The record has been broken again!
Fremantle’s members and supporters have raised $300,000 from the 2021 Starlight Purple Haze Game, presented by South32, bringing the grand total of money raised past the $2 million mark.
Since 2003, more than $2.1 million has now been raised for the Starlight Childrens Foundation to help support seriously ill children and their families.
As well as the fundraising from Fremantle members and supporters on the day and via the jumper auction, Fremantle once against received significant donations from the Dowson family, The Sirens and Selby Lee-Steere.
South32, who have partnered with the Starlight Childrens Foundation since 2019, also contributed $50,000 to the fundraising efforts.
With the total initially short of the $300,000 milestone, one final donor stepped up to add a little over $3000 to get the final total to the rounded figure.
Fremantle president Dale Alcock said the total has added meaning with the 2021 Starlight Purple Haze Game paying tribute to Fremantle super-fan Milli Lucas, who passed away earlier this year after a long battle with cancer at the age of 14.
“I am proud to announce that our 2021 Purple Haze donation to the Starlight Children’s Foundation is $300,000, thanks in part to one final donor who couldn’t handle us falling slightly short of a big milestone,” Alcock said.
“That is an enormous effort from everyone - including our fundraising partner South32.
“It takes our grand total raised since the first game back in 2003 to $2,108,340.
“A lot of thanks has to go to our very generous members and supporters for pledging and to everyone that took part in the Milli Tribute Jumper auction.
“Well Done Purple Army – we can’t wait to do it all again next year as we continue to brighten the lives of seriously ill children and their families.”
For 13 years the Dowson family have been holding their now-famous fundraiser for Starlight in Kalgoorlie, with the City once against throwing their support behind their initiate.
The Sirens continue to be the club’s most generous coterie group when it comes to their support of Starlight, again giving generously in 2021.
Selby Lee-Steere is most famous in the AFL Fantasy community, as the winner of the competition in 2017 and 2018 with his team Moreira’s Magic.
These days, Selby puts his efforts into helping those who play the game, with a pergentage of money raised from memberships to his website moreirasmagic.com.augoing straight to Starlight.
Starlight's state partnerships manager Cath Petsos said the organisation was thrilled to continue their work with Fremantle.
“At Starlight Children’s Foundation we are grateful beyond words to the Fremantle Dockers Football Club, for their commitment in seeing Starlight Purple Haze realised in 2021," Petsos said.
"It was a particularly special event this year with the remembrance of Milli Lucas, the Dockers’ community has shone bright achieving a record-breaking fundraising result. It has left no-one questioning the collective efforts of the Freo Dockers’ community, our very special event fundraisers, and event supporter in South32; to help make a difference to sick kids, together.
"More than ever sick kids need a chance to just be kids. Starlight aims to brighten the lives of seriously ill and hospitalised children and young people; because happiness matters. And the result this year ensures thousands of sick children in-hospital will have access to positive distraction, through Starlight programs, when it’s needed the most.
"From all of us at Starlight, the warmest thanks for everyone’s part in the achievement of an incredible result."
