Brisbane Lions Captain Jonathan Brown has dedicated the team's 2011 season to the resilience and inspiration shown by Queenslanders in the face of the adversity this past month.
Brown was today joined by Senior Coach Michael Voss in officially launching the Club's 'Queensland Spirit' guernsey on the first day of the Lions' Community Camp in Toowoomba.
The one-off guernsey will be worn by the Lions in the first round of the NAB Cup, next Friday 18 February, before being auctioned, with all money raised to be directed to disaster relief.
Brown said that the guernsey was a by-product of the inspirational attitude and mateship that Queenslanders have shown over the past month.
"The jumper is titled 'Queensland Spirit,' and that's what it represents - the great spirit that Queensland is renowned for," Brown said.
"This will be an ongoing thing for us. The floods and cyclone may be over, but we still have a huge task ahead of us in the cleanup and recovery which will take months and years."
"We are just trying to do our bit like all Queenslanders."
Voss added that this one-off guernsey was something that was extremely important to the Club.
"Our guernsey has always had a prominent focus on the Lion and this is something that we hold dear as a Club, but something that we place an equal emphasis on is our community spirit," Voss said.
"The tragedies that Queensland and Australia have endured this past month have had an effect on all of us and hopefully this jumper will go a long way towards helping out."
Following a request from the playing group to do more for flood and cyclone relief, the Lions engaged Queensland-based sportswear company and apparel partner KooGa to create the unique set of guernseys.
The full set of guernseys will be auctioned on the Brisbane Lions website (www.lions.com.au) from Monday 14 February, in an effort to raise much-needed funds for disaster relief following the devastating floods in south-east Queensland, and the trail of destruction left by Cyclone Yasi in far-north Queensland.
The auction will run through the week of the 14th - 20th and conclude on Monday 21 February.
In addition, a $500 donation to disaster relief will give 50 lucky supporters the opportunity to have their photograph taken with the entire active playing list, all in full 'Queensland Spirit' kit, and Voss, with all proceeds to be donated back to the community.
The photographs will be signed by both Brown and Voss and interested parties are urged to contact the Club on 07 3335 1733 or email spetersen@lions.com.au
A date for the photograph will be scheduled and communicated to interested parties once a date is finalised around the team's NAB Cup training schedule.
In total, the Brisbane Lions hope to raise, either directly or indirectly, $200,000 for disaster relief while providing active and ongoing assistance in the community.
Lions staff and players have spent a great deal of time lending a hand in the community by visiting evacuation centres, donating useful items and supplies to affected areas, while also assisting with the substantial cleanup.
The Club donated $20,000 to the Premier's Flood Relief Appeal as part of the AFL's overall $500,000 donation, have distributed 100 signed guernseys to be used in fundraising in partnership with Major Sponsor Conergy, and have donated corporate boxes to Junior Australian Rules Clubs devastated by the floods to auction off to raise recovery funds.
The NAB Cup event will be dedicated to the AFL's - and the Lions' - response to the flood and cyclone disasters across Queensland and other parts of Australia.
In addition to the matches, the NAB Cup festivities will include a nine-a-side Legends and Celebrities match, and 15% of all gate receipts from the first round's matches will be going towards supporting those football communities affected by floods.
The Brisbane Lions will remain in Toowoomba until Friday afternoon as part of the 2011 Telstra AFL Community Camps.
FEATURES OF THE 'QUEENSLAND SPIRIT' GUERNSEY
The front features a map of the state of Queensland overlayed with a Southern Cross to represent the rest of Australia and the full extent of the number of people this tragedy has touched.
The traditional Brisbane Lions maroon and gold are the foundation of the guernsey, with the words 'Queensland Spirit' written below the AFL badge and watermarked throughout the rest of the guernsey.
The guernsey also features the traditional Fitzroy lion on the back with the acronym BBFFC
by lions.com.au
Photo: Lions captain Jonathan Brown with the QLD Spirit with coach Michael Voss, as Mayor Peter Taylor poses in a signed Lions jersey.
Last Modified on 19/03/2011 17:11
