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Power Up Kids, Gold Coast (2026)

12/03/2026

Volunteer Recognition | Ormeau Bulldogs AFL Club

Today we want to recognise an incredible volunteer and community leader — Myles Garner, President of the Ormeau Bulldogs Australian Football Club, along with his amazing family.

What Myles and his family do for this club is truly outstanding. The time, energy and care they put into volunteering helps make the Bulldogs a club that is not only successful on the field, but also a place where families feel welcome, kids have fun, and the whole community feels connected.

Through the Power Up Kids & Can We Change Volunteer Reward and Recognition Program, the Bulldogs community selected Myles and his family to receive tickets to the Gold Coast Suns vs Geelong Cats game. Huge shoutout to the Gold Coast Suns for providing each club with these tickets this year . ❤️

What made the night even more special was seeing the Bulldogs Auskick kids selected to play in the halftime game, joining other participating clubs on the field. Moments like this are what community sport is all about.

As we now move into Year Two of our Volunteer Reward and Recognition Program supporting 21 junior AFL clubs, it has been a privilege working with passionate leaders like Myles.

Earlier this year, when presenting Outside the Locker Room Mental Health bin to the Ormeau Bulldogs, Myles selected Friends With Dignity as the club’s charity partner for 2026 for this program .

This means the Ormeau Bulldogs will be the first club this year to activate our charity feature, with the Outside The Locker Room Essential Item Bin transforming into a Friends with Dignity collection for the entire month of April, supporting their PJ Essential Item Drive.

This is community sport at its best — clubs supporting charities, volunteers supporting families, and everyone coming together to make a difference.

Thank you Myles and his family , also thank you to the entire Ormeau Bulldogs community for the incredible work you do.

Because without volunteers, there is no community sport. 💙💛

11/03/2026

Sometimes the most important decisions a football club makes…
have nothing to do with football.

Tonight we had the opportunity to visit the Tweed Coolangatta Junior AFL Club, where the entire club has thrown their support behind the Outside the Locker Room Mental Health Essential Item Bin as part of the Power Up Kids & Can We Change initiative.

A huge thank you to President Thomas Loy for welcoming us and supporting the program, and a special thank you to Darren Boucher – Women’s Football Operations (Vice President) for helping organise everything and working together to make this happen.

What made the evening even more meaningful was hearing about the charity the club has chosen to support for their mid-season collection in May.

That charity is RizeUp Australia.

RizeUp Australia, led locally by Nicole Edwards, does incredible work supporting women and children escaping domestic and family violence. Their mission is about more than just providing items — it’s about helping families rebuild their lives, regain independence, and know their community stands beside them.

What Nicole and the team are doing is truly powerful. For families experiencing domestic violence, the support of their community and access to essential items can often be the first step toward rebuilding a safe and stable life.

This is where the club’s bin will play its role across the season.

At the start of the year, the bin collects spare club gear and sporting items so families within the club who may be doing it tough can still keep their kids involved in sport.

In May, the bin will switch to its mid-season collection supporting RizeUp Australia, helping gather essential items for families experiencing domestic violence.

Then later in the year, the same bin will become a Christmas collection, gathering gifts and essential items for children and families doing it tough across the Tweed Heads and Coolangatta communities.

One club.
One bin.
Three opportunities throughout the year for the community to step up and support those who need it most.

Thank you again to everyone at the Coolangatta Tweed AFL Club for getting behind this initiative and choosing such an important cause to support.

Because sometimes the biggest impact a football club can make…
is within the community around it.

09/03/2026

The Ballina Bombers Junior AFL Club were one of the first clubs to kick off the Power Up Kids & Can We Change Volunteer Reward and Recognition Program for 2026, and it has been fantastic to see the club getting behind the initiative.

Through our partnership with the Gold Coast Suns, four tickets were provided so the club could recognise members of their community who give so much to grassroots football.

Those tickets were presented to Cole and his family.

Cole has been a Ballina Bombers AFC player for many seasons now, playing his football from Under 9s right through to Under 15s this year. His enjoyment of the game is there for everyone to see every time he runs onto the field. Over the years he has become a rock in his team’s defence and someone his teammates can always rely on.

His commitment to the club says everything about him as a player. Even after his family moved across the border, Cole still wanted to stay loyal to the Ballina Bombers and continue playing with the club.

Behind every young player is a family supporting them, and Cole’s mum Shannon has been just as committed to the Bombers.

Shannon has been involved with the club for many years, serving on the committee as treasurer, and over the past two seasons has also volunteered as the club’s official timekeeper — a role that is incredibly important on game day and helps keep everything running smoothly.

Families like this are what make community clubs so special.

Over the next couple of weeks the Ballina Bombers will also be receiving their Outside the Locker Room Essential Item Bin, supporting mental health awareness in community sport.

For their mid-season charity selection, the club has chosen Northern Rivers Animal Services Inc - NRAS, with the club community set to come together to collect essential items to support the incredible work they do caring for animals across the Northern Rivers.

This is what the program is all about — recognising the people who make community sport possible while also giving clubs the opportunity to support causes that matter to their local community.

We are incredibly proud to see clubs like the Ballina Bombers leading the way.

Because without volunteers, families, and community spirit, grassroots sport simply doesn’t exist.

Huge thank you to Darren, your leadership as president is what all clubs look for . 👌

07/03/2026

Celebrating Incredible Women This International Women’s Day ❤️

Inclusion in sport is one of the most powerful things a community can create.
Today we recognise two incredible women who are doing powerful work to champion inclusion in sport.

A huge thank you to Wendy Marshall and the incredible Community Team at the Gold Coast Suns for providing special community seats so we can recognise these amazing women who are making a real difference.

The first two we celebrate today are a mother and daughter powerhouse — Kyra and Izzy.

Kyra Sanford is the Inclusion Team Manager at the Carrara Saints FC AFL Club, helping lead the only on-field AFL Inclusion Team on the Gold Coast.

But Kyra is so much more than a team manager.

She is a proud neurospicy woman, a devoted wife and mother of two incredible children living with disability, an Early Childhood Mentor at Birdwings Forest School, an Occupational Therapy student, and a passionate advocate for joy, inclusion and whimsy in the world.

Through her work with the Carrara Saints Inclusion Team, Kyra helps create a space where AFL truly belongs to everyone.

A place where people living with disability are not just invited to play — they are celebrated as vital members of the club family.

At Carrara Saints, community always comes first.
Players are supported, friendships are formed, confidence grows, and every individual is reminded that they matter.

As the only AFL Inclusion team on the Gold Coast, the club carries both pride and responsibility — nurturing players both physically and mentally while building resilience, confidence and lifelong connection.

At the heart of it all is a powerful belief:

Different — Not Less.

Because every person brings something unique, and together those differences make our community stronger.

And this is where Izzy’s story shines just as brightly.

Izzy, who lives with disability, is not only a valued member of the Carrara Saints Inclusion Team — she also steps up as the Assistant Coach, helping guide and support her teammates both on and off the field.

That leadership shows exactly what true inclusion looks like.

Kyra and Izzy represent everything that is beautiful about grassroots sport and community — love, commitment, and the belief that everyone deserves a place to belong.

Today we celebrate you.

Happy International Women’s Day.❤️

07/03/2026

This morning we had the privilege of setting up the next charity for the The Helensvale Farmers Market march charity collection, and we are incredibly proud to be supporting Set Free Care.

For those who may not know their story, Set Free Care is a Gold Coast charity based in Southport that provides a safe and welcoming place for people doing it tough in our community. Their community hub offers things many of us take for granted — warm meals, showers, food support, and a place where people are treated with dignity and respect. It’s a place where vulnerable people can connect with support services and caring volunteers who genuinely want to help them move forward.

Every week they open their doors to people experiencing hardship, homelessness, or simply needing a helping hand. For many, it becomes a lifeline — a place where they are known, welcomed and supported during difficult times.

Throughout March, The Helensvale Farmer Markets community will be collecting essential items and non-perishable goods that will go directly to supporting the people who walk through the doors of Set Free Care.

While setting up the collection this morning, we also had the chance to catch up with Mark Boothman MP, Theodore , who represents the local area. It was great to share the vision of the program with him and talk about the impact these collections are having across the community. We’re looking forward to working together and exploring ways to extend this initiative into more locations in the future.

Community is built through small acts of kindness.
A tin of food. A packet of noodles. A simple donation.

Together, these small things become something powerful.

Thank you to the The Helensvale Farmer Markets community for always showing up with big hearts.

Supporting communities. Supporting people

07/03/2026

Last night we had the privilege of attending the season opening match between the Gold Coast Suns and the Geelong Cats, and what an incredible way to launch something very special for the year ahead.

It marked the official start of the Power Up Kids & Can We Change Volunteer Reward and Recognition Program for the 2026 Junior AFL Season.

This program will support 22 junior AFL clubs across the Gold Coast and Northern Rivers, along with welcoming our newest club, the Jimboomba Redbacks AFC , into the initiative.

A huge thank you must go to the Gold Coast Suns.
Everyone sees the incredible talent on the field, but what continues to stand out is the work happening behind the scenes. The Suns are a club that genuinely supports their staff, players, supporters, and most importantly their community.

Programs like Gold Coast Connect2Home show what real leadership from a professional sporting club looks like.

Through their community commitment, the Suns have generously donated 88 reserved tickets across their home games this season. These tickets will be distributed across participating junior clubs so that Club Presidents can recognise volunteers who keep grassroots AFL running every week.

Because without volunteers, there is no community sport.

We would also like to thank Outside the Locker Room for partnering with us to deliver the Essential Mental Health Bin Program inside clubs this year.

This program brings three important elements into every participating club:

1 • Supporting families within clubs through the collection of spare sporting gear and club items for players who may be doing it tough.

2 • Mid-season charity collections where each club selects a charity to support, and we design a collection program based on exactly what those charities need most.

3 • A Christmas community initiative where clubs help collect toys and gifts for children across the Gold Coast and Northern Rivers who may otherwise go without.

But most importantly the QR codes on the side of the bins give acccess and resources around mental health at anytime and for everyone .

Another enormous thank you goes to the Kollosche Community Fund.

Their support has helped bring this program forward faster and to more clubs, creating even greater impact for communities and charities across our region.

Last night also marked the first volunteers recognised through the program, with Ballina Bombers Junior AFL Club and the Ormeau Bulldogs Australian Football Club receiving the first tickets to honour their incredible volunteers.

We’ll be sharing the stories of these amazing volunteers in a follow-up post.

This is only the beginning, and we’re proud to be building something that supports kids, volunteers, clubs, and charities right across our community.

06/03/2026

A New Permanent Collection Point for the Nerang Community ❤️

We’re proud to share that Nerang now has a permanent collection point supporting the incredible work of the Nerang Neighbourhood Centre.

Thanks to the generous support of Meaghan Scanlon MP, we now have a permanent Essential Items collection spot located inside her Nerang electorate office. This will allow the community to continuously support local people and families doing it tough.

The Nerang Neighbourhood Centre does incredible work every day helping people across our community who need a little extra support. With this new permanent location, anyone in the community can now easily drop off essential items that will go directly to people who need them most.

🧡 How you can help:
Take a look at the list of essential items on the attached photo and consider dropping something off next time you’re nearby.

Every item donated goes straight back into helping our local Nerang community.

A huge thank you to Meaghan Scanlon MP for opening her office to support this initiative and for continuing to stand beside the Nerang community.

Together, small acts of kindness create big change.

05/03/2026

Tonight I had the pleasure of presenting the Outside the Locker Room Mental Health Program at Robina Roos Australian Rules Football Club.

It was fantastic meeting Kate Gunn, the club’s Secretary, and Micheal Zorko, the Junior President — two incredible people who clearly care deeply about their club and the community around them.

The Outside the Locker Room program is all about creating stronger conversations around mental health within sporting clubs. Community sport plays such an important role in bringing people together, and programs like this help clubs support not just their players, but their families and wider community as well.

As part of the program, clubs run a collection of club gear throughout the season, helping ensure that players and families within the club who may be doing it tough can still participate and feel part of their team.

Any collected gear will first go back into the club to support members and families who need it most. Then at the end of the season, any remaining items will be donated to support others in need.

The Robina Roos have chosen Boots for one & all community as their mid-season charity, which is a fantastic choice.

Boots for One & All Community does incredible work supporting Indigenous kids in remote communities across Australia by providing donated sporting gear and equipment so children have the opportunity to participate in sport. Access to sport builds confidence, connection and wellbeing, and this charity works to remove the barriers many young people face when trying to access sport.

The remaining 21 junior AFL clubs involved in the program will also be asked to support this initiative, and at the end of the season any leftover gear collected across the clubs will be donated to help Indigenous kids across Australia enjoy the great game of AFL.

But the generosity doesn’t stop there.

The Robina Roos have also committed to running an end-of-season Christmas collection, helping provide gifts for less fortunate kids and families across the Gold Coast.

This is what community sport is really about — looking after your own, supporting others, and using the power of sport to create real change.

Another incredible club stepping up for their community.

04/03/2026

Presentation at Pac Power AFL Club

Great to present the Outside the Locker Room mental health Essential Item Bin, created through Power Up Kids and Can We Change, to Pacific Pines Australian Football Club alongside President Robby Comfort and Secretary Tiana Gillies.

This initiative is designed to turn local sporting clubs into places of real community impact and easy access to Mental Health support .

At the start of the season, the bin is used to collect pre-loved sporting gear, boots, clothing and equipment, helping families within the club who might be doing it a little tough and ensuring kids can continue to play the game they love.

Then at mid-season, the lid of the bin is swapped over to support a community collection, where the club usually selects a charity or cause and the entire club gets behind collecting essential items for people in need.

However, during the presentation something really special came up.

Instead of selecting a charity for their mid-season collection, Robby suggested we take a slightly different path — one that reflects the true spirit of a club looking after its own.

Out of respect for those involved , we’ll speak more about this further down the track.

I’ll be working closely with Robby to help bring this to life for the club and I truly believe it will be something incredibly heartfelt.

Because grassroots sport isn’t just about the game.

It’s about people.
It’s about community.
And sometimes it’s about standing beside someone when they need it most.

Proud to be working alongside Pac Power AFL Club.

02/03/2026

A COMMUNITY STEPPING UP — BEENLEIGH LEADING THE WAY 💙

Today something special happened.

Through our partnership with Outside the Locker Room, we are proud to present the Beenleigh Australian Rules Football Club - Juniors with their very own Mental Health Essential Item Bin — a program designed not just to support mental health, but to wrap around the entire club and community.

I had the pleasure of presenting the bin to Tim Ebbstien, General Manager, of Club Beenleigh and Tiana Furminger, the new Beenleigh buffalo Junior AFL President — and you can already feel the passion and care they have for their club and community.

This bin will help collect sporting gear that goes straight back into the club — supporting families and players doing it tough, making sure no one misses out.

The club is currently choosing their mid-season charity, with three incredible organisations being considered — and we cannot wait to stand beside them as they make that decision and drive real impact where it’s needed most.

What happened next was amazing , Club Beenleigh have made the powerful decision to sponsor this program across:
• AFL
• Cricket
• Tennis
• Pickleball

Creating a true community hub of support — four sports, four charities, one united mission.

This means more reach.
More support.
More lives impacted.

This is what community leadership looks like…
Also In an incredible show of belief in what we’re building, Club Beenleigh has also committed to rolling out our Can We Change recycling program across the club.

Every bottle. Every can.
Turned into funding for community programs.

This is more than recycling — this is sustainable impact funding, and it will play a huge role in helping us continue to deliver these programs where they’re needed most.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Clubs like Beenleigh are the heartbeat of their community.

They’re not just places where sport is played — they’re where:
• Kids feel safe
• Families find support
• People connect
• And communities grow stronger together

By stepping into this program, Club Beenleigh is saying:

“We see our people. We support our people. We stand together.”

And that matters more than ever.

We are incredibly grateful to stand alongside Club Beenleigh as they continue to show what real community leadership looks like.

This is how change happens.
This is how communities grow stronger

28/02/2026

Supporting Claude 'The Mowerman' Harvey Journey to $3 Million for Bravehearts

Every now and then…
you stop and make time for someone who’s earned it.

With everything going on at the moment,
this one meant a lot to me.

Because it’s not about scale…
it’s about the person.
Claude “The Mowerman” Harvey has raised over $2.1 million for Bravehearts.

Let that sink in.

$2.1 million… from one man showing up,
week after week, for a cause he believes in.

A cause that works every day to protect children,
educate communities,
and support those impacted by abuse.

But what people don’t always see…
is what Claude — carries to make that happen.

The signs.
The bucket.
The setup.
The message.

Every time.

So I wanted to create something that simply made it easier for him.

We’ve built Claude his own personalised donation bin —
designed around how he actually fundraises.

✔ Large QR codes on the side and lid — so people can instantly scan and donate
✔ Built-in donation system — no more holding buckets all day
✔ Clear messaging — helping drive toward the next goal of $3 million for Bravehearts
✔ His story on display — showing the $2.1 million he’s already raised

It doesn’t change what Claude does…

It just supports it.

Because if we make it easier for people to donate,
more people will support the incredible work Bravehearts does every day —
protecting kids and strengthening our communities.

And if this helps in any small way…

That $2.1 million becomes $3 million.

Well done Claude 👏

Let’s get you to $3 million.

28/02/2026

Another permanent location ❤️The Robina Farmers Market x Rosie’s Friends On The Street

Another step forward for the community 💛

We’re proud to announce that Robina Farmers Market is now coming on board as a new collection location… Starting tomorrow .

Supporting Rosies - Friends On The Street for the entire month of March.

After the incredible success at The Helensvale Farmers Market —
supporting Havafeed Relief and Baby Give Back

it’s amazing to see this model continue to grow.

Robina Farmers Market stepping up means:

✔ More essential items collected
✔ More people supported across the Gold Coast
✔ More visibility for charities doing incredible work on the ground

This is how real community change happens…

Local markets.
Local people.
Supporting local charities.

A big thank you to The Robina Farmers Market for getting behind this initiative
and helping make a difference where it’s needed most.

Power Up Kids

12/03/2026

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