Past funding projects

Andy Otten attended the Crows Foundation funded Duke of Edinburgh Awards two-day camp for new immigrants at Victor Harbour over the weekend of 16-17 January 2010.

The injured defender, who is recovering from a knee reconstruction late last year, joined the group of 18 young Africans aged from 14-29 years, who spent the two days kayaking/mountain bike riding and enjoying the local beaches.

The group, who were based at the well know Toc H camp, relished the opportunity to chat to Otten about his blossoming football career and more generally about living in Australia.     

The New Arrivals Initiative (NAI) is designed to empower recently arrived young people from northern Africa and South East Asia through the participation in a locally delivered, locally supported program of activities.

Young people’s participation in the camps such as these, assists in the development of their self-esteem, their integration into the community and development of their leadership qualities through a program of personal discovery.

Until the last decade or so, Cystic Fibrosis was a ‘childhood disease’ since most people with the condition sadly died before the age of 18. However, with advances in treatment including better medications, the (limited) availability of transplants and most importantly a greater emphasis on physical fitness have increased life expectancy dramatically. People born with CF today have a 50:50 chance of seeing their 35th birthday and it is hoped that continued advances in treatment and, perhaps, genetic research will continue this trend. Treating CF is a time consuming and expensive business. 40-60 tablets a day are required to aid digestion, other nebulised drugs to clear the lungs must be taken several times a day, physiotherapy is usually required twice a day (although this can be reduced if a sporting or physical activity is undertaken) and most children with CF will be admitted to hospital 2-4 times a year for a period of around 14 days each time.

The importance of physical exercise in keeping a child with CF healthy cannot be over-stated. All children with CF are encouraged to take part in physical activities including sports such as football, netball and swimming with percussive activities such as trampolining being particularly beneficial. In addition, every child with CF requires physiotherapy related equipment such as PEP masks (Positive Expiratory Pressure – it’s a system designed to assist in clearing mucus from the lungs) and nebulisers (allowing drugs to be taken in a gaseous form).

The Crows Foundation donated $15,000 to Cystic Fibrosis to help subsidise such things as

• Membership or participation fees of a sporting club
• Purchase of related sporting equipment (balls, racquets, bats, uniforms etc)
• Purchase of personal gym or sporting equipment (backyard trampoline, treadmill, exercise bike etc)
• Gym memberships and personal training
• PEP masks, nebulisers and other essential physiotherapy based medical equipment.

The Royal Society for the Blind (RSB) is the primary responsible organisation for people who are blind or vision impaired in South Australia. Services range from adaptive technology, orientation and mobility, RSB Guide Dog Service, counselling, print alternatives, recreation and sport services, low vision clinic, employment and industrial services to name a few. These services are provided by the RSB free of charge.

From an early age children love to read books. This is no different for children who are blind or vision impaired. Each child’s development requires specific learning tools at specific stages. Through book, suited to each stage of development, children develop imagination, creativity and language skills. For a blind or vision impaired child, these skills in the past have been acquired through books recorded onto cassette tapes. This has quickly become an obsolete medium as the world of digital technology has rapidly replaced all forms of recording and playback. This has resulted in limited choices of ‘reading’ material to meet the needs of blind or vision impaired children. The Crows Foundation donation of $5,250 has helped the RSB to purchase 30 digital books to open the world of imagination, adventure, mystery and so much more to all blind and vision impaired children in South Australia.

The Crows Foundation has recently committed $10,000 for three years to The Smith Family to support the delivery of Let’s Read, an early literacy support program designed to encourage parents to read with their young children. This is the single most important activity that parents can do to develop their child’s future ability to read and write. Reading aloud with children also supports their language development, and promotes a parent-child bond that enables parents to relate positively with their child. Let's Read is an initiative of the Centre for Community Child Health, is being implemented across Australia in partnership with The Smith Family.

On the weekend of 21 June 2008, thanks to the Crows Foundation, the Camp Quality family camp was held at Narnu Farm on Hindmarsh Island.  There were 45 guests and volunteers to entertain and support the families throughout the weekend to make it an enjoyable and memorable stay.

Family camps are an important program for Camp Quality as they provide respite for families with children living with cancer as well as giving families with newly diagnosed children, the opportunity to spend time with parents that have been through the rigors of treatment and have children in remission.  It also gives the families time to relax, and the opportunity for the parents to spend time together while Camp Quality entertains all the children.  

The children were kept busy with activities such as horse riding, movie nights, art and craft, games, animal feeding and much more. There was also a massage therapist on site for the parents to enjoy.

The Crows Foundation were pleased to donate $7000 towards funding this camp and were delighted so many children and parents enjoyed their time. Unfortunately the players were interstate, but we were so happy to hear the stories and know the Crows Foundation helped make a few smiles.

Champion Andrew McLeod’s on-field sporting prowess is well documented, but it is his work off the field which has been recognised today.

The 2007 All Australian captain has been awarded the Variety Heart of Football award in front of more than 1000 guests at the annual AFL Variety Great Grand Final Luncheon held at the Crown Palladium in Melbourne.

The award is presented annually to a person in the football fraternity who has continually displayed outstanding commitment to children.

This year the award recognises a current AFL player who has upheld these values. Past recipients have been Paul Dimattina, Glenn Archer and Matthew Richardson.

In making his speech at the Variety luncheon, which is in its 24th year and is a Melbourne grand final week institution, McLeod thanked Variety and said it was a great honour and totally unexpected.

McLeod said he was very reluctant to put his hand up when first nominated.

“Recognition is not why you do this kind of work,” McLeod said.

“There were two factors why I allowed the Club to nominate me.

“Firstly there was some serious persuasion from several people at the club, and secondly an award like this promotes the great work that AFL players do instead of harping on the negatives all the time.

“As AFL players we are in a privileged position where we can do something to help and that can mean little things like putting a smile on a child’s face.

“Making their day often makes my day as well.

“I do it because I enjoy it and it has certainly made me a better person.”

For more than a decade McLeod has dedicated much of his life to brightening the lives of children, not only in Adelaide and South Australia but also interstate.

Whether McLeod is found walking the wards at the local hospitals, addressing troubled young children, or lending his name, image and time to a charity campaign, he is tireless and selfless and has a “never say no” attitude in his commitment to children.

He also has the rare and magnetic quality of being able to connect with children of all ages and from various walks of life.

McLeod never expects or wants anything in return – in fact he often conveys his frustrations that he wishes he could do more.

This year alone McLeod has supported more than a dozen charities including the Variety Kick in 4 Kids radiathon at Radio FIVEaa which raised more than $150,000 for children’s charities.

And the dual Norm Smith medallist has already committed to being the face of the 2008 Kick in 4 Kids campaign.

Much of McLeod’s recent work has been through the Crows Foundation which is the Club’s official charity arm – formed in May 2005 – which has raised more than $250,000 for causes involving children in SA.

Andrew McLeod will received a $2000 cheque from Variety which he donated to the Crows Foundation.