We have already had a great response, with many clubs jumping on board and getting behind this initiative and we are hoping to get more donations on Friday.
“If people can leave any donations at the canteen at the ground, that would be great, as that’s where I’ll collect it from.
“I can’t thank everyone enough for the generosity – it’s been overwhelming.”
Following this match, Storer intends to head back to Fiji, before the start of the Group 7 season and deliver all the gear to the people of his homeland.
“The NRL have been generous enough to donate us some room in their containers heading over, to ensure all the gear get over there,” he said.
“Places such as Raa, which were hit the hardest are still without power and living in tents – which is unfortunate.
“But my contacts over there have already lined up the clubs in Fiji that are most desperate for the gear when it arrives.
“I remember the smiles on the kids last time we went over in January to Raa, which saw us drop over 64 boots from Edmund Rice College – it just meant so much to them and that’s why we are doing it again.
“So when we go back over to Vanua Levu, the six teams on that island, which has just commenced junior rugby league, will be the main beneficiary of this donation.”
Storer intends to make a video documentary of his upcoming trip, so everyone that donates can see where their boots and training equipment are actually going.
“It’s remote areas like this that need the most help and unfortunately, they very rarely receive it,” he said.
“Which makes it even more important that we continue to do initiatives like this in the future.”