The Starlight Purple Haze week kicked off with a street party on a purple-clad cappuccino strip in Fremantle on Sunday.

Freo take on fellow undefeated side Essendon in a blockbuster Starlight Purple Haze Game this Friday night at Patersons Stadium.

Starlight Ambassadors Aaron Sandilands, Matt de Boer, Chris Mayne, Garrick Ibbotson and Alex Silvagni were on hand to meet a group of Starlight wish children at Gino’s Café, which was just one of a number of businesses on the strip to jump on board and turn purple.

After some coffees and photos, the players each buddied a child and set off with their Starlight tins to ask for donations.

A super-competitive ‘Mayney’ tried to get the jump on his teammates, while Matt de Boer’s young friend Emma grabbed her new friend’s hand as they set off to rattle tins.

Matt also handed Emma her special Starlight Purple Haze jumper that she’ll wear on Friday night when she runs out with the team as the Docker 4 a Day.

He had some words of advice for her, too.

“Just make sure you keep up with ‘Hilly’ (Stephen Hill), he runs out pretty fast,” de Boer said.

De Boer added that Friday’s game would be huge for the club and Starlight.

“It’s the Starlight Purple Haze Game so it will be good to get a sea of purple there and pack out the stadium,” he said.

“Essendon are in great form so we’ll be able to see where we are at.

“It’s great for our fans that we get a Friday night blockbuster.”

Aaron Sandilands was reacquainted with his friend, Ewan, who is wheelchair bound.

The 211cm ‘Sandi’ had to bend over a fair way to push Ewan’s wheelchair, but he didn’t mind one bit as the pair made their way up and down the strip.

“C’mon, lets go big fella,” Sandi had to keep saying to Ewan, who was happy to stop and ask everyone he met for a kind donation.

Sandilands won’t be playing in Friday’ match, but he echoed de Boer’s thoughts that the game was a massive occasion for the club.

“Starlight is an awesome charity and we can’t wait to see all the people bring their purple along,” he said

“The non-playing players will be shaking their tins outside the ground before the game and hopefully we can raise some great money for charity.”

The Starlight ambassadors and Wish children got the fundraising off to a great start on the strip on Sunday, raising $567.65.

Now it’s your turn to get involved. Find out how you can help Starlight here.

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