WHEN all is said and done, the football family in the Geelong region is an amazing one – and a benevolent one at that! In the past month alone, there have been no fewer than four various acts of charity that different clubs – or club personnel – in the region have been involved with.

The latest case of Geelong’s football clubs and/or their members undertaking acts of benevolence is a particularly touching one, illustrating the true beauty and international connection that only ‘the world game’ is capable of...

Geelong Rangers were recently asked to donate any old/unused junior soccer tops to a small community in Viqueque, East Timor.

Attached to this article is the most fantastic photo of the kids in one of the famous dark blue Rangers strips. If one looks carefully, kids can be seen running around in the background with other Rangers tops on.

According to a post on the Rangers Juniors official Facebook page, the club has been informed that the kids were so excited to receive and wear the tops.

“This will now enable them to play matches, one soccer community supporting another. Thank you to Clare Etherington for asking Geelong Rangers to support these kids,” writes the Facebook page

According to organiser Clare Etherington, it was a very emotional experience for both her husband Keiran and herself.

“(It was great) to see the children smiling, especially in this day and age when a soccer top can make such a difference,” she said in one of her comments to the post.

“A huge ‘thank you’ to Geelong Rangers for donating up to 90 tops! And a massive ‘thank you’ to Louise McCloskey for making this dream possible. Thanks guys” concluded Clare Etherington.

Well done to Clare, Louise, Lyn Toll (who helped Louise gather the tops), the Rangers Soccer Club and everyone else involved in this wonderful act of charity!