THE strong Victorian ex-patriate community in Port Douglas is hoping to emulate the success of that state’s Good Friday Appeal.
Port Douglas AFL president Chris Bradsworth said the league had come up with the initiative of supporting the Mossman Hospital Friends of the Foundation, similar to the Good Friday Footy in Victoria.
“The idea originated from two years of thinking and talking about what happens in Victoria, and we want to support our local community,” Mr Bradsworth said. “In Victoria, where Good Friday AFL Football is prominent, the Royal Children’s Hospital Appeal raises millions of dollars, so we thought we would donate a percentage of our gate takings to our local hospital,” he said.
“We think the whole Far North Community will come forward to support this and we see it becoming an annual event supporting the Mossman Hospital.”
Spectators will also get to witness the unfurling of two premiership flags from last season, being both the Seniors and Reserves football sides, which will once again be brought to the grounds by sponsors GBR Helicopters, and also escorted by S & S Trike & Harley Tours.
Mossman Hospital Director of Nursing Peter Le Griffon said the Mossman Hospital Friends of the Foundation were extremely excited about the initiative. “We are part of this community and we know it is extremely supportive of what we’re doing, so we’re very excited about this opportunity to further support our community,” Mr Le Griffon said.
“We know our community is passionate about Health Service and we’d love to see some locals join our Community Advisory Network and the Mossman and Douglas Friends of the Foundation Committee,” he said. The hospital has a long history in the community – with the original hospital built in Port Douglas in 1878. The service was relocated to Mossman in 1930.
One particular focus of the hospital is its aged care provision, as well as emergency care for locals and visitors alike.
*The game will be at the Port Douglas Sporting Complex on Good Friday, March 30 from midday. The Port Douglas Crocs will play the South Cairns Cutters. The seconds hit the ground at 12noon with seniors at 2pm. A local musician, Shannon, will be live from the club at 7pm.
 

WALKING through the rainforest with your friends while fundraising for life saving equipment, is the latest initiative of the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation.
The Audi Arrow Experience will be launched today, with Cairns Hospital director of emergency Dr Richard Stone, Cairns Regional councillor Richie Bates; as well as Foundation fundraising and marketing manager Glenys Duncombe and Audi Cairns owner Alan Ren.
"The idea for the Arrow Experience actually came about during a discussion with a supporter so we've been working on it for a few months now and we're really excited to let the public know to save the date," Ms Duncombe said.
The event will be held on June 17, 2018 with participants given the option of a long or short course and the potential to fundraise selling raffle tickets in a new Audi A1.
"In the first year, numbers will be limited to 300 but we think it's going to be a really popular event," Ms Duncombe said.
Fundraising will go towards the Emergency Department of Cairns Hospital.
"We're actually one of the busiest Emergency Departments in the state so every extra piece of equipment we can buy, can mean we can save more lives more quickly," Dr Stone said. Brunch will be available after the event with barbecues, food and drinks provided by fundraising teams.
"We also are excited to announce that Audi have come on board as the naming rights sponsor, enabling us to call this event the Audi Arrow Experience,"
Ms Duncombe said.
"The event will be fully supported - there will be volunteers and medics at intervals along the way, and at the end of the activity, we'll draw the winner of the Audi," she said.
The new owner of Audi Cairns, Alan Ren, who lives nearby, said he was excited to be involved with both the event and the Foundation.
"We were actually researching the Foundation before we moved up from Sydney and we're really excited to be aligned with this local charity that is keeping funds raised local. With a young family ourselves, we hope we don't need to, but we know the day may well come that we need the local health service," Mr Ren said.
"I have been inspired by the passionate team at the Foundation and look forward to working with them over the coming years to support the Cairns community," he said.
Registrations are open at www.arrowexperience.org.au