MONTHS on from the devastating fire which destroyed its history-filled clubrooms, Nangwarry Football Netball Club continues to garner strong community support from across the region.
A group of former Nangwarry residents now residing in the Blue Lake city are among the club’s latest fundraisers, holding a raffle to collect money for the Saints’ rebuild.
Now living at St Mary’s Aged Care Facility, Dawn White grew up in Nangwarry from seven years old, before the club was even established.
“When I was young it was just all pine forests,” she said.
“We lived on one side and our friends were on the other so we had a trail through the forest to get to the other side.”
Ms White then saw the club become a community hall and a theatre before finally becoming the sporting club.
An avid Facebook user, Ms White recalled the moment she saw the clubroom engulfed in flames on social media.
With Boandik carer Cindy Crozier, another former Nangwarry resident, Ms White decided she would do all she could to support the club, resulting in the raffle.
Raising more than $500, the fundraiser was deemed as success with the facility’s support praised by the club.
Club secretary Tamara Ploenges said the support provided by the greater Limestone Coast community has been invaluable to the club.
“We are so incredibly grateful for everyone donating their time and money to help us get back on our feet,” she said.
“It could have been easy for us to just throw in the towel after what had happened, but we would lose a vital part of our community if we did.
“It is not just a footy club to us, it’s a community hub.
“We do not have a social club or a pub or anywhere to go without the club, if we were to lose the club there would be nothing left for residents.
“It is so important to us and to have this support from so many people has incredibly heartwarming.”
