Schools band together
Families helped by fundraiser
RIVAL GPS schools have come together in solidarity to raise money to help families whose sons suffered spinal injuries during the season.
Organisers of the Brisbane Boys’ College-led Spirit of Fellowship fundraising drive led initiatives that raised more than $65,000 for these families.
This included $50,000 from a sold-out raffle, and an additional $15,000 from a bake sale, crazy socks day and limitededition GPS 100 cap.
Colleen Bierhoff, whose son Ollie was injured in July when playing for Toowoomba Grammar School, sold 230 raffle tickets, almost one quarter of the 1000 allocated.
Ollie was one of two TGS players who suffered serious neck injuries earlier this year.
BBC Rugby support group president Ben Beard said the activities united all members of the GPS rugby community.
“Our BBC community was incredibly moved by the plight of these young players and swiftly galvanised to rally around them and their families, with the support and encouragement of headmaster Paul Brown,” Mr Beard said.
“What has been even more heart warming is the solidarity shown by other GPS school communities, who joined us to promote and sell caps and raffle tickets at their home games during the season to maximise this fundraising effort.”